There is no need to reinvent the wheel to captivate the ear. Flavia Coelho, Brazilian singer and musician established in Paris, demonstrates this once again with Ginga, a sometimes almost pop album with multiple roots. Sparkling melodies, careful atmospheres, swaying rhythms, retro references, absolutely everything we hear on this record caresses the eardrums with graceful indolence.
Those who follow Brazilian music, even remotely, know a little about who Flavia Coelho is. Raised in Rio de Janeiro, but based in France for almost 20 years, she stood out from her first album Bossa Muffin. She has since mixed a variety of styles from her native country (samba, bossa-nova, forro, etc.) with, among others, reggae and other Caribbean rhythms.
Those who listened to the album Soft Power de Poirier also know, perhaps without knowing it, this singer: it is her voice that we hear on Café com leite, one of the pieces that stands out from the crowd on this record, which is nevertheless full of noted collaborations. Sensual, creamy, playful, Flavia Coelho’s singing cannot fail to seduce…
Ginga has something generally soft about it. The music rarely presses on and the careful production highlights the grain of the singer’s voice as much as the textures of the instruments, synthetic or not. Her world is not as exciting as that of her compatriot Ceu and this record would even end up lacking momentum if, towards the end, there was no song Lapa, which focuses on more percussive singing. We keep this new album by Flavia Coelho close by to brighten up hot evenings or warm up those who need it.
Extract of But Love
Popular Brazilian Music (MPB)
Ginga
Flavia Coelho
PIAS/The Orchard