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Reviews

Review of Distancer

Distancer

Hiatus

Lucky Thunder

Rating: ★★★★

British-Iranian musician Hiatus (Cyrus Shahrad) began the musical exploration of his heritage in 2005, aft er discovering his father’s record...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: July/2021

Review of This is Tehran?

This is Tehran?

VARIOUS ARTISTS

30M

Rating: ★★★★

Getting their music heard outside of Iran can be tricky for artists working in the oppressive environment enforced by the...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: July/2021

Review of YITA (Deep Water)

YITA (Deep Water)

Fely Tchaco

Fely

Rating: ★★★

Ivorian-American singer Fely Tchaco released her fifth album on International Women’s Day (March 8), a gesture intended to underline its...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: July/2021

Review of Bennesbeh Labokra… Chou?

Bennesbeh Labokra… Chou?

Ziad Rahbani

wewantsounds

Rating: ★★★

This is an interesting release – Ziad Rahbani is the son of Lebanon’s foremost diva, Fairuz, and her husband, Assi...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: July/2021

Review of Versos Do Mundo

Versos Do Mundo

Arícia Mess

Koro Koro Music

Rating: ★★★

The ‘Verses of the World’ of the title are the texts and songs for Mess’ third album, which the Afro-Brazilian...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: July/2021

Review of Distant Mountains

Distant Mountains

Wu Man & Wu Wei

Dreyer Gaido

Rating: ★★★★

Recorded live in concert at the Morgenland Festival in Osnabrück, Germany, Distant Mountains is an album of duets by Chinese...

Reviewed by Charlie Cawood in issue: July/2021

Review of The Silver Sun

The Silver Sun

Eamon O’Leary

Reveal Records

Rating: ★★★

Although recorded in less than a single day, there is nothing rushed or hurried about Eamon O’Leary’s characteristically laid-back third...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: July/2021

Review of Xalam

Xalam

Ben Aylon

Top of the World

Riverboat Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Born in Israel, Ben Aylon has spent much of the last dozen years in West Africa and in particular in...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: July/2021

Review of Afrique Victime

Afrique Victime

Mdou Moctar

Matador Records

Rating: ★★★

The last album by Mdou Moctar, often dubbed ‘the Hendrix of the Sahara,’ was a devastatingly deadly assault by electric...

Reviewed by Russell Higham in issue: July/2021

Review of Kindred Souls

Kindred Souls

Adrian Freedman

Nixi

Rating: ★★

Nothing should really surprise us in the global village of world music any more, but even so Adrian Freedman’s CV...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: July/2021

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