Sometimes we can’t really tell what makes an album sound so special, and listening to Céu (2005) is one of these cases. Perhaps because of its apparent unpretentiousness, its sophistication, or simply because it sounds so comfortable — “Céu” certainly got it right. No wonder the debut album of Maria do Céu, a young woman that no one had heard of until 2005, has been Latin Grammy-nominated two times, one for “Best New Artist” and another one for “Best Contemporary World Music Album.” An upbeat instrumental vignette welcomes the listener to the album, followed by the sexy and elegant second track, “Lenda.” While the arrangements consist mostly of Brazilian musical elements, the album is eclectic, ranging from a Brazilian-spiced waltz (“Valsa para Biu Roque”) to a wonderful version of Bob Marley’s “Concrete Jungle.” A surprising element is “Vinheta Dorival,” a guitar-driven vignette that appears in the middle of the album. The chorus lines of “Malemolência,” the album’s hit, are undeniable, and the minimalism of “Bobagem” is as charming as Céu’s voice.