Perhaps inspired by the success of
Fernanda Porto who released her debut album on the same record label (Trama);
Patrícia Marx on
Respirar turns to electronica with a distinct Brazilian flavor. It is a nice surprise as her new sound is by far more ambitious and impressive than her usual brand of lightweight pop. Another novelty is that
Marx co-wrote all but one of the tracks on the album. The other two songwriters are the hip-hop and electronica artists
Bruno E. and Mad Zoo -- both from Trama. The songs are all quite similar, with
Marx's sugary voice floating over a cool electronic club groove. Apart from the ever present and distinct Brazilian feel to the melodies and the music,
Marx from time to time also sounds quite a bit like a modern R&B singer. The sound is very polished and the production is thorough and neat, but it sometimes feels as though it is used as a glossy facade to hide a certain lack of ideas and strong melodies. Occasionally, the music feels a bit too tame and calculating. The tracks "Submerso" and "Dona Música" were produced by the rather celebrated English electronica and drum'n'bass group
4hero, who are said to be big fans of Brazilian music. On "Dona Música" there is also yet another Trama guest artist contributing, this time in the form of
Wilson Simoninha as a vocalist. ~ Philip Jandovský