by Danny Wiser | Jun 29, 2022 | Interviews
One of the most successful acts to come out of the Real World Records label, Afro Celt Sound System have made musical fusion, inter-cultural exchange, and sonic innovation their hallmarks. We spoke with band members Simon Emmerson, N’Faly Kouyaté, and Johnny...
by Danny Wiser | May 23, 2022 | Uncategorized
As we reach our 200th nation from which we have reviewed an album, we take a moment to pause and look at where we have got to thus far. When we started our descent into insanity, taking on the mission to search for and write about an album from each nation back in...
by Danny Wiser | May 10, 2022 | Reviews
The rabab shines as Essar reminds his fellow compatriots about the richness and beauty of his family’s culture.. As the son of an Israeli, I have been wholly aware of my internal battle that I have been facing for many years as to whether I should proudly...
by Joel Dwek | May 8, 2022 | Reviews
By creating original pop songs with a traditional flair, The Sakishima Meeting have managed to innovate while preserving culture… It can be easy to fall into the trap of seeing countries as culturally homogenous within themselves, when that is rarely, if ever,...
by Danny Wiser | May 7, 2022 | Reviews
Funk meets punk in this extraordinary album that came close to never even existing in the first place This may be a rather bold statement, but before even hearing the album’s remarkable origin story, I thought to myself that of all the hundreds of albums from artists...
by Joel Dwek | May 7, 2022 | Reviews
Tackling a number of genres through the lens of hip-hop instrumentals, this album lives up to its title… On his Spotify page, Azerbaijani musician Akshin Alizadeh describes himself as a “music hobbyist” who makes music “occasionally just for fun and not for...
by Joel Dwek | May 5, 2022 | Reviews
From traditional roots reggae to afrobeat to sweet ballads, Alpha Blondy’s peace-seeking album has it all… When we think of visionaries for peace, our minds are often drawn to figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela whose ideas fortunately got to...
by Joel Dwek | May 3, 2022 | Reviews
This fusion album reinterprets Turkish folk music through the lens of modern funk as well as the 1970s Turkish rock scene… Based in the Netherlands and comprising of Turkish and Dutch members, Altin Gün (translating to Golden Day from Turkish) have an...
by Danny Wiser | May 2, 2022 | Reviews, Top Picks
One of the most iconic records of all time, the multi-talented Wonder manages to pack complex and poetic lyricism alongside intricate and catchy music… At the start of this project, the lyric “music is a world within itself with a language we all understand”...
by Joel Dwek | Apr 24, 2022 | Reviews
The oud pioneer manages to create a soft and smooth album of intricately constructed genre-bending melodies… The oud has a long history in the music of North Africa and the Middle East. We have reviewed albums of oud music from Arabian Peninsula nations like...
by Danny Wiser | Apr 24, 2022 | Reviews
Demonstrating ingenuity and heart, these plucky Uruguayans sit deservedly alongside some of Latin America’s greatest ska-rockers such as Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Maldita Vecindad… As most massive football fans will be aware, since the start of global football...
by Danny Wiser | Apr 23, 2022 | Reviews
Haunting, minimalist drone-folk may not sound like a barrel of laughs, but Katie Kim’s stunning voice and manipulation of sound makes the album worth pursuing… When reviewing music, it is important to recognise that we all have our musical predispositions...
by Joel Dwek | Apr 21, 2022 | Reviews
An unusual combination has once again born fruitful results with Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band’s Caribbean sounds merging with a wide range of genres… We have been working on this project and this website for a long time now. We’re coming up to two years...
by Danny Wiser | Apr 21, 2022 | Reviews
As many of us look for the perfect soundtrack for the sunshine, this lesser known sound of Mongolia could be the magic answer When one thinks of Swiss music, they don’t just think of yodelling, when one thinks of Spanish music, they don’t just think of flamenco and...
by Joel Dwek | Apr 19, 2022 | Reviews
Serbian new romantic music with funky inflections makes for highly entertaining listening Examining music from around the world is always an interesting process for us, but often when looking for music from dictatorships, it can become more interesting due to there...
by Joel Dwek | Apr 18, 2022 | Reviews, Top Picks
After two years of honouring musical delights from across the globe, we don’t have to search hard in our home nation to find a gem of our own… If one decided to try to pick objectively the best artist from any largely-populated nation, one would inevitably...
by Danny Wiser | Apr 5, 2022 | Interviews
Germany’s premier Balkan-jazz-funk-afrobeat-dub-reggae-Arabic-klezmer-folk-electro band Äl Jawala are not known for being easily categorised. Their esoteric back catalogue makes them a curious case, so we decided to sit down with percussionist Markus Schumacher and...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 21, 2022 | Interviews
On the 15th of February 2022, we got in touch with Dnipro-based band Kimnata Grethen for a chat which we finalised eight days later on the 23rd February. The following day, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Having assumed the interview was cancelled, we got in touch...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 6, 2022 | Reviews
Tell your grandma to put her earplugs in, it is time for some Middle Eastern punk rock… It feels like whenever Israeli culture is intellectualised or spoken about, it is done in the backdrop of its tangled and complicated geopolitics. Despite being an album...
by Joel Dwek | Mar 5, 2022 | Reviews
Repurposing surf rock for the modern day alongside a host of other styles, Hungarian outfit Fran Palermo burst with exuberant energy and verve… Fran Palermo is not an Italian musician as I had initially assumed when I first listened to this, but rather a band...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 5, 2022 | Reviews
Tim Sameke’s incredibly fun Kaneka music fuses the sound of traditional tribal dance with music from the West, gives us an insight into New Caledonia’s post-colonial identity crisis… NB: This review was written when we were still operating under the...
by Joel Dwek | Mar 3, 2022 | Reviews
Electronic music with several twists, this album takes the listener on a journey into the diverse musical stylings of its creators… Portuguese musician Benjamim and British electronic music producer Barnaby Keen look determined on the cover art of their 2017...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 2, 2022 | Reviews
Another Luaka Bop classic, Bastos guides us through the sounds of his life and his country… Before this wild descent of exploration into music cultures from across the world begun, David Byrne was a name I was familiar with, though I lacked a strong opinion on...
by Joel Dwek | Mar 2, 2022 | Reviews
This album of good Arabic pop songs may provide an easy entry point into the wider world of this rich genre… When I first listened to Libyan musician Salah Ghaly’s 2013 album Aghany El Thawra El Libeya, I enjoyed it, and it seemed to me like Ghaly was a...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 28, 2022 | Reviews, Top Picks
This behemoth rap record masterfully combines a whole range of genres into hip-hop, while retaining a firm worldview Events, dear boy. That phrase is British prime minister Harold Macmillan’s most well-known saying, and maybe the most succinct way to describe what it...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 24, 2022 | Interviews
Throughout our time researching music from around the world, one region remained something of a mystery to us – the Pacific Islands. Though we had listened to several albums of both traditional and modern music, the area was still enigmatic. To help us understand more...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 20, 2022 | Reviews
Adapting the music of West Africa’s griots for the modern day can be a challenge, but Noura Mint Seymali proves herself worthy Like many artists we cover, Mauritanian griot Noura Mint Seymali comes from a line of well-respected musicians. In fact, for those of...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 19, 2022 | Reviews
Urker’s proud multi-influenced sound of the Steppe is repackaged with psychedelic flourishes… If Turkey is the bridge between Europe and the Middle East then it goes without saying that Kazakhstan serves as the bridge between Europe and East Asia, and boy...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 18, 2022 | Reviews
Border-defying desert blues by way of Syria, Israel, and Europe is how this stateless rock duo express their musical free spirit… As a music review site based around covering all countries and as many territories as possible, our review of TootArd’s Laissez...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 17, 2022 | Reviews
Not many albums can pull of an exclamation mark in their name, Yma Sumac’s breakthrough however most certainly deserves the attention it implies… The 1950s is a decade romanticised by some, seen as a simpler time by many, it is fair to say that the world...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 16, 2022 | Reviews
Liberia’s only funk rock band Kapingbdi dazzle on this album which remained hidden away for decades… During the course searching for a studio album from each country, Liberia began to achieve a reputation between us at NoiseNomad for being something of a...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 15, 2022 | Reviews
Hard-hitting political rap music is the order of the day with these Arabic-language hip-hop pioneers When reviewing an album as political as Dabke On The Moon by DAM, we try not to take sides. However, as two Jews with family in Israel and a close personal connection...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 14, 2022 | Reviews, Top Picks
This hope-infused record by Mgzavrebi is not to be ignored as it uses styles of the past whilst maintaining a current and modern feel… On the border of Asia and Europe lies Georgia. A nation with a rich culture that comes from both continents, as well as their...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 9, 2022 | Reviews
The Banban Bamboo Band demonstrate immense ingenuity on their beautiful bamboo-based bonanza… Plant life contributes to various parts of Vanuatuan culture, from the use of tree vines at Pentecost Island’s world-renowned land diving traditions, to the popularity...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 6, 2022 | Reviews
Los Prisioneros’ synth-heavy rhythms are a whole lot of fun and show themselves off as phenomenal lyricists, together earning them status as legends of the Latin new wave scene… The music of Chile that I have been exposed to is somewhat unique when...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 5, 2022 | Reviews
Crowd-pleasing electronic music with an experimental edge that makes it a cut above the average… Caribou is the stage name of Canadian electronic musician Dan Snaith, who has also recorded under the pseudonyms of Daphni and Manitoba, the latter he dropped as an...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 3, 2022 | Reviews
Returning to a genre he helped inspire, Henri Salvador serenades the listener with charming bossa nova-inspired chanson… If I were to ask you what is France’s longest land border, what would you answer? Germany, maybe? No, surely it’s Spain, with that long...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 2, 2022 | Reviews
A respect for their nation’s ancestral and recent past are all evident within Caifanes’ music, but they bring an artistic edge to their third album that changes the game… Mexican music is great. That might sound like an overly simplistic statement...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 1, 2022 | Reviews
Breezy jazz-pop allows Slovenian singer Nana Milčinski to pay tribute to her famous grandfather… The arts can often be a family affair, with there being many famous families of writers, actors, and, of course, musicians. On this very site we’ve covered musical...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 31, 2022 | Reviews
Taking reggae and blending it with blues, R&B, and rock’n’roll, Jamaican icons Toots and the Maytals are at their best on this resplendent album… I have always considered myself a person with adventurous film tastes, though I am aware that saying...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 30, 2022 | Interviews
To mark two decades after the release of the first 1 Giant Leap film and album, we spoke to co-creator of the project Jamie Catto, filmmaker, musician, and author, to discuss the effort that went into making 1 Giant Leap, its considerable legacy, as well as Catto’s...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 27, 2022 | Reviews
The brothers record centuries of inherited musical wisdom on this pleasant kora album… A trend one might expect to find when searching for the best albums from every country in the world is that it would be challenging to find many good ones recorded in the...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 23, 2022 | Reviews
Adopting and adapting a number of African and European styles into pop, Calema manage to keep true to their roots while retaining global appeal… Being a former Portuguese colony, it is no surprise that São Tomé and Príncipe has many Portuguese elements within...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 21, 2022 | Reviews
Pleasant guitar pop with a bit of an edge, Polache’s debut album shows us why he is well regarded in his home nation… To most Western music fans, the popular Latin music that they will probably know best is from the United States. The genre in question is...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 20, 2022 | Reviews
On this solo record, the Eritrean vocalist Faytinga proudly sings the songs of her people… We try to be as positive as possible on this site. I think, on some level, this is a by-product of having started this project in the first wave of the Coronavirus...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 19, 2022 | Reviews
A preservation of Tonga’s beautiful music culture never felt so apt… There is nothing written about The Kingdom of Tonga Cultural Group online. No information about who they are or why this album was recorded. Attached to the album is only the year of...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 18, 2022 | Reviews
Highlighting an ancient musical form and fusing it with modern sounds, Ghanaian four-piece Alostmen take the kologo into the 21st Century… Africa is a continent of myriad musical traditions. One of the most interesting parts of this project has been exploring...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 17, 2022 | Reviews, Top Picks
The master of the oud demonstrates his skill not only in his musicianship but also through his production of the record… Around November 2020, having listened to numerous albums that featured the oud front and centre, it is fair to say that I was accustomed to...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 10, 2022 | Reviews
Dance or cry to this beautiful album, Majurugenta reminds us of Mozambique’s challenging past and shows off the work of a phenomenal saxophonist… It is fair to say that my music taste has evolved a great deal over the course of the last two years. Yet,...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 9, 2022 | Reviews
On the surface, this album seems a true enigma; yet by exercising patience and acceptance its truth will surely reveal itself to you… We are yet to feature an album shrouded in such a mystery as Songs I-V. The first time I heard the album, I was unaware of the...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 7, 2022 | Reviews
Redefining the genre with a unique tenderness, Popcaan’s debut album deservedly launched him into the global public conciousness… For most people, one’s teenage years are instrumental in forming and developing one’s own music taste, as it is an...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 6, 2022 | Reviews
Putting his own spin on both electronic music and the folk traditions of Niger, Hama has created an singular album that is all his own Niger is often associated musically with the tishoumaren scene (also known as desert blues) that has grown popular especially in the...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 5, 2022 | Reviews
Part of a new generation of Lao pop star, Jojo Miracle entertains on his fun debut album… Hailing from the Southeast Asian state of Laos, Jojo Miracle is part of a new wave of Lao pop music. Laos has a long history of traditional music forms, but Lao pop as we...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 4, 2022 | Reviews
This East meets West album does far more than introduce Westerners to the beautiful Baul music tradition – it enables both artists to truly shine… We recently featured an album showcasing one of UNESCO’s masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 2, 2022 | Reviews
Containing a variety of rock genres within, Juan Karlos’ debut album shatters the child star image of its lead singer and songwriter with style… It may come as surprise to some of you reading this article without a knowledge of the Filipino music scene...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 31, 2021 | Reviews
Once part of the elite in Gabonese society, Patience Dabany proves it was worth breaking free from the shackles of her former life with the release of this disco epic… Here at NoiseNomad, it is fair to say that we are suckers for quirky trivia about each nation....
by Danny Wiser | Dec 30, 2021 | Reviews
An ancient tradition performed with panache, ladles of real human emotion, and historical rigour – the Rustavi Choir prove why its worth preserving… Some of the most enchanting music traditions are indeed some of the oldest. Those whose origin story lie...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 29, 2021 | Reviews
Afro-Cuban music inspired pianist Kishon Khan as a young man, and the result is this epic album of Latin-South Asian fusion… While the music is always the most important part of an album, there are certain extraneous details that can be important as well. Things...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 28, 2021 | Interviews
Six years on from their previous release, and despite being hampered by the pandemic, Tuvan folk-rockers Yat-Kha delighted fans earlier this year with the release of their most stripped back album to date, We Will Never Die. Fortunate enough to be joined by lead...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 27, 2021 | Reviews
Despite questions about the album’s quality, Micronesian musician Ozeky teaches us a deeper lesson about how artists should not pay too much attention to the opinion of critics… Danny: When this journey to discover the best album we could from every...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 5, 2021 | Reviews
Taking the oud and the music of the Middle East and fusing it with Western genres, Charbel Rouhana has formed an album that is accessible while also intricate… Lebanese oudist Charbel Rouhana’s album Sourat – Trait D’Union is an entertaining modern take on...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 30, 2021 | Reviews
A fascinating mix of poetry and music, Lesego Rampolokeng’s sharp writing entertains and provokes in equal measure… To the uninitiated (such as myself, a few minutes before starting my research for this review), this album has a few surprises. Lesego...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 25, 2021 | Interviews
Known for its great warriors, wordsmiths and wise men, the legacy of Ancient Greece lives on in every aspect of modern society; breathing the energy of this era into song, singer and percussionist Katerina Papadopoulou joins us to discuss her journey in creating an...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 22, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
A whirlwind ride through many important themes, hip-hop collective Black Vulcanite create innovative rhythms whilst always speaking truth to power… The point of view that all people are created equal regardless of race and as such have the same natural capacity...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 17, 2021 | Reviews
Bab L’Bluz’s music is touted as ‘psychedelic Gnawa blues’, but what does that actually mean? Many nations hold a proud tradition of ritual poetry being sung to music. What makes Morocco’s proud tradition of gnawa music distinct is not the...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 15, 2021 | Reviews
Enjoyable pop with some interesting flourishes, yet Šako Polumenta’s music does not stand out from the crowd… The European region of the Balkans has a truly fascinating history and an extremely rich musical heritage. Whether it’s the brass band music...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 14, 2021 | Reviews
Guitar virtuoso Jukka Tolonen is at his best on this album which not only shows off his skills, but his ear for interesting combinations of sound… Finnish jazz guitarist Jukka Tolonen has had a life of ups and downs, to put it very mildly. Starting his career in...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 13, 2021 | Reviews
Rocking the boat of dictatorship from the 1980s until today, this Soviet rock record by Kino is not to be ignored… As far as I am concerned, any music that undermines and disrupts the order of the day gets a seal of approval from me; when those powers that be...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 13, 2021 | Reviews
A passable record with some fun tunes, Salah Al-Zadjali’s effort may entertain some and leave others unenthused… Joel: Where to start with this album, really. Or, indeed, where not to. It’s fine. I can’t get too excited about it. It’s perfectly listenable,...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 11, 2021 | Reviews
True musical revolutionaries are few and far between, so put your headphones in, shut your eyes, and marvel in the beauty and tragedy of Víctor Jara’s struggle… In the 21st century, the 11th of September has great significance as a date across the Western...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 9, 2021 | Reviews
Mozambican traditional sounds meet the modern world in Deltino Guerreiro’s vibrant and wonderfully ambitious debut album… Usually, the albums I pick as ‘albums of the week’ are ones that I find myself compulsively relistening to over and over...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 31, 2021 | Reviews
Soca from one of the world’s smallest countries – but is it up to scratch…? Joel: Going into this project, while I liked calypso music, I was not a huge fan of soca music. Over a year later, and though I would not say it’s my favourite genre, I have...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 30, 2021 | Reviews
The Faruma Boduberu Group have made an important album that one day may sadly serve as a legacy of this great tradition from this noble nation… When this project started, there were fears about finding albums from various countries. On some level, we never truly...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 29, 2021 | Reviews
From piano ballads to synth pop, Italian duo Colapesce & Dimartino manage to impress in an expansive album… In the sphere of culture, Italy has had a titanic influence in many areas, even if one discounts the Renaissance era. Federico Fellini and Roberto...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 28, 2021 | Reviews
Global rhythms are embedded seamlessly into this high-energy piece of musical mastery… Truba, also known as Balkan Brass, is a genre that I have always loved whenever I have been given an album to listen to. Whilst one would have to have a heart of stone not to...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 27, 2021 | Interviews
In the summer of 2021, we sat down to chat with fusion music pioneer Ashwin Batish to discuss his musical life in three continents, his academic legacy, as well as the key musical influences in and outside of his family… “The idea of getting better and learning...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 27, 2021 | Reviews
Soul Detergent is well-made indie rock, with psychedelic influences. Or is it something more?… Though rock music is a foundational genre for me – I wouldn’t be writing this if, on a bus journey on a school trip to Spain, a friend hadn’t played me The Beatles on...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 26, 2021 | Reviews
Indie, ambient, funk, electro, Kuwaiti band Galaxy Juice try to tie them all together in an ambitious album rich with interesting flourishes… Occasionally, one comes across a truly unclassifiable album. While it is nice to dig into a record that gives you more...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 25, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Iconic French singer Charles Aznavour has crafted a unique record with the capacity to provoke a sense of rather deep and beautiful self-reflection about dreams, desires, and direction… I have been dealt a hand of good fortune in life that I am wholly aware of....
by Joel Dwek | Oct 17, 2021 | Reviews
Fondo Flamenco stand on the shoulders of giants as they try to take flamenco into a new era… In 1979, a revolution happened in the world of Spanish music, where the once staid and old-fashioned genre of flamenco was revitalised, causing controversy along the...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 16, 2021 | Reviews
The Polynesian pair perform palatable Pacific pop… Joel: Tuvalu, the 4th smallest country in the world, with a population of only around 10,000 people, we had imagined would prove to be a challenge in finding an album, though we were undeterred after having...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 15, 2021 | Reviews
Taking Greek-language pop music and adding interesting elements, Cypriot singer Konstantina’s voice shines through on a solid album… Cypriot musician and singer Konstantina released her album Tha Fygo Me Tous Filous Mou Gia Kairo (roughly translating into...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 14, 2021 | Reviews
Via the The Touré-Raichel Collective, Africa meets the Middle East in a glorious symposium of creative exchange… Collaboration, although a beautiful notion in principle, is sometimes a tricky thing to get right. There is always a risk that ego gets in the way...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 13, 2021 | Reviews
The brilliant Belgian dazzles with a chanson record that is more than just beautiful poetry… Having reviewed a mountain’s worth of albums from across the world over the course of the last 16 months, it is fair to say that there have been a fair number of...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 12, 2021 | Reviews
A metal album that breaks all the rules with sprinklings of disco, funk and jazz… Regular readers of the site will be aware of my recent conversion process from hating metal music to being… not exactly a hardcore fan of the heavy metal genre, but at least...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 11, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Looking across the Atlantic for inspiration, the Swiss musician raputures and entrances her listeners with soft instrumentation and her beguiling voice… Though she may not sound it, Danit is from Switzerland. In fact, the album, which is sung mostly in Spanish...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 3, 2021 | Reviews
Colombia’s psychedelic cumbia maestros Bomba Estéreo serve up an album that is as interesting as it is entertaining… When the Netflix series Break It All, a history of rock in Latin America was released in December 2020, I was astounded by what I saw and...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 2, 2021 | Reviews
Is Trigon’s music navel-gazing nonsense or experimental genius? You decide… Joel: Look. I have to get this out of the way. I hated this album. I truly, truly despised it from beginning to end. I’ll get into why later, but first, some background. We try not...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 1, 2021 | Reviews
The ambitious Ecuadorian violinist takes on some of the most popular folk, tango, and classical pieces in Electroclásica, adding a modern twist… When updating a classic piece of music to the modern day, one always runs the risk of it not living up to the...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 30, 2021 | Reviews
A master of his craft, Kong Nay’s work serves as a vital piece of cultural preservation that can hopefully inspire a next generation… Throughout this deep dive into the music culture of each nation on the planet, we realise that most countries’ music scene...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 29, 2021 | Reviews
Heavy metal for children? More like heavy metal for everyone!… For millennia, people have tried asking life’s biggest and most unanswerable questions. These questions often root from a place of existential crisis in which we try to learn and understand who we...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 28, 2021 | Reviews
By isolating exactly what makes the music of his homeland unique, Souleyman takes dabke into the 21st Century… Nobody sounds quite like Omar Souleyman. As the album cover of Wenu Wenu suggests, Souleyman is an imposing, distinctive figure, with a thick handlebar...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 27, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Defiance is the order of the day, as technically gifted Lebanese outfit Mashrou’ Leila produce an album that is as enjoyable as it is powerful… In an age of so-called culture wars, feigning interest in a cause or giving off an air of over-appreciation...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 26, 2021 | Interviews
Poet and frontman of the Welsh-language folk rock band Bob Delyn a’r’ Ebillion Twm Morys sat down with us to talk about the music of Brittany and Wales, the inspiration he takes from Welsh poetry and verse, the revival of Welsh culture and language, as...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 23, 2021 | Reviews
Indie rock with a pop sensibility, Peha manage to make their mark on Slovakian music The small European nation of Slovakia is well-known in the UK, where I am from, for its pilsener style beers, its mountains, as well as its history of being joined up with the Czech...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 22, 2021 | Reviews
Rap rock all’Italiana? If anyone will convince you of the genre, it’s Caparezza… Before this process, I used to be rather rigid in my tastes. I more or less only listened to The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, and AC/DC, with a few forays...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 21, 2021 | Reviews
Soul and funk with a world music flavour, the debut album by KG Omulo impresses musically but falls short lyrically… Soul is one of those genres that seems quintessentially American. Much like how reggae could only have come from the particular political and...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 20, 2021 | Reviews
Prescient lyricism, ambitious compositions and raw energy – Toque Profundo’s debut album is for the history books… If you have arrived to this page looking for a recommendation of an amazing Dominican classic, in some respects you have come to the...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 19, 2021 | Reviews
Mexican masters of music Maná prove their worth with an engaging and varied album, as well as an all-time great track for good measure… After lengthy research into the rock scenes in different countries across the world, it seems that Mexico, comparatively to...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 18, 2021 | Reviews
Traditional tropical rhythms are brought into the 21st century by Elijah L with a deft touch and some global music flavours… After listening to Kiribati’s biggest musical export, Elijah L, one might not be so surprised to hear that the island nation is the...
