It's a rare compilation series that deserves its own greatest-hits volume. And while Bossa Brava surely wouldn't leap to mind as an obvious candidate, this two-disc set is a solid distillation of one of the first series to chart the increasing Brazilian leanings of producers along the acid jazz/electronica/dance axis. The Very Best of Bossa Brava sprinkles a few new tracks among the highlights of a handful of volumes (five since 1995), including United Future Organization's "Tres Amigos" and a splendid Nicola Conte mix of "Foto Viva" by Mo' Horizons. And not all of these fusions are by foreigners with a yen for Rio's sunny shores -- native Amon Tobin's production of "The Brazilianaire" (as Cujo) reconfigures the bossa nova as a paranoid, late-night shuffle. Yes, there are plenty of notes ("Look for the album on Instinct Records") after tracks they didn't have to license, but the addition of far-flung experimentalists -- from James Hardway to Nobukazu Takemura -- makes The Very Best of Bossa Brava an ambitious listen. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide