The duo The Puro , formed by Noel Hogan (co-founder, guitarist and composer of The Cranberries ) and Brazilian singer Mell Peck Law of Return this Friday, the 14th .
The collaboration between the two arose after Noel discovered Mell's covers on YouTube in 2019, thanks to recommendations from several people who suggested the singer's work. Mell now lives in Porto Alegre. "We met and during our conversations, the idea of composing together came up. Since then, we haven't stopped, and ideas are always coming," she says. The two work remotely with the help of translators, as Mell doesn't speak fluent English.
After two years of collaboration, the project kicked off this year with the two singles that had been previously released: “Goodbye” and “Prison ,” which also received a Portuguese version.
Now, in this new EP, Noel and Mell continue to define The Puro's unique sound with three unreleased songs, available in English and Portuguese. Mell's powerful vocals and ethereal lyrics are driven by Noel's striking arrangements, creating a uniquely cathartic experience.
Notably, the title track, "Law of Return," was the first song Noel wrote on the piano. "I didn't want to use any guitar, to see if it would make me write in a different way. Musically, the track was inspired by 70s disco, especially the orchestrations."
The lyrics were written by Mell, about “living in a world where we are surrounded by energies, both positive and negative – and as we well know, 'we reap what we sow'”. The EP also contains the songs “Atalhos” / “Shortcuts”, a composition that mixes grunge and punk, and “Renascer”, a more emotional track with synthesizers reminiscent of the 80s
To promote the EP, Noel will be in Brazil, and will meet Mell in São Paulo for a show at Casa Rockambole on October 20th, accompanied by the band Leela. It will be the live debut of the project, and tickets are already available via Sympla .
The EP Law of Return is a release from the ForMusic Records label. Listen on your favorite streaming platform .
READ ALSO: The Puro Interview: Find out how The Cranberries guitarist formed a duo with a Brazilian singer