Reviews

After the Morning

Wyndham Baird

Wyndham Baird’s music lives at the intersection of witting imitation, authentic reinterpretation and inspired creation. He sings like his (mostly)...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: June/2024

Rail Band

Rail Band

Of all the dance bands to come out of West Africa in the first, fertile flush of post-colonialism in the...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: June/2024

Trail of Flowers

Sierra Ferrell

Sierra Ferrell kicks off her latest album with ‘American Dreaming’, ‘one of several songs co-written with… frequent collaborator Melody Walker...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: June/2024

We Have Waited Too Long

The Jazzanians

At the height of apartheid in 1983, Darius Brubeck, son of the legendary jazz giant Dave Brubeck and an accomplished...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: June/2024

L’Bnat

Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou

The second album by Gnawa maalma Asmâa Hamzaoui and her all-female group Daughters of Timbuktu is a bass-lute thudding, qaraqab-clattering,...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: June/2024

Rembobine

Mélisande

For the past 10 years, the Québécois band Mélisande [éléctrotrad] has been creating dance-floor electro versions of traditional French-Canadian songs...

Reviewed by Devon Léger in issue: July/2024

Chronika

Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars

After nearly 15 years playing trumpet in America’s seminal klezmer band The Klezmatics (with whom he is still active), Frank...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: May/2024

Ifetayo; Glory of Om; Anoda Sistem; ‘Oduduwa’ [single]

Oluko Imo / Black Truth Rhythm Band

With the blessing of his widow, Soundway Records have re-released three landmark albums and a single from the much underrated...

Reviewed by Clyde Macfarlane in issue: May/2024

MRA

Emel | EMEL

Emel Mathlouthi is the Tunisian-American singer-songwriter and producer who drew the global spotlight with her passionate song ‘Kelmti Horra’ (My...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: May/2024

Alondra

Gao Hong & Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde

Following her award-winning 2023 album with kora-player Kadialy Kouyate, US-based Chinese pipa virtuoso Gao Hong returns with a new duo...

Reviewed by Charlie Cawood in issue: May/2024