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Reviews

Review of Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Drag City

Rating: ★★★★

Chicago-based Joshua Abrams is a jazz bassist whose career encompasses a range of experimental strands. He’s long been an aficionado...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: July/2021

Review of Tezeta

Tezeta

Hailu Mergia & the Walias Band

Awesome Tapes from Africa

Rating: ★★★

The Walias Band are a legendary group. On the frontline of the uniquely Ethiopian brand of jazz and soul during...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: July/2021

Review of Una Mujer de Sal Junto a un Hombre Vuelto Carbón

Una Mujer de Sal Junto a un Hombre Vuelto Carbón

Estela Magnone & Jaime Roos

Vampisoul

Rating: ★★★

Another unlikely reissue from the ever colourful portfolio of Spain’s Vampisoul label, this Uruguayan oddity offers some context to their...

Reviewed by Brendon Griffin in issue: July/2021

Review of European Howl

European Howl

Agent Starling

DHM

Rating: ★★★

Agent Starling is an unusual duo, a pairing of hurdy-gurdy player Quentin Budworth with Louise Duffy-Howard (aka Lou Loudhailer). Back...

Reviewed by Tony Gillam in issue: July/2021

Review of Spirit of Love

Spirit of Love

COB

Bread and Wine Records

Rating: ★★★★

COB is the abbreviation of Clive’s Original Band though Cob, as the trio was sometimes called, is apt. Cob is...

Reviewed by Julian May in issue: July/2021

Review of Hunter

Hunter

Christina Alden & Alex Patterson

Christina Alden & Alex Patterson

Rating: ★★★

Locked down doesn’t mean imaginations are locked up. In Hunter, song inspiration is global, despite being set down and sung...

Reviewed by Sophie Parkes in issue: July/2021

Review of Navegar

Navegar

João Selva

Underdog

Rating: ★★★

A native Carioca tutored by Wanda Sá and long immersed in Brazilian music, João Selva spent much of his early...

Reviewed by Brendon Griffin in issue: July/2021

Review of Voice of Flowers: Spring Ragas from India

Voice of Flowers: Spring Ragas from India

Baluji Shrivastav

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★

Baluji Shrivastav is a UK-based Indian classical musician who, although blind from the age of eight months, has gone on...

Reviewed by Jameela Siddiqi in issue: July/2021

Review of Staran

Staran

Staran

Staran

Rating: ★★★

Meaning ‘Path’ in Gaelic, Staran are a new five-piece consisting of a considered collective of musicians. Featuring Kim Carnie on...

Reviewed by Billy Rough in issue: July/2021

Review of Sky Songs

Sky Songs

Alena Murang

Alena Murang

Rating: ★★★

Alena Murang is a singer and sapé player from Sarawak on the island of Borneo, Malaysia. One of the indigenous...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: July/2021

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