16 Oct Underwater Songs unveils the first single from its new album
Underwater Songs, the voice and piano project by Luís Figueiredo and Manuel Rocha, release “Graça” today, the lead single from their second studio album. Entitled Underwater Songs Vol. 2, the new album will be available on digital platforms and on vinyl on November 13.
Following the positive reception of their self-titled debut album and the tour that followed, Underwater Songs return with a new release on November 13: Underwater Songs Vol. 2, the second studio album by the voice and piano project of Manuel Rocha and Luís Figueiredo. “Graça”, the album’s lead single, is out now, followed by “You Won’t Return to Me”, due for release on October 30.
Continuing the sonic universe introduced on their first album, this new work by Luís Figueiredo (piano, composition and arrangements) and Manuel Rocha (vocals) once again brings together songs in Portuguese and English. Balancing simplicity with intricate detail, these eleven compositions explore memories, soundscapes and deep emotions, in an approach that places expressiveness and subtlety at its heart. Underwater Songs Vol. 2 is released by Lado B Records.
“Shortly after the release of Underwater Songs (2024), I found myself writing songs in the same spirit, around the same themes, and with a sound very close to that of the album we had just released. It felt as though I was still writing for that album, even though it had already been recorded and released. Gradually, we began adding these new songs to our live performances, until there were too many. At that point, it became clear that it was time to record a second volume, capturing these new songs. It is clearly a volume 2, in the sense that both albums share the same intention: we recorded in the same studio, with the same sound engineer and the same piano; the cover of this second volume features a new image, but by the same photographer who created the artwork for the first volume. Underwater Songs is a story told in two parts — at this point, I don’t foresee there being any more.”
Luís Figueiredo
The live presentation of the new album begins on December 11, as part of the Jazz Consigo series at El Corte Inglés in Lisbon. In January, the duo will continue their journey across Portugal with a concert on January 19 at Café Curto, the café-concert venue at Convento São Francisco in Coimbra, followed by a performance on January 22 at Fundação José Saramago in Lisbon, and on January 24 at the Auditório do Solar da Música Nova in Loulé.
MORE INFORMATION
11 DEC | LISBOA
El Corte Inglés (Jazz Consigo) | Sala de Âmbito Cultural | Piso 6 | 18:30
19 JAN | COIMBRA
Convento São Francisco (Café Curto) | 19:30
22 JAN | LISBOA
Fundação José Saramago
24 JAN | LOULÉ
Auditório do Solar da Música Nova
ABOUT UNDERWATER SONGS
Underwater Songs is a musical project bringing together pianist and composer Luís Figueiredo and guitarist and vocalist Manuel Rocha in an artistic partnership defined by a strong rapport, subtlety and intimacy. Through the interplay of voice and piano, the two musicians explore the expressive possibilities of song, blending influences from jazz and contemporary Portuguese music with a delicate, cinematic and emotionally resonant approach.
A prominent figure in jazz and Portuguese music, Luís Figueiredo has built a distinguished career as a pianist, composer and arranger, collaborating with artists such as Cristina Branco, António Zambujo and Salvador Sobral. His work is characterised by its versatility and his ability to move between different musical worlds, from jazz to fado and classical music.
Manuel Rocha, a guitarist and vocalist with a distinctive tone, has collaborated with artists such as Luísa Sobral and MARO, while developing his own musical identity, shaped by interpretative sensitivity and a keen attention to lyrics. In Underwater Songs, his voice finds a space for listening and sharing in Luís Figueiredo’s piano, bringing a shared musical language to life.