Reviews

Don’t Give Up

Jason Tamba

Born in Kinshasa, Jason Tamba, who began playing guitar at the age of seven on a homemade instrument, went on...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Dan Masks

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Back in 1984, the renowned ethnomusicologist Hugo Zemp noted the tension he felt between his scientific analysis ‘and the pleasure...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Tichazomuona

Dumisani Maraire

This is a very welcome reissue in vinyl and digital download formats of a wonderful album of Zimbabwean mbira (thumb...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Quicksand

Black Mango

The French producer Philippe Sanmiguel moved to Bamako 16 years ago and has since produced a raft of fine albums...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Ama Gogela

Phelimuncasi

This scintillating album from Durban trio Phelimuncasi is named after a South African bee famed for its power and brutal...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Les Racines

Vieux Farka Touré

As the son of one of the world’s greatest ever musicians, it’s understandable that Vieux Farka Touré has spent his...

Reviewed in issue July/2022

Sultan

Alune Wade & Harold López-Nussa | Alune Wade

Since beginning his career in Ismaël Lô’s band more than 20 years ago, the Dakar-born, Paris-based singer and bassist Alune...

Reviewed in issue June/2022

Luuma

Sahad & the Nataal Patchwork | Sahad

Five years after his self-assured debut album (reviewed in July 2017, #129), Senegalese singer Sahad Sarr returns with a hybrid...

Reviewed in issue June/2022

Issiktane

Sidi Abdallah

Sidi Abdallah’s name may be new but devotees of Touareg guitar music will be more than familiar with his father,...

Reviewed in issue June/2022

Sakidila

Pongo

Angolan-born, Lisbon-based singer and rapper Pongo already gained notoriety within the field of forward-thinking kuduro with her collaborations with Buraka...

Reviewed in issue June/2022