Reviews Search | Songlines

Reviews

Review of Afrikalou

Afrikalou

Robin Cochrane

Jambadon Music

Rating: ★★★

Swedish percussionist Robin Cochrane resides in Stockholm, and has lately been concentrating on the balafon, West Africa’s gourd-resonating marimba-like instrument....

Reviewed by Martin Longley in issue: May/2022

Review of Útera

Útera

Kaleema

Wonderwheel Recordings

Rating: ★★★★

In the past ten years, a particular strain of downtempo has emerged from Latin America's clubs, uniting hypnotic electronic grooves...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: June/2021

Review of Calypso Travels

Calypso Travels

Lord Invader & His Calypso Group

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings VINYL ONLY

Rating: ★★★★★

One of three initial releases in the Smithsonian Folkways Vinyl Reissue Series, Calypso Travels features native Trinidadian Lord Invader (born...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: April/2020

Review of Cosmic Unity

Cosmic Unity

Family Atlantica

Soundway Records

Rating: ★★★★

There's a startling directness to Cosmic Unity, Family Atlantica's second album. Present are the same influences as their stunning 2013...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: June/2016

Review of Common Nation of Sorrow

Common Nation of Sorrow

Rachel Baiman

Signature Sounds

Rating: ★★★★

Americans are angry. The signs are hard to miss. Bluegrass and old-time banjo music are good for expressing these discontents,...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: April/2023

Review of Mielo

Mielo

Maria Kalaniemi & Eero Grundström

Top of the World

Åkerö Records

Rating: ★★★★★

It's hard to get beyond the first track ‘Erämorsian’ (Wildwood Bride). I play it again and again, caught up in...

Reviewed by Fiona Talkington in issue: July/2020

Review of No Way to Go

No Way to Go

Ben Molatzi

Cree Records

Rating: ★★★★

Many a record containing messages of hope and unit was suppressed due to racist censorship during the South African apartheid...

Reviewed by Charlotte Algar in issue: December/2019

Review of Che Belew (March Forward)

Che Belew (March Forward)

Ayalew Mesfin

Now-Again Records

Rating: ★★★

Aficionados of Francis Falceto’s Éthiopiques series will recall Ayalew Mesfin from the extraordinary track ‘Hasabe’ on volume eight: Swinging Addis....

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: January/2021

Review of Selina

Selina

Fatau Keita & The Naawuni Bie Band

Goethe Institut

Rating: ★★★

This is a highly enjoyable and very lively album that mixes several contemporary African musical styles. At the core is...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: November/2015

Review of Hunter's Moon

Hunter's Moon

Calum Stewart & Heikki Bourgault

Calum Stewart & Heikki Bourgault

Rating: ★★★★

Calum Stewart and Heikki Bourgault's own website refers to this excellent effort as if it's the pair's second collaborative album,...

Reviewed by Jon Lusk in issue: Apr/May/2014

Subscribe from only £7.50

Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Songlines magazine.

Find out more