3 Na Massa

Conceived as a kind of soundtrack to the erotic comic book frames of Italian artist Milo Manara, the musicians intended to penetrate the female universe by writing songs in the feminine voice as Chico Buarque is known to do. The men's imaginations were fueled by women's intimate, uncensored conversations about their amorous experiences ------ moments of seduction, moments of desire, moments that marked their lives. Some of Brazil's best-known singers and actresses including CeU, Nina Miranda (Smoke City), Thalma de Freitas (Orquestra Imperial), Karine Carvalho (soap opera star) and Alice Braga ("City of God") were recruited to create vocal characters for each the album's thirteen tracks.

Rolling Stone Brazil called the album's combination of electronic textures with live instruments "….reminiscent of Portishead…" and praised the trio's inventive use of samples, keyboards, vibraphone, woodwinds, unusual drum beats and infectious baselines to create atmospheric backdrops to each woman's story.

"I quickly fell in love with the 3 Na Massa project," says Starbucks' debut artist sensation CeU. "for its sort of vintage, sexy sound, played by three musicians I consider to be among the best of the current crop, soaking in the best possible references: Chico Buarque, Serge Gainsbourg, etc. How could you not fall in love with songs sung right in your ear, half confessional, capturing the feminine essence but coming from the masculine imagination?"