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Reviews

Review of Essentials

Essentials

Rastak

Rastak

Rating: ★★★★

We often associate Iranian music with long, melancholy pieces. But Persian culture is rich in folkloric music as well, rooted...

Reviewed by Neil van der Linden in issue: December/2023

Review of Monajat

Monajat

Galeet Dardashti & Younes Dardashti

Galeet Dardashti

Rating: ★★★★

Galeet Dardashti is the US-based granddaughter of Younes Dardashti, a pre-revolutionary master singer of Persian classical music, who performed at...

Reviewed by Neil van der Linden in issue: December/2023

Review of Zartir

Zartir

The Gurdjieff Ensemble | The Gurdjieff Ensemble & Levon Eskenian

ECM

Rating: ★★★★

George Gurdjieff (c 1867-1949) was a philosopher, mystic and composer, whose music is generally known through the transcriptions of the...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: December/2023

Review of KÖY

KÖY

AySay

No Bounds Music

Rating: ★★★

AySay is a Danish/Kurdish/Turkish trio led by Luna Bülow Ersahin, who is known for creating pop music drawn from traditional...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: December/2023

Review of I See a World

I See a World

Peatbog Faeries

Peatbog Records

Rating: ★★★

Fusing Scottish jigs and reels with influences from jazz, pop and techno, Peatbog Faeries’ music is often described as ‘high-octane.’...

Reviewed by Tony Gillam in issue: December/2023

Review of A Memento of Istanbul

A Memento of Istanbul

Saeed Nayeb Mohammadi

Nava Arts UK

Rating: ★★★

A Memento of Istanbul is an excellent solo oud album by top Iranian player Saeed Nayeb Mohammadi. It’s the opening...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: December/2023

Review of True North

True North

Calum Stewart & Heikki Bourgault | Calum Stewart

Calum Stewart

Rating: ★★★

True North brings together uilleann piper and flautist Calum Stewart with Sylvain Quéré on bouzouki and Yann Le Bozec on...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: December/2023

Review of Bucolica

Bucolica

Hiram Salsano

Hiram Salsano

Rating: ★★★★

Hiram Salsano’s debut album firmly establishes her as a remarkable artist, wielding a commanding and expressive voice rooted in Campania’s...

Reviewed by Ciro De Rosa in issue: December/2023

Review of La Giusta Distanza

La Giusta Distanza

Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana | Riccardo Tesi

Visage Music

Rating: ★★★★

La Giusta Distanza grew out of the confinement of the pandemic when Tuscan organetto (diatonic accordion) maestro Tesi composed most...

Reviewed by Ciro De Rosa in issue: December/2023

Review of Stubb

Stubb

Gangar

Heilo Records

Rating: ★★★★

“This is Norwegian folk music… WITH AC/DC CHORDS!” Gangar’s Hardanger fiddle player Mattias Thedens bellowed out in a tiny hotel...

Reviewed by Devon Léger in issue: December/2023

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