One of the summer’s top Brazilian albums comes to us from Rio’s Sabrina Malheiros. 2017’s Clareia is well-stocked with easy energy and rhythmic fun and its standout songs are already pushing up the playlist on our ‘New Music: Brazil!’ streaming channel. Here’s what her label has to say about the album:

Having made her mark on Brazil’s rich musical legacy with three best-selling albums to date, Rio’s original nu-bossa queen returns with a tour de force of golden-era Brazilian soul music. From the spiritual swing of the early pioneers of modern Samba, to the dizzying hedonism of Brazil’s eighties disco/boogie craze, Clareia is a life-affirming journey through the rich and varied sounds Sabrina Malheiros has been immersed in since she can remember. For her most up-lifting and danceable album to date, Sabrina has (as always) enlisted her father Alex Malheiros - bassist of samba jazz-funk legends Azymuth – and visionary London based producer Daniel Maunick (aka Dokta Venom), son of Incognito’s Bluey. Now, Sabrina returns with Clareia. “It means to clear, light, brighten or illuminate, which, after seeing Brazil and the rest of the world go through some very difficult times, is exactly what the writing of this album brought to my life,” she said. Sabrina’s songcraft touches each of the album’s 10 tracks. Written and recorded in Niteroi, Brazil, overlooking Gunabara Bay and Rio’s beaches, mountains and forests, the music basks in its surroundings and sings of ecological beauty, peace and sanctuary. Echoing Sabrina’s emphasis on clarity, Alex notes that “the album’s title represents an appeal to the minds of our civilization today, to clear our thoughts for good and for peace." This pursuit of clarity continued into the studio: “Clareia took a little longer than usual” notes Sabrina, “which was good in way, as all my previous albums were recorded in rush and we usually had a week for pre-production and another week in the studio, which always gave me the feeling that I could do better. With this album it was different… we took our time.”

   Clareia

1. Celebrar
2. Clareia
3. Em Paz
4. Porto Do Sol
5. Salve O Mar
6. Sol, Céu E Mar
7. Vam'Bora
8. Vai, Maria
9. Renascerá
10. Sandorê
11. Ultraleve

Personnel: Kiko Continentino: fender rhodes, organ, piano, synthesizer; Leo Gandleman: brass arrangements, flute, saxophone; Jakaré: percussion; Alex Malheiros: bass, double bass, acoustic guitar, background vocals; Sabrina Malheiros: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals; Marcelo Martins: brass arrangements, flute; Daniel "Venom" Maunick: arrangements, brass arrangements, mixing, programming, scratching, synthesizers; Ian Moreira: percussion; Ze Carlos Santos: acoustic guitar; Jakaré: percussion.