Reviews

Tu Na Me Nsa

The Ghana Bigshots

The Ghana Bigshots were originally founded as the University of Ghana's house band, and this release is supported by the...

Reviewed in issue Apr/May/2015

Obaa Sima

Ata Kak

Brian Shimkovitz's label Awesome Tapes from Africa functions as a time capsule in so many brilliant ways. He picks up...

Reviewed in issue Apr/May/2015

The Rough Guide to African Rare Groove Vol 1

VARIOUS ARTISTS

It's rare that the Rough Guide series fails to deliver and this release is no exception. Originally the term rare...

Reviewed in issue Apr/May/2015

King of Highlife Anthology

ET Mensah & The Tempos

This is the largest compilation of recordings by ET Mensah that anyone has ever seen. It means that, perhaps for...

Reviewed in issue Apr/May/2015

Akory

Razia

This is the second album from Razia Said, a singer-songwriter and highly proactive environmentalist who hails from Antalaha in the...

Reviewed in issue March/2015

Tche Belew

Hailu Mergia & The Walias

It has been hugely gratifying to see Ethiopian pianist and keyboard-player Hailu Mergia find a brand new audience this year,...

Reviewed in issue March/2015

Mbalimaou

Boubacar Traoré

The first album in four years from this much-loved Malian singer and guitarist finds him on fairly familiar ground, but...

Reviewed in issue March/2015

Santié Papang

Maya Kamaty

Few female vocalists have successfully ventured into La Réunion's politically-charged maloya music. The Indian Ocean blues was initially banned by...

Reviewed in issue March/2015

Made in Malawi

Neil & the New Vibration

There has sadly been very little international exposure for the music and musicians of Malawi. There is no immediately identifiable...

Reviewed in issue March/2015

Cape Verde

Kodé di Dona

Those who’ve had their fill of the new Cape Verde artists like Mayra Andrade and Tcheka and are yearning for...

Reviewed in issue March/2015