Reviews

Obi Agye Me Dofo

Vis-A-Vis

From the golden age of Ghanaian highlife, this rare album from 1977 is a bit of a gem. Hailing from...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

Mutanuka and Syasiya

Crispin Mutanuka & Edwin Syasiya

The silimba (xylophone) and kanimba (thumb piano) both appeared on the splendid four-CD box set Luangwa to Livingstone (reviewed in...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

Udondolo

Urban Village

It is unsurprising that black South African music in recent years has lacked the game-changing potency it enjoyed when soundtracking...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

Back to Soweto

Lucas Nwananga & His Band

Umsakazo Records is a UK-based label making a mark with lovingly reissued vintage township jive and mbaqanga from the likes...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

Kukaya Bili

Kukaya

An exceptional recording of traditional ‘trance’ music in the northern Malawi vimbuza style. The seven tracks are examples of healing...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

The Rough Guide to Cape Jazz

VARIOUS ARTISTS

The term ‘Cape jazz’ was apparently first used as recently as 1993 as the title of a compilation album on...

Reviewed in issue March/2021

Kaladounia

Kaito Winse

In Brussels, Rebel Up! is a promoter, record label and DJ team, as well as being general champions of global...

Reviewed in issue January/2021

Che Belew (March Forward)

Ayalew Mesfin

Aficionados of Francis Falceto’s Éthiopiques series will recall Ayalew Mesfin from the extraordinary track ‘Hasabe’ on volume eight: Swinging Addis....

Reviewed in issue January/2021

Star Feminine Band

Star Feminine Band

Coming at you like an epic puppy stampede is the Star Feminine Band, a seven-strong group of Beninese girls whose...

Reviewed in issue January/2021

Longoz

Ann O’aro

A brooding trombone blaring single, mournful tones; then, on top, a voice made of silk and smoke conjures an image...

Reviewed in issue January/2021