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Reviews

Review of Life Death Tears Dream

Life Death Tears Dream

Orchid Ensemble

Orchid Ensemble

Rating: ★★★

This is the third release by the Vancouver-based ensemble that features Lan Tung on Taiwanese erhu (two-string spiked fiddle), Haiqiong...

Reviewed by Michael Ormiston in issue: July/2013

Review of The Devil & the Diamond

The Devil & the Diamond

Matuto

Motéma Music

Rating: ★★★

Back with a pared-down sound and a Buddhist-inspired spiritual bent, Brooklyn fusionists Matuto have ditched the surf guitar that marked...

Reviewed by Brendon Griffin in issue: July/2013

Review of Rabbits Motel

Rabbits Motel

Woody Pines

Woody Pines

Rating: ★★

It’s plainly a good thing that more young Americans are making and buying recordings of Americana. But there’s also no...

Reviewed by Jeff Kaliss in issue: July/2013

Review of From Bamako to Carencro

From Bamako to Carencro

BeauSoleil with Michael Doucet

Compass Records

Rating: ★★★

BeauSoleil helped kick-start fresh interest in Cajun music back in the early 80s – this group of youngish Cajuns stripped...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: July/2013

Review of Le Bal Brotto Lopez

Le Bal Brotto Lopez

Brotto Lopez

L''autre Distribution

Rating: ★★

The duo of Cyrille Brotto (accordion) and Guillaume Lopez (voice, flute and fifes) were energetic contributors to the French Occitan-language...

Reviewed by Phil Sweeney in issue: July/2013

Review of Folk Songs and Soundscapes from Nepal

Folk Songs and Soundscapes from Nepal

Bishwo Shahi

ARC Music

Rating: ★★

Composer and producer Bishwo Shahi is based in London but recorded this album in Kathmandu, the capital of his homeland...

Reviewed by Michael Ormiston in issue: July/2013

Review of Live From Festival au Desert Timbuktu

Live From Festival au Desert Timbuktu

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Clermont Music

Rating: ★★

As anyone who has made the annual trip to northern Mali knows, the Festival in the Desert is a unique...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: July/2013

Review of Ya Tengo lo Que Queria!

Ya Tengo lo Que Queria!

Conjunto Sabroso

Conjunto Sabroso

Rating: ★★★

Ya Tengo lo Que Quería! doesn’t sound like an album made in London. In that sense it’s great evidence of...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: July/2013

Review of Ukronia

Ukronia

Erik Marchand

Innacor Records

Rating: ★★★

This is an album rich in scholarship and serious in intent. Antique songs from Upper Brittany are sung in the...

Reviewed by Phil Sweeney in issue: July/2013

Review of Hikoi/Journey

Hikoi/Journey

Richard Nunns, Paul Dyne & Dave Lisik

Rattle Records

Rating: ★★★

If 68-year-old Kiwi ethnomusicologist Richard Nunns isn’t careful, he’ll end up appearing on every album made in New Zealand! The...

Reviewed by Seth Jordan in issue: July/2013

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