Little was written during the time of the release of Heidi Vogel’s first full-length solo release Turn Up The Quiet almost a year ago – I thought I would redress the balance.

It is a stunning collection of stripped back, mostly Brazilian songs from the 60s and 70s. Vogel’s deep, rich yet deliberately fragile vocals float over Josue Ferreira’s subtle guitar accompaniment like a wandering albatross navigating the thermals atop a vast sparkling ocean.

Almost all numbers are slow bossas wherein there is an indulgently authentic amount of space between the players. The overall effect is expressly intimate; these recordings completely capture the intensity of her live performances.

I particularly enjoyed Inutil Paisagem (If You Never Come to Me) by Antonio Carlos Jobim uniting both the Portuguese and English lyrics, also Heidi’s sensitive wordless vocalise to Billy Strayhorn’s Chelsea Bridge, which shows off her effortless pitch within, as well as outside, the complex harmonies.

The only upbeat number to incorporate subtle percussion is The Frog; a neat little samba that demands complete synchronicity from guitar and voice. Juazeiro further showcases Heidi’s vocal acrobatics switching between her strong penetrating chest voice and ethereal, smoky head register to dramatic affect.