[6][7] On its release, Neil Spencer of The Observer described the mix of MacColl's "acerbic lyricism" and the "sensuous mundo Latino" music as a "winner".

[12] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian felt the album successfully adopted "Latin textures" and a "Anglo-Hispanic" sound with "minimal damage" to MacColl's credibility and added, "The vivid colours of her new musical palette, with its upfront brass and percussion, provide the life her tunes hitherto lacked – even her deadpan voice has blossomed into expressiveness.

"[10] Clark Collis of The Daily Telegraph praised the return of "one of our most undervalued vocal talents" and commented that "MacColl has clearly put [recent] years to good use by immersing herself in the Latin stylings that burst from every track here".

[13] Neil McKay of Sunday Life felt Tropical Brainstorm was unlikely to change MacColl's status as a "fine songwriter who's managed to dip under the radar of public acclaim", but noted it was "a cracking good pop record" which is "bursting with Brazilian and Cuban rhythms" and "witty and wise lyrics".

[14] Linda Higgins of the Evening Herald described the album as a collection of "languid and swirling pop tunes [which] deserves to be a commercial hit".