Suave Suave

Brazilian diva Deborah Blando joins the tribe for their 1995 sophomore album, and the results certainly are smooth (or "suave" in Spanish), with the multi-instrumentalist Claus Zundel supplying the techno dance beats alongside some truly dashing passages of echo-laden flamenco guitar. Blando whispers the title over sounds of crickets for the opening track, before switching to English for the danceable pop of "Que Mala Vida" (she sounds a bit like Kate Bush working with Madonna's producers). Her vocal resemblance to Kate Bush is even more noticeable on the lovely "Nanita: A Spanish Lullabye" which manages to be tranquilising and boogie-worthy all in one. Things slow down on the achingly lovely "Poesia", with its whispered, spoken vocal and gentle piano.
Fans coming to this album on the wings of the Tribe's outstanding 5 or SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL may be surprised by its moments of unabashed dance pop but rest assured there's still plenty of the passionate Gypsy trappings and brooding natural-world ambience to make the later albums essential. There's even a softly strummed acoustic guitar "Interlude" as well as a delightfully optimistic cello opening in the instrumental Fleetwood Mac cover, "Albatross".|