at a glance...

Hometown: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Year Formed: 1997

Members:
Lilian Vieira -vocals, songwriting
Stefan Schmid -keyboards, programming, songwriting
Stefan Kruger -drums, programming, songwriting

Bands in the family :
SfeQ, Bacán, Lilian Vieira Trio, New Cool Collective, Rec.a, DJ Git Hyper

I've already gone out on a limb and proclaimed Virginia Rodrigues as the greatest voice in the current world of music, but I will make a different claim for Lilian Vieira, the singer on this astonishingly bold debut album: she has the sexiest voice in the world. There are moments listening to this disc where you will want to leave all you know and love and hold dear, just so you can buy a ticket to Amsterdam and become her willing slave, the better to hear that voice every day. Whether it's beautiful and soaring, layered and cutesy, or favela-ready hip-hoppery, this is the hottest voice you could ever want to hear. Don't believe me? Buy the album.

Zuco 103 are impossible to categorize, so of course we love them here at Ink Blot. Are they a dance group? Signs point to maybe, with heavy debts owed to drum 'n' bass ("Humana," "Um Coco"), acid jazz ("Brazilectro"), and old-school samba mixed with string quartet weirdness ("Fome Total") and scratching ("O Homem Da Gravata Florida"). The two Stefans hold down their places here, with incredible aplomb - and a touch of Eurodistance - setting the stage perfectly for Lilian's powerfully hungry, intelligent voice. There seem to be no egos in Zuco 103. For now, that's a good thing, especially when it helps them develop tracks like these. And, for once, Cibula has no complaints with the sequencing of an album! All tracks are where they should be, and it all flows nicely between hip, dancy numbers and big ol' pop songs.

Will Outro Lado change the world? No. Will Zuco 103 ever be one of the world's biggest bands? No. Do I care? Hell, no. This is just a really great album by three really great musicians, and it's perfect the way it is. I want them to retain their experimental we'll-show-you-bastards edge that crops up here on a few tracks, and that's just not going to happen if they start dj'ing and diva'ing all over the place. Save this band by supporting them and getting the CD, but for godssake don't go around telling your mom and Aunt Sharon how great Zuco 103 are. Let's just keep this between us, and let 'em keep working hard for our money. Because these three people are just good enough to remain our little secret...for now.