Marisa Monte

Brazilian artist Maria Monte may not be a familiar name to many in the English-speaking world, but she should be. A four-time Latin Grammy Award-winner, Monte has, since the early 90s, produced a wonderful string of albums, culminating in 2017s super-group collaborative offering, Tribalistas. After a five year break, she's back in the studio. Calma is the lead single from her forthcoming album, Portas, and a very fine song it is.

Calma bounces and rolls on waves of strummed guitar and circling synths. With ringing, sparkling, audio adornments by way of piano, brass and strings, this is a classy arrangement. At its heart lies Monte's voice, effortlessly smooth and delivered with an arresting earnestness. The chorus is ridiculously catchy, but there is more than enough depth and variety in this cut to reward repeated listens. Monte offers up a sunshine canvas of breezy, tropical beauty. The three minutes race by like a fast drive along a seaside cliff, with pin-pricks of light flashing from the water and a cool breeze messing up your hair.