Moura – Fume Santo de Loureiro (Spinda Records, 2024)
Moura’s third studio recording, Fume Santo de Loureiro, continues the band’s commitment to exploring and preserving Galician tradition. The EP was created as the original soundtrack for the short film “Nai”, directed by Tito Refoxo, who co-wrote the script with Brais do Rei, Moura’s current drummer.
Mesmerizing psychedelia, masterful and epic progressive rock, and deeply grounded traditional Celtic flavors of Galician folk music come together comfortably in this excellent set.
The short film tells the story of a family from the village of Rois (A Coruña), who are entangled in a dark tragedy: the disappearance of their youngest member. Desperate for answers, the family members unite in an attempt to unravel the mystery that has cast a shadow over their lives.
The title, “Fume Santo de Loureiro”, is derived from an exorcism and healing verse used in various Galician rituals, aligning perfectly with the narrative of “Nai”.
This new work from Moura, Fume Santo de Loureiro, features an introduction followed by three main compositions. It is a dark piece where traditional vocals and percussion guide the listener through the process of loss, while progressive chants create a spellbinding mantra against the evil eye, and lullabies transform into ghostly laments.
For this project, the band collaborated with producer and engineer Marco Lima at Hertzcontrol Studios in Seixas, Portugal. The mastering was handled by Álvaro Gallego, who has worked on all of Moura’s studio projects to date.
Fume Santo de Loureiro is available in CD format and a limited, numbered edition on transparent, screen-printed vinyl as part of Spinda Records’ ‘Trippy Series’, with artwork by Hugo Santeiro, the band’s guitarist.