It’s been more than a whole year since we’ve heard from Brazilian singer Céu. Just in time for the season of playas and parties, Six Degrees Records and Urban Jungle Records releases Céu’s Vagarosa. Vagarosa translates to “slow, easygoing, and leisurely” and that perfectly describes the sound and mood of this album pero this cd is anything but light and fluffy. The jaunty cavaquinho, a sort of Brazilian ukelele, betrays the into’s,Sobre o Amor e Seu Trabalho Silencioso, ruminations on the magic chemistry of love.
The cd then seemlessly moves into a funkier reggae beat with Cangote.

Vagarosa employs lots of electronic tricks, evident in the rendition of the Jorge Ben song “Rosa Menina Rosa”, that work beautifully with the more classic elements of jazz horns, blues beats and Céu’s sensual rich voice. She also employs non-traditional instruments and arrangements like in the song Ponteiro, that features a circus organ.

Sonâmbulo references hip hop with a little bit of tango in it’s tale of a sleepwalker.

All in all Vagarosa may be this summer’s perfect soundtrack, with Céu experimenting musically but never to the point of being to obscure or unreachable. This one will get alot of play in casa mala and it should in your casa too.