Brazilian Girls: At Home Around The World

Brazilian Girls' "St. Petersburg" sounds equally well-suited for Tokyo karaoke bars and South American milongas.

courtesy of Brazilian Girls

The third album by the Brooklyn band Brazilian Girls — which contains no actual Brazilians and only one woman — New York City sounds equally well-suited for Tokyo karaoke bars and South American milongas. But for all its international flavor, the album stays true to its titular subject, paying tribute to Brazilian Girls' hometown.

With songs recorded in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German — and guests including Senegalese musician Baaba Maal — New York City revolves around Sabine Sciubba's seductive vocals, which flow as seamlessly as the band's forays into bossa nova, jazz, reggae, electronica and cabaret.

In the seductive opening track, "St. Petersburg," Sciubba's Astrud Gilberto-inspired vocals evoke a jet-setting lifestyle that crisscrosses time zones, cultures and musical influences. After some opening percussion throws the scene of "St. Petersburg" into overdrive, the swell of the chorus adds urgency to the melody, letting listeners tag along with Sciubba as she races down the tarmac to catch a plane to her next adventure.

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