Raf Vilar

Back in 2011, this London-based Brazilian singer-songwriter brought out a first album with the somewhat misleading title, Studies in Bossa Nova. It had some moments of true promise, but was a bit of a mixed bag. Over ten years later, hes fully realised that promise in the eight beautiful songs that constitute his sophomore release. Perhaps its not a coincidence that it comes via Malmos Ajabu! Records, current label of fellow countryman and musical minimalist, Tigana Santana. With tasteful jazz-styled electric guitar, hand drums or brushes and a surprisingly prominent electric bass backing his dreamy, sub-falsetto vocals, Vilar creates deceptively simple and highly melodic songs so delicate that they might evaporate. Apart from a sudden shift of direction mid-song to add drama to the single, Sou Tropical, and the ethereal So Have We, all the numbers are unembellished models of the song-writing craft, with lyrics highlighting Vilars childhood in the favelas of Rio during the 1980s and impressionistic memories of the Brazil he left behind. The penultimate Vergonha na Cara is taken at a slightly jauntier pace than the other songs, while the final Cliche, is anything but: a lovely song to end a lovely album.