Futurismo

The third of the Kassin+2 albums showcases Alexandre Kassin backed by Moreno Veloso and Domenico Lancelotti. He turns in an intimate, gently funky set that brings together samba, bossa nova, and electronic music, reminiscent at times of the High Llamas in the sweep of the melodies (most apparent on "Lakeline," although it's a fairly pervasive influence). But perhaps that's not too surprising, as that band's Sean O'Hagan is involved in the record, along with Tortoise's John McEntire. Throughout, it's an eminently accessible album, with touches of tropicalia psychedelia in tracks like "Mensagem" and the title cut. It's a beautiful, low-key record, redolent of Rio beaches at night, but Kassin has the knack of writing very memorable melodies. You might not understand the words, but they don't matter -- the tunes simply float along in your brain, backed by subtle percussion. For all intents and purposes, this is a rock album with a strong Brazilian accent, speaking an international language with a heavy regional dialect. Overall, this might be the most satisfying of the trio's three albums, certainly the fullest sounding and most accomplished. [The 2007 Umvd Import edition included bonus tracks.] ~ Chris Nickson|