While Ivan Conti has been busy with Madlib on late with the brilliant Sujinho album that includes updated Azymuth tracks, it didn’t stop him finding time to work on Sabrina’s second album with his other Brazilian Soul mates Alex Malheiros and Jose Roberto Bertrami.

Not only that, most of the tracks are written Sabrina in collaboration with Alex and producer Daniel Maunick (aka DJ Venom and son of UK Jazz-Soul-funk legends Incognito, Bluey) plus the couple of string arrangements by the superb Arthur Verocai.

In fact the album starts with one of those Verocai assisted tracks, ‘Brisa Mar’. This is very promising as all the usual suspect from the Far Out pool of Victor Santos, Jesse Sadoc (The Ipanemas, The Sound Of Club Brasil) along with sax and flute experts Eduardo Neves, Paulo Guimarães and Idriss Boudrioua. The other ‘big band’ tracks are ‘Sintonia’, ‘Connexão’ (that’s going to be a single release) and ‘It’s Too Late’. It’s Too Late’ as in the Carole King hit of the early 70s. Not one of my favourites and as sung in English by Sabrina, this version isn’t either but that apart, all the rest sound superb.

If you ever wondered where the bossa of the future was coming from, here it is. Samba soul inspired by the 70s jazz fusion family that’s encapsulated by the title track (even if it’s sung in English). ‘Connexão’ will be lined up for a host of remixes but the original is a stunning highlight.

Once again, the difficult second album doesn’t seem that difficult at all. New Morning is an excellent follow up to her debut Equilibria and bound to be a sound track to the summer. Get a copy and get down on the beach early.

Reviewed: Sabrina Malheiros - New Morning (Far Out Recordings) Cat. No. FARO 131CD Release date: 7th July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Brisa Mar (3:17)
2 Nova Estação (4:48)
3 Sintonia (3:27)
4 New Morning (5:03)
5 Além Do Sol (3:57)
6 It’s Too Late (3:54)
7 Essa Canção (4:32)
8 Eira Nem Beira (3:08)
9 Connexão (5:40)
10 Sem Pressa (2:52)
11 Vou Voar (4:03)
12 Nuances (2:20)

Links:
www.sabrinamalheiros.com
www.myspace.com/sabrinamalheiros
www.faroutrecordings.com
www.myspace.com/faroutrecordings
Antonio Adolfo
www.caroleking.com