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Reviews

Review of Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu (1972-1991)

Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu (1972-1991)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

Imagine Somalia without suicide bombers and the murderous, al-Qaeda-linked militants of al-Shabaab. Picture instead Mogadishu as a part city in...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Waa Dardaaran

Waa Dardaaran

Sahra Halgan

Buda Musique

Rating: ★★★★

Sahra Halgan is a powerful and entertaining singer for whom life has never been easy. For a start, she comes...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Ancestors

Ancestors

Érik Aliana

Top of the World

Buda Musique

Rating: ★★★★

Built almost solely around the simple spine of his guitar, soulful voice and African percussion, the fourth album from the...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Kinshasa 1978: Originals and Reconstructions

Kinshasa 1978: Originals and Reconstructions

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Crammed Discs VINYL & DIGITAL ONLY

Rating: ★★★★

This is a welcome reimagining of a remarkable recording that captured the early days of the Congotronics groups. Recorded in...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Direct-to-Disc Sessions

Direct-to-Disc Sessions

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Night Dreamer

Rating: ★★★★

The demand for albums that capture live performance has long been omnipresent, but the clamour has intensified in the digital...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Radio Verde: Cape Verdean Dancefoor Magic

Radio Verde: Cape Verdean Dancefoor Magic

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Colorful World Records

Rating: ★★★

When we imagine Cape Verdean music, swingy, samba-esque percussion, cavaquinho strums and clarinet warbles float happily through the mind. This...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Kuma

Kuma

Kankou

Cannery Row Records

Rating: ★★★★

The niece of ngoni maestro Bassekou, Kankou Kouyaté first came to our attention as part of Damon Albarn's Africa Express...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of 11th Street, Sekondi

11th Street, Sekondi

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley

Top of the World

Agogo Records

Rating: ★★★★★

It is refreshing to know that the career of highlife singer and multi-instrumentalist Gyedu-Blay Ambolley appears to be on a...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Ibra

Ibra

Eneida Marta

Algeventos

Rating: ★★★

With a warm blast of flute curling over gentle birdsong, the stage is set for the fourth album by Eneida...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

Review of Babani Koné

Babani Koné

Babani Koné

World Village

Rating: ★★★

I'm always wary when I read that an artist wants to ‘broaden their audience’ and make an ‘international’ album –...

Reviewed in issue March/2020

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