2007 release, the third album from the undisputed Queen of new Brazilian music. Bebel is the multi-talented daughter of Brazilian legend Joao Gilberto who has created her own musical path while also embracing her past. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, London and New York. Momento features titles penned by Bebel, producer Guy Sigsworth (known for his collaborations with Bjork and as being a former member of Bomb The Bass) and The Brazilian Girls. Momento's sound is perfectly poised between the crystalline, Electronic simplicity of her debut album Tanto Tempo and the acoustic sophistication of her second, self-titled opus. V2. 2007.Three discs into her acclaimed solo career, it's a no-brainer that the Brazilian pop charms of Bebel Gilberto will conjure a slew of beach-inspired adjectives. "Refreshing," "wind-swept" and "sun-kissed" spring to mind. Momento continues Gilberto's trend of crafting sultry scenes of afternoon delight via tunes that both adhere to traditions and sound ultra-modern. But she also mixes things up a bit in the process. Gilberto's sensual delivery--featured here in English and in Portuguese--hovers in and around each song, more an extension of the rhythms than the showpiece. Make no mistake, though: Gilberto's vocal work is a thing of beauty. She again blends bossa nova, samba, pop and electronica flourishes, but no one genre overpowers any other. Liliting guitars give way to pulsing percussion and horns, which crash against loops and samples. Gilberto coos amid the catchy club flavor of "Bring Back the Love," and the moonlit "Close to You" recalls Sade. The daughter of Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto even tackles Cole Porter's "Night and Day," recasting it as a hushed moment of bossa loveliness. And the title track is a collage of sonic secrets and memories. Perfect for a patio brunch--or an evening under the stars. --Joey Guerra
