Costa, Gal: Gal Costa LP

A lot changed between Gal Costa’s pleasantly straightforward 1967 debut ‘Domingo’ and her eponymous follow-up two years later. ‘Domingo’, also a debut for young Brazilian songwriter Caetano Veloso, featured a set of airy, somewhat standard bossa nova tunes, sung ably by Costa. This “Tropicalismo” album begins with a flutter of psychedelic echo effects, dissolving into gloriously lush string arrangements and a lighthearted organ on ‘Nao Identificado’, introducing Costa’s velvet vocals.