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Review of Traditional Irish Music Played on the 5-String & Tenor Banjos

Traditional Irish Music Played on the 5-String & Tenor Banjos

Luke Coffey & Patrick ‘Paahto’ Cummins

Luke Coffey & Patrick ‘Paahto’ Cummings

Rating: ★★★★

Right from the get-go on the opening set of reels (‘George White’s/Carracastle Lass’), there’s a lovely swing and lift to...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: August/2025

Review of Trespass

Trespass

Alex Roberts

Mottow Soundz

Rating: ★★★★

“Alex plays bloody wonderfully,” said the late great John Renbourn, of Pentangle fame, and here’s a new set that proves...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: August/2025

Review of An 424

An 424

Trá Pháidín

Hive Mind

Rating: ★★★★

Imagine an amalgam of traditional Irish folk, post-rock, jazz and the disruptive spirit of Dada, stir provocatively with nine musicians...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: August/2025

Review of In a Sea of Stars

In a Sea of Stars

Zoë Aqua

Top of the World

Adhyâropa Records

Rating: ★★★★★

It’s gutsy to start off a live fiddle album with a ten-minute absolute barn-burner suite, but klezmer fiddler Zoë Aqua...

Reviewed by Devon Léger in issue: August/2025

Review of Prelude to the Divine Realm

Prelude to the Divine Realm

Gao Hong & Zhao Xiaoxia

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★★

While the pipa lute and guqin zither are each highly respected and culturally representative instruments of traditional Chinese music, they’re...

Reviewed by Charlie Cawood in issue: May/2025

Review of Swar Lahari

Swar Lahari

Avra Banerjee

Avra Banerjee

Rating: ★★★

Composer Avra Banerjee’s latest album draws, as is characteristic of his work, predominantly on his South Asian roots, but with...

Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: August/2025

Review of Muriwai

Muriwai

Ariana Tikao & Bob Bickerton

Oro Records

Rating: ★★★★

A hypnotic blend of instrumentation and language from both Celtic and Māori traditions, Muriwai is a captivating and immersive listening...

Reviewed by Sosefina Fuamoli in issue: May/2025

Review of Radio Lusaka

Radio Lusaka

Alick Nkhata

Mississippi Records

Rating: ★★★★

Alick Nkhata was a World War Two veteran, a freedom fighter against colonialism, a singer-musician who led the Lusaka Radio...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: October/2025

Review of XXX

XXX

Söndörgő

Top of the World

GroundUP Records

Rating: ★★★★

The latest album from Hungarian tambura band Söndörgő isn’t triple X-rated, but it does mark their 30th anniversary. Their name...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: October/2025

Review of Batakari

Batakari

Ata Kak

Awesome Tapes from Africa

Rating: ★★★★

Ata Kak (AKA Yaw Atta-Owusu) is back… again! Ten years on from the now seminal reissue of his 1994 debut,...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: December/2025

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