Bossa Muffin

Billed as a ‘traveller's diary’, Bossa Muffn sees Brazilian singer/ acoustic guitarist Flavia Coelho conduct a roots trip back from her adopted Parisian home.

This is not Coelho’s diary, however; she claims it tells the story of a man who travels the world in order to find out more about himself. The strong Latino influences – samba and bossa nova, along with the lesser-known forró and pagode styles of northern Brazil – become enveloped by a distinctly African pulse.

Bossa Muffin has an unrushed, on-the-road feel. Like any journey through a varied landscape, the album is at times busy and at times sparse. Police sirens and gabbling loudspeaker cries give an urban street vibe in places – a nod to Manu Chao’s Clandestino, an archetypal album when it comes to nomadic wanderings (guitar strapped to back) through Latin America. It may not be groundbreaking, but Bossa Muffin is an easy-on-the-ear take on cultural fusion. Coelho’s voice has the versatility – sometimes songbird-esque, sometimes close to rapping – to match the ambition of the project. Standout moments include ‘Sunshine’, Bossa Muffin’s reggae-heavy single and the simple guitar and percussion track ‘A Foto’.