"Noa Noa servem-nos uma filigrana, inesperada e em tamanho gigante, de canções antigas e tradicionais de quase toda a Península Ibérica (...), interpretadas com um amor e uma sabedoria assombrosas."
"Resta-nos festejar a estreia do duo NOA NOA, [Língua, Vol. 1, *****, Arte das Musas], formado pelos multi-instrumentistas Filipe Faria e Tiago Matias. Com um pé na música tradicional, com o outro na música antiga (medieval e não só) e com o coração aberto às músicas do mundo (ao lado de adufes, chocalhos, guitarra barroca, viola beiroa ou vihuela também se podem ouvir um udu ou uma flauta bansuri), os Noa Noa servem-nos uma filigrana, inesperada e em tamanho gigante, de canções antigas e tradicionais de quase toda a Península Ibérica (pela voz de Filipe Faria podem aqui ouvir-se temas em português, catalão, basco, castelhano, galego, asturiano e mirandês), interpretadas com um amor e uma sabedoria assombrosas."
António Pires in BLITZ Magazine, 105, Crítica \ Review *****, Portugal 2015
"Noa Noa serves us a filigree, unexpected and on a giant scale, of ancient and traditional songs from almost the entire Iberian Peninsula (...), performed with astonishing love and wisdom.
"The debut of duo NOA NOA [with “Língua”, Vol. 1, *****, Arte das Musas], formed by multi-instrumentalists Filipe Faria and Tiago Matias, is one that must be celebrated. With one foot in traditional music, the other in early music (medieval and more) and heart open to music from around the world (alongside the adufe, the chocalho, the baroque guitar, the viola beiroa and the vihuela might be heard an udu or a bansuri flute), Noa Noa serves us a filigree, unexpected and on a giant scale, of ancient and traditional songs from almost the entire Iberian Peninsula (through the voice of Filipe Faria, themes in Portuguese, Catalan, Basque, Castilian, Galician, Asturian and Mirandês can be heard), performed with astonishing love and wisdom."
António Pires in BLITZ Magazine, 105, Crítica \ Review *****, Portugal 2015
"The Words of Love (…) Two young Portuguese musicians initiated the Noa Noa project which has become famous; it is on the lookout for the music culture of the Iberian peoples resulting in numerous exhibitions, studies and the “audible attachment", the Noa Noa records. (...) Highly, highly recommended."
Péter Kirali in Classical Music Compass, Crítica/Review, Hungria/Hungary 2018
"The Words of Love (…) Two young Portuguese musicians initiated the Noa Noa project which has become famous; it is on the lookout for the music culture of the Iberian peoples resulting in numerous exhibitions, studies and the “audible attachment”, the Noa Noa records. I made mention of the first; it has become a cult record since then, has won all kinds of awards and the enthusiastic audience in Portugal literally bought the last piece of Noa Noa. (...) The cover is beautiful and minimalist, black and white, simply perfect. (…) Words of love. (…) Desirable. (…) It is rather a recreation. Novel or something original - it is the keyword. (...) Original, bifold right away with an opposing meta-meaning: on the one hand, it is original, going back to the origin, legacy of the ancestors, and, on the other hand, it is genuine, different from the rest and it is its true self. The record is just like that. (…) Two things are happening. On the one hand, it halts the thump and spin; it takes us down to the depths. Perhaps it narcotises us. On the other hand, it helps us fit in the pattern, a deeper understanding. Descending, fully different rhythm, what an impossibility, perhaps we can hear the accords of Tarantella? (…) Also, it is extremely deep both vocally and metaphysically. They render the special monotony which is the key of the whole record. For it heavily resembles heartbeat (…) The voice is wonderful with a special gleam on top; it is a rarity in men’s voice. It is a straight thing just like the entire record. (..) I have been listening to this one and only record for days. Highly, highly recommended."
Péter Kirali in Classical Music Compass, Crítica/Review, Hungria/Hungary 2018. Translated by Kenesei Andrea
“Noa Noa afasta-se assim, com um dinamismo erudito, de outros projectos que trabalham a música tradicional, usando ferramentas opostas para evitar a sua cristalização.”
"Noa Noa thus stands apart, with erudite dynamism, from other projects dealing with traditional music, using opposing tools to avoid stagnation."
Manuela Paraíso in Jornal de Letras
"neste Noa Noa o bom gosto impera sem descanso"
“Em suma, neste Noa Noa o bom gosto impera sem descanso, e por isso só me ocorre o topo da escala, umas 5 estrelas bem viçosas, para descrever o meu agrado (...) A meu ver são coisas destas que nos animam e fazem correr."
"good taste never ceases to prevail in Noa Noa"
"In short, good taste never ceases to prevail in Noa Noa, and that is why I can only think of the top of the scale, a very healthy 5 stars, to describe my pleasure (…). As I see it, these are the things that inspire us and give us courage."
João Almeida, Director Adjunto de Programas de Rádio (RTP), Portugal
"nunca se escutaram arranjos como estes"
“Uma coisa é certa: nunca se escutaram arranjos como estes de modas, cantos de devoção, de Tierras de Miranda (...), da Beira Baixa (...) ou dos Açores. Venha rapidamente o Volume II de “Língua”."
"arrangements such as these have never been heard before"
"One thing is for sure: arrangements such as these have never been heard before, of modas (popular songs), songs of devotion, from Tierras de Miranda (…), Beira Baixa (…) or the Azores. We impatiently await Volume II of “Língua”."
Luís Rei in Crónicas da Terra - 1.º lugar/place TOP Música Tradicional/Folk, Portugal 2014
"um disco surpreendente"
“Na justa fronteira entre o tradicional e o erudito, os Noa Noa, duo de Filipe Faria e Tiago Matias, estreiam-se com um disco surpreendente, que vagueia por territórios pouco explorados da música da península – a meio caminho entre Jordi Saval e o também excelente trabalho da sua filha Arianna.”
Manuela Paraíso in Jornal de Letras
"a surprising album"
"Smartly on the border between traditional and erudite music, Noa Noa, the duo comprising Filipe Faria and Tiago Matias, debuts with a surprising album that roams the little explored territories of the Iberian peninsula’s music – partway between Jordi Savall and the also excellent work of his daughter Arianna."
Manuela Paraíso in Jornal de Letras
“Eu amo esse disco!"
“Eu amo esse disco! (…) Esse é um grande, grande disco! (…) É absolutamente admirável. É um daqueles trabalhos que nos faz pensar em tudo o que andamos a desperdiçar na nossa história musical."
João Gobern in Hotel Babilónia/Antena 1, Portugal 2014
"I love this album!"
"I love this album! (…) This is a great, great album! (…) It is absolutely to be admired. It is one of those works that makes us think of everything from our musical history that we are squandering."
João Gobern in Hotel Babilónia/Antena 1, Portugal 2014
“O som dos Noa Noa parte de uma afinidade simples e eficaz (…)”
“O som dos Noa Noa parte de uma afinidade simples e eficaz entre os cordofones de Tiago Matias e a voz delicada de Filipe Faria. Perante esta base elementar constroem tudo o resto, com os mais variados tipos de instrumentos e efeitos. ”
"Noa Noa’s sound is based on the simple and effective affinity (…)”
"Noa Noa’s sound is based on the simple and effective affinity between Tiago Matias’s chordophones and the delicate voice of Filipe Faria. From this elementary base all the rest is constructed with the most varied kinds of instruments and effects."
Manuela Paraíso in Jornal de Letras, Portugal
"É extraordinário: cheio de delicadeza mas sempre com energia"
"É extraordinário: cheio de delicadeza mas sempre com energia, com uma espontaneidade que quase parece gravado num concerto ao vivo. Além do lado musical é também um maravilhoso arco iris do falar ibérico. (...) Adoro não apenas a minúcia dos meneios (dos sentimentos, estados de alma) na voz (...), mas também o permanente dedilhado tão bem medido, expressivo, das cordas. E depois o tempero da percussão (...) com um inesperado e irresistível bamboleio.”
"It is extraordinary: full of delicacy but always energetic"
"It is extraordinary: full of delicacy but always energetic, with a spontaneity that almost seems to have been recorded at a live concert. Aside from the music, there is also a wonderful rainbow of Iberian speech. (...) I love not just the detail of the turns of the voice (expressing feelings, moods) (…), but also the constant fingering of the chords, so well measured and expressive. And then, the seasoning of the percussion (…) with its unexpected and irresistible sway."
João Almeida, Director Adjunto de Programas de Rádio (RTP), Portugal
"Aqui respira-se uma enorme cumplicidade"
““Lingua, Vol. 1” é erudito e contemporâneo, antigo e moderno, arcaico e inovador. Aqui respira-se uma enorme cumplicidade entre dois multi-instrumentistas, respeita-se o silêncio, os espaços (do terreiro ao salão de baile) e a doçura ou a pujança dos instrumentos, sejam percussões de barro, flautas doces ou cordofones trovadorescos.”
"Here one can sense the great intimacy"
"“Língua, Vol 1” is erudite and contemporary, early and modern, archaic and innovative. Here one can sense the great intimacy between two multi-instrumentalists, there is respect for silence, spaces (from the village square to the dance floor) and the sweetness or vigour of the instruments, whether earthenware percussion, recorders or troubadour-style chordophones."
Luís Rei in Crónicas da Terra - 1.º lugar/place TOP Música Tradicional/Folk, Portugal 2014
“Os Noa Noa saltitam nas fronteiras da música tradicional e erudita, utilizando línguas e dialetos, reconfigurando a música antiga com práticas modernas. Para isso recorrem a grande panóplia de instrumentos, que acompanham a voz mágica de Filipe Faria.”
"Noa Noa flits across the borders of traditional and erudite music, using languages and dialects, reconfiguring early music with modern practices. In order to do this, they make use of a great array of instruments, accompanying Filipe Faria’s magical voice."
Luís Pedro Cabral in Revista VISÃO, Portugal