Reviews

Saputjiji

Tanya Tagaq

The Canadian Inuk singer Tanya Tagaq may have refined her extreme techniques during recent decades, but hasn’t diluted the boldness...

Reviewed by Martin Longley in issue: April/2026

Ajomasé

Gasper Lawal

From the opening beat, Ajomasé announces itself as a percussive odyssey shaped by Gasper Lawal’s boundless creativity. First released in...

Reviewed by Joe Mulhall in issue: February/March/2026

The American Revolution

VARIOUS ARTISTS | Various Artists

The American Revolution, a six-part television documentary mini-series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, recently debuted on...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: February/March/2026

MANUŠA II

Júlia Kozáková

The Slovak jazz singer Júlia Kozáková continues her journey into the Romani music she holds dear. On MANUŠA II (Manuša...

Reviewed by Michał Wieczorek in issue: February/March/2026

Lux

Rosalía

With the media of the globe showering Rosalía’s new album with superlatives and attempts at analysis, one has to ask...

Reviewed by Philip Sweeney in issue: February/March/2026

Quinto Mundo

La Cumbia Chicharra

This fifth album from the Franco-Chilean stalwarts of Marseille may not contain anything quite so blistering as ‘La Weá’ from...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: February/March/2026

Mahku

Manizeh

On Mahku, her striking debut for Nils Frahm’s LEITER label, Manizeh Rimer bridges ancient devotion and the smoother edges of...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: February/March/2026

Yashlik

Yashlik

In the 1960s, the Kazakhstan Soviet Socialist Republic tightly controlled cultural expression. As these restrictions began to ease, folk ensembles...

Reviewed by Michael Ormiston in issue: February/March/2026

Balafon Evolution

Aly Keïta Trio

Hailing from Côte d’Ivoire but now based in Berlin, we first came across the balafon player Aly Keïta as part...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: April/2026

¡Barezzi!

Barezzi

Originating in Brussels as a trio in 2016 (Les Frères) Barezzi featured Robin Rees and Louis Henry on electric and...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: May/2026