Austin world folk fusion group, Ley Line release their new single “Ciranda,” the latest single from their highly anticipated album We Saw Blue, due out in the Fall of 2020.
“Ciranda” is a stunning song with an amazing story about how it came onto Ley Line’s radar and the journey to connect with the original songwriter. The full story is revealed in detail on an upcoming podcast episode of “Following Ley Line” which is a Patreon exclusive.
The name “Ciranda” comes from a style of music that originated on the beaches of Northeastern Brazil. This music, composed by fishermen and their wives, often speaks of their spiritual connection to the ocean and the powerful relationship that the community has with it. A traditional Ciranda is typically a choral arrangement accompanied by a bass drum and a circle dance in which participants hold hands and slowly rotate around. This particular song was written by a man who went by the name Capiba. He wrote the song “Ciranda e Frevo” about the nearby beach called “Praia do Janga.” The lyrics of the song speak to the strong cultural presence of Orixás, the many afro-Brazilian deities that typically represent different aspects of the natural world. This song in particular refers to Yemanjá, the goddess of the ocean. It tells the story of looking out to the ocean and mistaking a fish for the goddess dancing on top of the water. Guitarist/Vocalist Emilie Basez explains:
In an effort to share this beautiful tradition with our audiences here in the United States and beyond, we decided to call the song “Ciranda,” which actually refers to the tradition itself.
“Ciranda” is now available for streaming on all digital music platforms including Apple Music.