Reviews

Ukouk

Marewrew

Ukouk (round-singing) celebrates over a decade of Marewrew’s entrancing Ainu songs, with tonkori collaboration from Oki Kano on several tracks....

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Once We Had a Home

Rohingya Refugees

The Rohingya people are among the most persecuted on the planet. In 1982, they were driven from their ancestral homes...

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Comfort Food

Kiran Ahluwalia

Indo-Canadian singer Kiran Ahluwalia has flown somewhat under the radar in Europe, winning Songlines’ 2009 Best Newcomer award only after...

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Vari

Varijashree Venugopal

Innovation born of mastery of tradition is a central tenet of GroundUP, the record label founded by Michael League. And...

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Digital Indigenous 6: Njondhil Njondhal

Bagus Shidqi

Javan gamelan ensembles are usually huge affairs, with ranks of musicians playing gongs and percussion instruments. Indonesian musician and composer...

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Murmures d’Himalaya

Kyab Yul-Sa

This is an excellent release by a trio consisting of Lobsang Chonzor, a Tibetan singer born in exile and dranyen...

Reviewed in issue July/2024

Berlin 1964 – Live & Berlin 1964 – The Lost Studio Recordings

Dagar Brothers

A double archival release from Black Truffle, these very rare recordings feature the brothers Moinuddin (d1966) and Aminuddin Dagar (d2000),...

Reviewed in issue June/2024

Jami

Sabri Brothers

This album is a double dedication, firstly to the 15th-century Sufi poetry of Jami, and secondly to the qawwali master...

Reviewed in issue June/2024

The Art of Sankyoku

Ensemble Hougaku Shijyuusoudan

Japanese musicians have few competitors when it comes to sustaining traditions while subtly updating them for today. Traditions are rarely...

Reviewed in issue June/2024

NRTYA

SAICOBAB

NRTYA is an easy record to celebrate but a difficult one to enjoy. The album fully realises its mission of...

Reviewed in issue May/2024