Over 40 years have passed since Brazilian bossa-nova pioneers Wilson Des Neves and Neco last recorded under the name the Ipanemas. Their 1962 debut reinvented the samba by injecting elements of African music and American jazz. Its belated follow-up is a somewhat polite affair, with the kind of sophisticated arrangements that one would expect from musicians of this pedigree.

All the most familiar bossa-nova elements are pleasant and correct, from the softly chattering percussion to the tasteful trumpet solos and warm-sounding acoustic guitars. What is lacking is a sense of subversion or adventure.

An elemental, African sensibility hovers tantalisingly around several of the tracks, although the native-like chants and darker atmospherics never really come to the fore. There are other little textural surprises dotted around - the rattle of a Berimbau, a sudden burst of Gypsy-style violin, even the odd bit of tabla. But these too remain discreet, as if someone is worried they will wreck the carefully crafted mood of late-night easy listening.

The Ipanemas may have made a big splash the first time around, but now they are seemingly content to cause a few pleasing ripples.