Cibelle

Shine of Dried Electric Leaves
(2006)

Since her breakout performance on Suba's landmark Sao Paolo Confessions, singer Cibelle (pronounced see-Bell-ee) has enchanted Brazilian pop aficionados with her lovely musical purr. Here on her second album, the cool lounge production of her debut is pushed into a darker, more experimental realm without losing her music's sensual beauty. As ambitious as the production, the songwriting is challenging too with highlights like "Phoenix" and "Flying High" using a linear style rather than the back and forth of a verse, bridge and chorus arrangement. There's a couple of interesting covers as well--while her spare version of Tom Waits's "Green Grass" is a seemingly offbeat choice, her haunting, glitchy and near-unrecognizable cover of Jobim's "Por Toda A Minha Vida" is a different kind of surprise. With ultra-cool Apollo Nove and Tunng in the producers' chair, this subtle kind of sonic and music revision is to be expected, but it's a tribute to the singer that she keeps the challenging sound under the sway of her lovely voice. --Tad Hendrickson
 

Cibelle
(2003)

Although this is her debut, Brazilian singer Cibelle (pronounced "see-BELL-ee") has already made a name for herself with standout appearances on Suba’s landmark São Paulo Confessions and Otto’s criminally overlooked Condom Black. This self-titled effort is cut from the same cloth with help from noted producer Apollo 9 and the sonic architects from Morcheeba. But even with this support, the chanteuse’s sultry sing-song voice (think Bebel Gilberto and Astrid Gilberto) is rightly pushed to the fore, allowing her rich vocal nuances to shine through regardless of whether she is singing in Portuguese or English. She also immerses herself in the production and writing here, writing or co-writing nearly all the music using an even mix of live instrumentation and textured programming backdrops. Highlights include the loose and funky "No Prego," the gentle ballad "I’ll Be" and the nearly traditional samba "Só Sei Viver No Samba." This is a promising first step from a talented up-and-comer. --Tad Hendrickson

Also See:

Otto

Suba
 

Lucas Santtana
Eletro Ben Dodo

Rosalia De Souza
 

Bebel Gilberto

Daude
 

Also See:
Trama Records

Acid Jazz

Lounge Music

Brazilian Music Store