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Reviews

Review of Les Vents Brûlants

Les Vents Brûlants

Ensemble Chakâm

Ensemble Chakâm

Rating: ★★★

Ensemble Chakâm are a French-based, female trio of fine instrumentalists. They performed a memorable showcase at last year’s WOMEX in...

Reviewed in issue August/2025

Review of The Makam: Oud (Live Performance at Karaca Garage)

The Makam: Oud (Live Performance at Karaca Garage)

Baha Yetkin

Karaca Music

Rating: ★★★★

Born in Istanbul, Turkish ud virtuoso Baha Yetkin has cultivated a busy career as a performer and composer over the...

Reviewed in issue August/2025

Review of Roots in Motion

Roots in Motion

Mehmet Polat Quartet

AudioMaze

Rating: ★★★

Oud master Mehmet Polat’s seventh record fizzes with energetic, odd-time compositions. He develops a cross-cultural conversation that Dave Brubeck picked...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Barĩy (Fera) برٌِي

Barĩy (Fera) برٌِي

Maurice Louca

Top of the World

Simsara Records

Rating: ★★★★

Egyptian guitarist Maurice Louca’s music has shapeshifted continually across the years. Rooted in Arabic music, he’s refracted its traditions in...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Tel ve Ten

Tel ve Ten

Ozan Baysal

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★★

Turkish artist Ozan Baysal makes his debut in an unusual style. Traditional, tonal and jazz harmonic elements build a bridge...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels

Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels

Civilistjävel! x Mayssa Jallad

Six of Swords/Ruptured Records

Rating: ★★★

Originally recorded in 2023, Mayssa Jallad’s Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels is a sonic reimagining of a five-month battle...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Ghoyoum

Ghoyoum

Kazdoura

August 4 Records

Rating: ★★★

This first album from Canada-based Syrian/Lebanese duo Kazdoura offers songs of love, loss and the nostalgia of exile. In ten...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Bostântchi/Live in Tehran

Bostântchi/Live in Tehran

Rokh Quartet

Horan Sounds

Rating: ★★★★

Rokh Quartet started out in 2021 with the aim of “bringing to life the multifaceted essence of Persian classical music,...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Tales of Earth and Sun

Tales of Earth and Sun

Rastak

Top of the World

Rastak Music Group

Rating: ★★★★

The Iranian group Rastak have been going for over 25 years, although in recent years they’ve relocated from Iran to...

Reviewed in issue July/2025

Review of Güle Güle

Güle Güle

Romano

Batov Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Part of Tel-Aviv’s vibrant musical scene, Lior Romano grew up in a Turkish-Egyptian household and his synth-led music is drenched...

Reviewed in issue June/2025

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