Reviews | Songlines

Reviews

Review of Śaranam

Śaranam

Hashshashin

Art as Catharsis

Rating: ★★★

This is the third album from the Sydney-based trio. Śaranam means ‘to take refuge’ in Sanskrit and this is an...

Reviewed by Alexandra Petropoulos in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Malayeen

Malayeen

Malayeen

Discrepant

Rating: ★★★★

Inspired by a love for the work of trailblazing Egyptian guitarist Omar Khorshid, Lebanese trio Malayeen employed a similarly bold...

Reviewed by Paul Bowler in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Outta Sync

Outta Sync

Don Letts

Cooking Vinyl

Rating: ★★★★

‘A soundtrack to my mind, with some wicked bass lines,’ is how Don Letts describes his debut album, recorded at...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Melkutus Party

Melkutus Party

Jenni Venäläinen

Nordic Notes

Rating: ★★

The zither-like kantele has its roots deep in Finnish history and Venäläinen, on her debut album, embraces its beauty and...

Reviewed by Fiona Talkington in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Lullabies

Lullabies

Abigail Lapell

Outside Music

Rating: ★★★

Lullabies – cradle songs – a term derived from the middle English ‘lullen’ (lull) and ‘bye’ (near), and, much further...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Koinonia

Koinonia

Up High Collective

San-kofa Rhythm Records

Rating: ★★★★

The brainchild of producer duo Koen De Petter & Renaldo Maria, Up High Collective have existed in various forms and...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: January/February/2024

Review of La Danza

La Danza

Novalima

Six Degrees Records

Rating: ★★★★

The Peruvian band, Novalima, blend Afro-Peruvian music with electronica, Latin American beats, and other contemporary genres. This intoxicating mix has...

Reviewed by Merlyn Driver in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Jopango

Jopango

Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno

Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno

Rating: ★★★

If Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno’s KWEChE was something of a disappointment in 2021, Jopango proves much more coherent and satisfying. To...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Always Can’t Go On Forever

Always Can’t Go On Forever

Don Kipper

Riverboat Records

Rating: ★★★★

Since their widely acclaimed 2018 album Seven Sisters, which celebrated the cultural roots of the band, Don Kipper have been...

Reviewed by Buzz Bury in issue: January/February/2024

Review of Jól Élünk (We Have a Pretty Good Life)

Jól Élünk (We Have a Pretty Good Life)

Times New Román

Top of the World

Times New Román

Rating: ★★★★★

This is the debut recording of a pretty new Hungarian band who were one of the local highlights of 2022’s...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: January/February/2024

Subscribe from only £7.50

Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Songlines magazine.

Find out more