Rio (Music From the Motion Picture)

Various Artists
Rio (Music From the Motion Picture)

In keeping with the 2011 animated adventure’s backdrop of Rio de Janeiro, the soundtrack to Rio brims over with lively Tropicália, festive bossa nova, and a heaping helping of dance-friendly Brazilian pop. Vocal cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, will.i.am, and The Rio Singers all come together to kick off the party with “Real in Rio.” And they do keep it real, with a dynamic layering of Brazilian drums and percussion accompanying their vocals until a spare acoustic guitar seeps in under the samba rhythms. With ample help from Hathaway and Foxx, will.i.am kicks out a heavy Ipanema party jam with “Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)” replete with blasting whistles and marching drums. Bebel Gilberto comes through with a sunny rendition of “Samba De Orly.” Fans of Sergio Mendes are in for a few sweet treats starting with a reworking of “Mas Que Nada” that features Mendes’ wife, Gracinha Leporace, on vocals. Mendes also contributes “Valsa Carioca,” a loungy orchestration where gossamer strings intertwine with lilting piano notes as a percussive shaker keeps time.

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