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Her recent collaboration with Carlinhos Brown and Arnaldo Antunes on the Tribalistas project cemented her growing international reputation with an accessible blend of sophisticated pop that won over audiences worldwide.

Visit the new video sharing site for Fly and watch Marisa Monte’s video ‘Diariamente’

Universo ao meu Redor is Marisa’s first disc to focus entirely on the samba tradition. Vintage numbers are juxtaposed with first-class compositions by the reunited team of Monte, Brown and Antunes and by other contemporary composers such as the great Paulinho da Viola. David Byrne also makes an appearance, sharing songwriting credits and vocal duties on the delightfully wonky ‘Statue of Liberty’.

Marisa’s rich, bright voice is gently accompanied by an acoustic guitar on all numbers, with light layers of percussion and other acoustic textures lending shade and variety to individual tracks. However the arrangements are deceptively simple and careful listening reveals a rich sonic palette with the sound of theremins, beatboxing and even tap dancing thrown into the mix.

The set hangs together with a real sense of coherence and manages to achieve the gravity-defying trick of sounding simultaneously fresh and classic. All of which makes Universo… yet another triumphant Marisa Monte release.

Marisa Monte performs at the Barbican Hall on 25 Sep 2006