ZUCO 103

Brazilian chanteuse Lilian Vieira went to study voice in Rotterdam, where she met drummer Stefan Kruger and keyboard wiz Stefan Schmid. And although their collaboration is based in Holland, the sound is pure Brazil. The trio is continually finding unique ways to blend electronic beats with samba, afoxé and other drum-heavy rhythms to produce a smooth, dreamy, tropical vibe with a space-age edge. Vieira's strong melodic sense and subtle vocals may be the group's emphasis, but Kruger and Schmid are experts at dropping unexpected sounds from Africa, America and the Caribbean into the mix for a silky global groove. "Vivente" sounds like the title tune from a '70s Brazilian blaxploitation flick, and "Futebol" is a funky dance tune with a tongue-twisting vocal and a bit of ragamuffin reggae in its rhythm, while Lee "Scratch" Perry brings his mad intergalactic genius to the ska-flavored disco of "It's a Woman's World."