Afropop Worldwide

The music of Flavia Coelho, Rio-born and now Paris-based, can be hard to pin down. Her new album, Mundo Meu, which came out earlier this month, is her first new release since her 2011 debut, Bossa Muffin. The production style is quite different--where the first album was smooth, flowing and light as air, Mundo Meu plays with darker and more unusual sonic textures and effects, with echoes and distortions lurking behind Coelho's impeccable, precise vocals. Much like a musical smoothie, the different genres and styles she draws on are so well blended that it's difficult to pick them out individually, but if any were gone, you'd miss them. There's baile funk and samba, ragga and hip-hop, plus some interesting electronic textures underneath it all. In "People Dansa," you can definitely hear the influence of Afrobeat in both the rhythms and the horns--not a surprise given that legendary drummer Tony Allen plays on the track. You can stream the whole album on Soundcloud, and "People Dansa" is available for free download. Hope you enjoy!