U.K. dance/electronic trio Morcheeba will release its fourth studio album, "Charango," July 1 internationally via EastWest and July 16 in North America on Reprise/Sire. The 12-track set finds the band reveling in a sound heavily inspired by the Brazilian Tropicalia movement, augmented by its usual blend of soul, R&B, and trip-hop touches. "We've used the place that we've come from -- that English beats tradition -- and reached out to as many things as possible to make this defining sound," says band member Ross Godfrey.

To that end, Lambchop frontman Kurt Wagner lends his rich vocals to the sly "What New York Couples Argue About," while rapper Slick Rick narrates "Women Lose Weight," a cautionary tale about the consequences of culinary indulgence. Outsidaz rapper Pace Won guests on the title track and "Get Along."

"Charango" is the follow-up to 2000's "Fragments of Freedom," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart and has sold 119,000 units in the U.S. to date, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The group released its edition in the popular "Back to Mine" mix series last fall.

Morcheeba has European festival appearances on tap through mid-July, and has a series of New York performances being nailed down for the end of that month. They will be followed by a U.K. tour which kicks off Sept. 20 in Liverpool and European dates which begin Oct. 16 in Reze, France. The band will return to North America at the tail end of the year or in early 2003.