Review of the electronica piece of the week...

CEU

Vagarosa

Six Degrees ***

It’s all about the mood, and Brazilian singer Maria do Céu Whitaker Pocas proceeds as slowly and leisurely as the title of her second album would suggest. While a voice that’s calm, smooth and mellow helps maintain gentle, unruffled tones, the seductive nature of Ceu’s sound is also worth noting. Working with producers from the Sao Paulo Sonantes collective, Ceu mixes traditional samba and bossa-nova washes with rubs of electronica, hip-hop, jazz and r’n’b. The beauty of this approach lies in how she merges traditional and modern in such a streamlined fashion without reverting to the same slow-motion waltzes usually experienced when new Brazilian acts drop the tempo. In the midst of wobbly scratches and samples (like the spooky dub of Cangote, for example), Ceu’s vocal arrangements remain elegant and focused, and don’t play second fiddle to what’s happening around her. www.ceumusic.com

Download tracks: Sobre o Amor e Seu Trabalho Silencioso, Cangote