*300 copies limited edition* A debut that is not a debut. Eva Fernández Suárez and Thomas Barrière have both been around for a while, just not as a duo. Eva is originally from the Asturias region in northern Spain but has been residing in France for quite a few years now. As a solo singer, her work is firmly rooted in classic folk-inspired material, more specifically in the bleak, bare-bones, and stripped-down kind. With her slow, rhythmic delivery, perfectly placed melodic nuances, and a vocal range that effortlessly spans from deep and gritty to angelic, Eva’s voice is truly distinctive: hearing her once is enough to have her sound remembered forever. But she’s an excellent songwriter as well, a fact she masterfully demonstrated on her debut album Antiguo, released on CD by three:four records in 2016 under the pseudonym ‘Dana Valser.’ After that, a long silence followed—a silence that fortunately ends with the release of Adela.
After being introduced by a mutual friend, Eva has been working with Thomas Barrière, a guitarist from the south of France. He is active as a solo musician (with ao releases on Important records), in a series of collaborations, and as a composer for film music and theatre plays. He proves to be the perfect partner to allow Eva’s chants to flourish. Barrière knows when to step back while simultaneously enriching the sound with a wide range of stringed instruments and occasional percussion, bells, or drones.
In late 2016, Eva lost her mother, Adela. That loss looms large over the album named after her. While the grief is palpable on the record, there’s so much more than sorrow shaping this work. At times, you’ll hear elements of hope and joy emerge—even if you don’t understand the Spanish language in which the texts are sung. Eva’s love for ancient music is quite literal here—you’ll hear music that transcends generations, not just from mother to daughter but echoing across centuries. The song Frio, for example, is draws inspiration from the work of Hildegard von Bingen, the famous abbess and musician born in 1098. Barrière’s delicate and restrained arrangements leave ample space for the songs to breathe, making them sound timeless.
