Clarinetist, vocalist, and producer Kristen Mather de Andrade has never been an artist easily boxed in. With roots in classical performance and a profound connection to Brazil, her work has long lived in the in-between. With her latest album, “Sem Fim,” Kristen continues to blur genres, orchestrating them into something sweeping, cinematic, and deeply personal.
The title, Portuguese for “endless,” proves more than poetic. It reflects both the enduring nature of Brazilian musical traditions and Mather de Andrade’s place within a lineage of women shaping music across generations. This 15-piece orchestral project embraces choro, frevo, bossa nova, and sertanejo with equal reverence and reinvention.
From the opening bars of “Atraente,” the album establishes its aesthetic: elegant but effervescent. The Brazilian rhythm section breathes with organic elasticity, and returns with even more vigor in “Frevo Novo.” featuring a guest appearance from trumpeter Sean Jones, this track brings bright brass and darting melodic lines to conjure a carnival energy without sacrificing sophistication.
About half the album features Kristen’s velvety contralto, and when she sings, the mood shifts inward. On “Vide Vida Marvada” and “Chão de Estrelas,” her voice carries a tender intimacy that contrasts beautifully with the orchestral grandeur behind her.
One of the album’s most compelling moments arrives with “Endless and Blind,” where Mather de Andrade steps into a more vulnerable space. The arrangement breathes slowly, the strings aching gently beneath her as she delivers an intimate and almost confessional vocal performance.
Production-wise, Sem Fim is immaculate. Recorded in stages between Rhinebeck and New York City, and engineered with authenticity in mind, the album glows with warmth. Every instrumental layer is distinct yet integrated; the orchestration never muddies the intimacy at the project’s core.
While most cross-genre albums often come across feeling conceptually clever but emotionally distant, Sem Fim strikes the perfect balance of technical intrigue and emotional honesty. honoring century-old traditions while subtly reshaping them, this album is virtuosic, reverent, and as the title promises: endless.