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Reviews

Review of The Rough Guide to Country Blues

The Rough Guide to Country Blues

VARIOUS ARTISTS

World Music Network

Rating: ★★★★★

Give this album the roughly five minutes it takes to run down the first two tracks – the deeply harrowing...

Reviewed in issue October/2019

Review of Puro Tayta Shanti

Puro Tayta Shanti

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Little Axe Records VINYL & DIGITAL ONLY

Rating: ★★★★

From the first moments of this compilation, it's impossible not to feel transported to another plane. The repetitive, hammering bass...

Reviewed in issue October/2019

Review of Engine 54

Engine 54

The Ethiopians

Dr Bird

Rating: ★★★★

The Ethiopians were among the first Jamaican artists to signal their pride in Africa. They then achieved the remarkable feat...

Reviewed in issue October/2019

Review of Da Hora

Da Hora

Vitto Meirelles

Cooking Vinyl

Rating: ★★★

The ten seconds of ghostly harmonium that comprises this album's prelude comes courtesy of iconic French actor Denis Lavant (as...

Reviewed in issue October/2019

Review of Clint Eastwood/Many Moods of the Upsetters

Clint Eastwood/Many Moods of the Upsetters

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & The Upsetters

Dr Bird

Rating: ★★★

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry needs little introduction, being both a celebrated pioneer and producer of Jamaican music and an in-demand performer...

Reviewed in issue October/2019

Review of ¡Salsa! Mi Hermana

¡Salsa! Mi Hermana

Sexteto Miramar

VampiSoul Vinyl & DiGITAL only

Rating: ★★★

When this album was released in 1968, salsa was the soundtrack of a new Latin consciousness. If New York was...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sep/2019

Review of Um Corpo no Mundo

Um Corpo no Mundo

Luedji Luna

Top of the World

Sterns Brasil

Rating: ★★★★

When Salvador established itself as the ‘African soul’ of Brazil in the mid-20th century, it was the music of Dorival...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sep/2019

Review of Cumbia Beat Vol 3

Cumbia Beat Vol 3

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Vampisoul

Rating: ★★

Few places in the world were seemingly unaffected by the emergence of electric guitars and the success of The Beatles...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sep/2019

Review of História do Choro

História do Choro

Duo Violão + 1

Amimo

Rating: ★★★★

História do Choro is an ambitious, meticulous and well-executed journey through the history of an iconic Brazilian genre led by...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sep/2019

Review of Brazil Primitivo Vol 1: Rhythms, Legends and Styles (1899-1963)

Brazil Primitivo Vol 1: Rhythms, Legends and Styles (1899-1963)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Sound Miracle Recordings

Although so shocking that it initially appears to be some sort of bad-taste parody, this blackface disaster is truly the...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sep/2019

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