8

6.0

UK release date 06.08.2007

“Imagine Led Zep, The Meters, Joni Mitchell and The Beatles jamming in Brazil with Tropicalistas….where funk and classic pop get spiced up with a little Samba”, reads the press release for this lovely little slice of midsummer sunshine.

Not far off, but I’d go further. Jazzy, folky and hypnotically rhythmic, this music is wonderfully original. Leftfield, cosmopolitan London meets Brazil in full effect, (band leaders Nina and Chris are both based in north London, while the album was largely recorded in South America), but it is the beat of Brazil that gives this album its drive and its identity.

It features all those magical elements - electric guitars, funky drumming and samba percussion. Influences range from Brazilian pop, rock, soul and jazz, and the album skips from folky ballads to breezy R&B sambas, contemporary bossas and plain good pop tunes. The opening track, ‘Funny Old Song’, is an uplifting bossa and dictates the direction of the whole album. My personal favourite is the romantic bossa ‘Baby’, featuring the delightful and spiritual voice of Courtney Dennie on backing vocals. Many of Brazil’s greatest musicians feature on this album, but it’s the percussion of Marcazinho (Joao Bosco and Pat Metheny,) that really stands out. Both aficionados of Brazilian music and newcomers to the scene will find a place in their record collection for Zeep.
Words Conrad Bool