Cut down by terminal illness in the prime of her life, Brazilian singer-singwriter Ana Mazzotti – like her contemporary Rosinha de Valença – burned brightly while she could. Kindling her flame was the late José Roberto Bertrami, co-founder of Azymuth, who arranged both her one and only studio album, Ninguém Vai Me Segurar (1974), and its re-recorded, eponymously titled 1977 reincarnation. While the sadly defunct Whatmusic imprint originally re-issued Mazzotti's debut back in 2001, it's no surprise that Far Out – as the longtime UK home of Azymuth – have revisited both albums almost two decades on. No surprise either that Bertrami's unmistakable keyboard eddies and counterflows saturate Mazzotti's music, working their spell on her modest yet expressive and inimitably Brazilian vocals.

The development of that voice in the three years between the two albums is immediately obvious in opener ‘Agora Ou Nunca Mais’, betraying hints of girlish naivety on the 1974 original and then fully mature with intimations of Elis Regina and Elza Soares by 1977. Stylistically the albums cover pretty much standard MPB territory, mixing up samba, bossa, balladry and jazz-funk, and, with most tracks clocking in at two or three minutes, Bertrami's more prog instincts are kept in check. Think a more commercial Azymuth (Alex Malheiros is present on guitar), and an insight into how they might have sounded with a bit of feminine, chart-friendly charm. The recipe works best on the kinetic Moog-funk of Mazzotti's self-penned ‘Roda Mundo’, and while only completists will want the two records, either is worth a punt.