Cuidado Madame - Leaving Some Doors Unopened

I first came across Arto Lindsay's melange of experimental music and bossa nova when I was, of all things, watching Wild Orchid, which featured the song "It Only Has to Happen Once" by his band Ambitious Lovers. Like Fifty Shades of Grey, Wild Orchard has a plot that suffers from a lack of imagination, and surprisingly, a strong soundtrack that saves the film from complete artlessness. Although it didn't attain the following it deserves, I see "It Only Has to Happen Once" as the 90s equivalent of "Earned It" by The Weeknd. Both are like burlesque - risque without sacrificing elegance, they leave some doors unopened.

From his cover of Prince's "Erotic City" to Ambitious Lover's last album Lust which was inspired by the original sin, Lindsay is the master of sensuality. What sets him apart from other masters is his unmistakable blend of sensual and morbid. In his musical sphere you can't have sensual without morbid - you never know which one of them you're gonna get and they often show up in the same song, holding hands, fingers entwined.

I practiced rare music monogamy for one whole month after discovering Lindsay, he was all I could listen to. Like a child who had her first taste of sweets, I needed to have my dosage of his music day and night, night and day. I think he provided the soundtrack to my sweet dreams and nightmares too.

Slated for release in April, Lindsay's new solo album is named after Cuidado Madame, a Brazilian film in the 70s about oppressed maids standing up to their masters (very different from those aforementioned). We need his rebellious music now more than ever when entertainers/"musicians" are telling us there is only one way to look and sound hot. Welcome back Arto, a 13-year wait for Cuidado Madame is mind-bendingly long but worthwhile. It's time to show them how it's done - without wagging tongues, confusing yelling with singing and selling forgettable albums with highly stylized covers.