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Reviews

Review of Portu in Core

Portu in Core

I Muvrini

Wrasse Records

Rating: ★★★

Followers of Corsican supergroup I Muvrini (The Mountain Sheep) will know the formula: voices steeped in tradition; an ensemble that's...

Reviewed by Andrew Mcgregor in issue: April/2020

Review of Blue Raag

Blue Raag

Samasa

Pan Records

Rating: ★★★★

A musical melting-pot, filtering Indian and Indonesian idioms, scales and off-kilter time signatures through blues-laced jazz, Blue Raag is the...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: April/2020

Review of Songs of Forbidden Love

Songs of Forbidden Love

The London Bulgarian Choir

The London Bulgarian Choir

Rating: ★★★★

Under the assured leadership of Dessislava Stefanova, The London Bulgarian Choir have become a very impressive outfit. The LBC consist...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: April/2020

Review of In the Key of Joy

In the Key of Joy

Sérgio Mendes

Concord Records

Rating: ★★

Parental guidance: multitude of guest artists. The rapper Common, for example, (dis)graces the opening track on the venerable Mr Mendes'...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: April/2020

Review of Dilyn Afon

Dilyn Afon

Cynefin

Astar Artes

Rating: ★★★★

Cynefin is the recording name of West Wales trip-hop-and-jazz-player-turned-folk-musician Owen Shiers. The title translates as ‘Following a River’ and takes...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: April/2020

Review of Galactic Gala

Galactic Gala

Silla + Rise

Rise Ashen Records

Rating: ★★★★

Mixing century-old traditional vocals with the latest sonic technology has always been an attractive yet dangerous musical venture. More often...

Reviewed by Marc Fournier in issue: April/2020

Review of The Servants' Ball

The Servants' Ball

The Servants' Ball

D Wink Recordings

Rating: ★★★★

This exuberantly entertaining album came about after double bass player Ben Nicholls, reading about Sussex concertina player Scan Thester, found...

Reviewed by Julian May in issue: April/2020

Review of Fire Under the Bridge

Fire Under the Bridge

Pons Aelius

Pons Aelius Music

Rating: ★★★

This sextet of folk musicians came together in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northern England, in the shadow of the mighty Tyne Bridge,...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: April/2020

Review of Rearrange My Heart

Rearrange My Heart

Che Apalache

Free Dirt Records

Rating: ★★★★

Little wonder that the celebrated American roots banjo player Béla Fleck was so taken with this pan-American quartet that he...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: April/2020

Review of Soldater og Redelig Sjømenn

Soldater og Redelig Sjømenn

Frode Nyvold

Etnisk Musikklubb

Rating: ★★★★

If you're seeking an earthy slice of Norwegian life, look no further. The title translates as ‘Soldiers and Honest Sailors’;...

Reviewed by Fiona Talkington in issue: April/2020

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