Ahead of their scheduled performance on May 20 at this year's Songlines Encounters Festival, we revisit Simon Broughton's interview from last year with the singing troupe’s charismatic leader, Dessislava Stefanova
Chris Moss assesses the intrepid composer’s impact on music – and why his legacy, 100 years on since the great man’s birth, remains a challenge for contemporary tangueros
Nigel Williamson charts the career of the genre-defying sitarist, from her Indian classical beginnings to her star-studded cross-cultural fusions
Jameela Siddiqi celebrates the legacy of the first qawwali group to find fame and send devotees into spiritual ecstasy around the world
We've noted 50 great moments from 7000BC to the present day – concerts and confrontations, collaborations and conspiracies – all of which have shaped the sounds we're listening to today
Albums of the year revealed; singer Liraz on her Iranian roots; the young lions leading Afrobeats' infiltration of the mainstream; a Beginner's Guide to French troubadours Lo’Jo and more in the latest issue of Songlines
Folk singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates explores the confessional nature of folk song on her new album, Gracious Wings
Omara Portuondo and Alostmen have been recognised for their stellar musical contributions at Songlines annual prize-giving summit
The legendary broadcaster revisits the sounds of his early career on a recent BBC programme that reveals a little-known side to the beloved naturalist – that of a world music collector. He shares his favourite tracks with producer Julian May
The Indonesian island of Bali resounds with the vibrant, often thunderous music of its gamelans – the ubiquitous percussion orchestras of bronze and bamboo. Andy Channing conjures up the magic of its many incarnations
Mdou Moctar has had a great year, with a new album and worldwide tour positioning him as a new breed of African guitar hero… but he’s not alone. Bombino and Etran de l’Aïr are two other electric guitar-heavy bands who are establishing Niger as the capital of ‘desert rock’
Tim Cumming looks back over the best folk albums reviewed in Songlines in 2020, which have sustained us through this locked down year
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