Anthologie: Mornas & Coladeras

Cape Verde's barefoot diva took sodade—that seductive, bone-deep feeling of nostalgia and loss—and cranked it up on this 1995 release. Lush and moody, the songs here throb and ache with Evora’s emotionally raw, yet soothing delivery: swinging laments (“Petit Pays”), mournful love songs (“Rotcha ‘Scribida”), and sweet, sentimental shout-outs to her homeland ("Doce Guerra") are all backed by languid guitars and quietly percolating percussion. Césaria’s sighs are like roars.