Bossa Blue

Album Review

Like fine Parisian singers before her, performer Florence K effortlessly conjures up images of French cafes on the lovable and melodramatic "Vol De Nuit" that flow beautifully. A subtle Latin touch is added with better than expected results. Meanwhile, the Cuban influence is heard on the gorgeous, hip-shaking "El Silencio" and "Las Calles del Sur," the latter being a cross between Tito Puente and Henry Mancini. The singer can adapt to any mood or genre, whether it is the slow, sultry funk-meets-soul of "Bru Bru Marin" that draws you in à la Sade or "Harmonia," which brings to mind "Girl from Ipanema" with its soothing, dreamy and relaxing vibe. A similar track is the jazzy, sexy style oozing from "Cheri." The first song performed in English is a slow, blues-based pop ballad that seems a bit too slick. A better effort comes during the lullaby "Little Baby Will Come Back." Of course, one can't forget the bossa nova element, although it's not very apparent with the lounge-like jazz of "Le Grand Mystere." The first obvious miscue is the Shania Twain-like country-tinged pop of "Let It Burn," which fizzles out quite quickly. The homestretch has more pop-oriented English songs such as "It's No Use" that seem to be adequate but lack the authenticity of the earlier, stronger numbers.