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Reviews

Review of Baiana

Baiana

Baiana

Absolute Label Services

Rating: ★★

Liverpudlian Laura Doyle certainly fooled this particular Anglophone. Hearing the opening ‘Samba Mortal’, upbeat carnival music sung convincingly in Portuguese,...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: November/2023

Review of Inventor Vol 1

Inventor Vol 1

DJ Znobia

Nyege Nyege Tapes

Rating: ★★★

Born in Luanda’s Barrio do Rangel, DJ Znobia began experimenting with audio production tool FruityLoops in the early 90s, mixing...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: November/2023

Review of Leon Keïta

Leon Keïta

Leon Keïta

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

Born in Conakry, Guinea, guitarist Leon Keïta eventually became a significant figure on the Malian scene, helping to form the...

Reviewed by Martin Longley in issue: November/2023

Review of Off the Grid

Off the Grid

Onipa

Top of the World

Real World Records

Rating: ★★★★

‘The word [Onipa] means ‘human’ in Akan, the ancient language of the Ashanti people of Ghana,’ frontman Kweku Sackey (aka...

Reviewed by Max Reinhardt in issue: November/2023

Review of Viral Wreckage

Viral Wreckage

Aunty Rayzor

Hakuna Kulala

Rating: ★★★

Bisola Olungbenga has all the makings of a new Nigerian star. Trading under the memorable name of Aunty Rayzor, she...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: November/2023

Review of Traverse

Traverse

Laura Risk, Nicholas Williams & Rachel Aucoin

Laura Risk

Rating: ★★★★

Californian Laura Risk now resides in Montreal and has been playing Québécois fiddle for decades. Traverse is her first solo...

Reviewed by Glenn Kimpton in issue: October/2023

Review of Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years

Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years

VARIOUS ARTISTS

BBE Africa

Rating: ★★★

Mzansi is a Xhosa word meaning south and in the 1980s became shorthand slang in the townships for South Africa...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: October/2023

Review of Lullabies from Scotland

Lullabies from Scotland

Claire Hastings

Luckenbooth Records

Rating: ★★★

There are some lovely, sparkly moments in this self-descriptive album from 2015's BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: October/2023

Review of Tarkabarka

Tarkabarka

Balamuc

Balamuc

Rating: ★★★

Balamuc are a London-based band with a global membership and a clear interest in the music of the Roma, especially...

Reviewed by Kim Burton in issue: October/2023

Review of Days Like Now

Days Like Now

Huw Marc Bennett

Albert's Favourites

Rating: ★★★★

This is a super cool album from the Welsh producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett. Having been widely praised for...

Reviewed by Alexandra Petropoulos in issue: October/2023

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