Smoke City

Smoke City, a London-rooted trip-hop trio, produced sounds distinctly shaped by Brazilian elements and bossa nova, consistent with vocalist Nina Miranda having split her formative years between the UK and South America. She assembled the band together with Mark Brown, an old schoolmate who matched her enthusiasm for the output of Santana and Gilberto Gil alongside classic 1970s funk; guitarist Chris Franck, previously a member of Batu, the Brighton-based Brazilian percussion outfit, completed the roster, after which the trio put out multiple indie-label singles ahead of securing a contract with Jive Records in autumn 1995. Their opening full-length release, Flying Away, surfaced two years afterward and spotlighted the track "Underwater Love," which registered as a hit throughout Europe once it appeared in a Levi's jeans advertising campaign.