Criolo’s latest album will startle many of his fans. The popular Brazilian rapper and singer is best known for mixing hip-hop with anything from reggae and funk to samba, but on this release, he switches exclusively to samba, with a relaxed set dominated by his often crooned, no-nonsense vocals, with backing provided not by keyboards and programming but by the tiny, guitar-like cavaquinho (played by a member of Pagode da 27, a neighbourhood samba project in São Paulo), along with seven-stringed guitar, percussion and brass. Many of his new songs sound like tuneful old classics, but there is an angry, contemporary edge to the lyrics (although sadly no English translations are provided). The thoughtful and languid Menino Mimado is a complaint that “Spoilt boys should not rule the government”, while the upbeat Cria de Favela is a colourful warning about criminality.
