ALBUM REVIEW: Brazilian Girls brilliantly return with Let’s Make Love
Eclectic band Brazilian Girls avoids any specific genre, partaking in dance music, Latin limbo and even psychedelic pop. Ironically, none of the members are originally from Brazil; lead singer Sabina Sciubba was born in Rome to parents of German and Italian descent. Sciubba’s globe-trotted from Italy to Germany and France before ending up in New York. Those experiences manifest powerfully in her music. The quartet makes its anticipated return to the alternative dance scene after a 10-year hiatus with Let’s Make Love.
Let’s Make Love
Brazilian Girls
April 13
Let’s Make Love celebrates Brazilian Girls’ wondrous songwriting, presenting their artistry like a immaculate fabric strung together with infectious beats and unparalleled narrative. Songs like “Go Out More Often” and “Woman In Red” sport atmospheres that strike straight to the heart. Blending witty stories with sticky bass lines and fast-paced synths, both tracks create a mood ideal for midnight drives with your significant other, belting it into hairbrushes and in the shower.
Brazilian Girls seamlessly encompass cultures with Let’s Make Love. “Salve” is sung entirely in Spanish, enveloping listeners in sweet, soft trap. The artistic decisions made in “Salve” and “Balla Balla” welcome people from many walks of life to find their own corner of inclusivity. The beat in the latter opens to a Brazilian samba rhythm, but its messy and loud instrumentation brings the energy of a high fashion film. The use of Spanish adds to its harmony.
Most notably, Brazilian Girls churn out plenty of stellar slaps. Their musical repertoire on this album alone calls back to indie rockers Vampire Weekend, the art-pop of Glass Animals, Sylvan Esso’s electropop, and even The Clash-style punk, melting all of these niches together in a beautifully sonic tapestry. Opening track “Pirates” is contagious enough to win over even the most hardened musical Scrooges, tipping a hat to “Danny, Dakota and the Wishing Well” by Silent Film. This track is a picturesque set-up with genuine lyrics but overall ridiculously sweet vibe.
Other bangers include the title track and “Karakoy.” “Let’s Make Love” basks in the 1980s romantic comedy realm with a hint of blissfully sweet Modern English. A song with clear British post-punk influence will get listeners moving, whether that be in the club or the car. “Karakoy” solidifies itself as the most impressive track on the album, incorporating Eastern tunings into its influence from Vampire Weekend and Sylvan Esso. This gorgeously vibrant cross-cultural combination provides passages of tranquility in an album prone towards louder approaches.
Brazilian Girls have created something pleasantly surprising for a plethora of musical preferences. Whether one appreciates them for their brilliant rifts techno synth, goosebump-inducing vocals or their inventive use of traditional Latino music, Let’s Make Love spares no expense.
Follow Vic Silva at Twitter.com/VicSilvaaaa.