Various

In 2011, Putumayo World Music attempted to reach the blog-generation with the launch of their Beat series. The NYC-based label previously released (on CD and, for the first time, digitally) the Latin Beat and African Beat compilations, which focused on globally inspired indie- and electro-tinged music. So, it makes perfect sense that Putumayo would farm the culturally fertile grounds of Brazil for Brazilian Beat, their third in this series. Although there are some genuinely great modern takes on samba and Tropicália (including Tita Lima, daughter of Os Mutantes' Liminha), don't expect any ground-breaking, serious listening. Though the atmosphere remains exceptionally fun and laidback over the album's 11 tracks, from Fino Coletivo's R&B sounds and Mônica da Silva's bedroom pop to Marcos Valle's obvious odes to Aphex Twin (via-Radiohead), it's apparent that every artist on Brazilian Beat remains entrenched in hip, new music from around the world. This is just another example of how the Internet has created a global music community.