A great, two-song 45 from Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter (and former Supersystem lead guitarist) Rafael Cohen, a/k/a Las Palabras. With not much more than his voice and acoustic guitar, save for some spare woodblock percussion and light saxophone on "Mariposas," Cohen's music effortlessly conjures the soulful, yearning spirit of tropicalists such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, as well as early-'70s era Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges.

A great, two-song 45 that caught my ear when it came in from this Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter (and former Supersystem lead guitarist), Rafael Cohen, a/k/a Las Palabras. With not much more than his voice and acoustic guitar, save for some spare woodblock percussion and light saxophone on "Mariposas," Cohen's music (and the recording itself) effortlessly conjures the soulful, yearning spirit of tropicalists such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, as well as early-'70s era Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges. Any fan of the aforementioned as well as more recent Brazilian talent such as Seu Jorge or Marcio Local will want to snatch this single up while you can. Fantastic!

-Gerald Hammill (August 13, 2009)