by Joel Dwek | Feb 3, 2021 | Reviews
Sun Glitters’ lo-fi beats and ambient interludes make for a unique listening experience that aim to relax as well as engage… Luxembourgish lo-fi electronica musician Sun Glitters’ album, from its very name, gives you a hint as to what the style of music...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 2, 2021 | Reviews
Proving himself to be more than just a one hit wonder, Soca star Lyttle proves collaborations might be the key to international stardom… Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, a country whose name already sounds like they could have been a successful doo-wop band in...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 1, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Full of interesting musical ideas and consummate musicianship, Under Byen’s third album certainly succeeds in creating an intellectually and emotionally engaging masterpiece… The avant-garde stylings of Danish post rock group Under Byen (which translates...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 24, 2021 | Reviews
A seemingly solid indie pop record, reveals itself as more than that with its hidden lyrical depths… The brainchild of Swiss singer Valeska Steiner and German bassist Sonja Glass who together form the indie pop duo BOY, Mutual Friends initially appeared to me to...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 23, 2021 | Reviews
A stalwart of Israeli music, Yehoram Gaon shows off his talent in an album of love songs and deeper wisdom… When talking about Israel as a country it is difficult to avoid the elephant in the room in terms of its history that is intertwined with conflict since...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 22, 2021 | Reviews
If an album has been released by the Real World Records record label, the artist usually either has a fascinating story or an incredible talent; in the case of Maryam Mursal it seems that she has both… Somalia is a country that, when mentioned, might immediately...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 21, 2021 | Reviews
The subjective nature of music enjoyment is highlighted in this afro-jazz masterpiece… It is no exaggeration to say that Orchestra Baobab are icons of worldwide music. Established in 1970 as the house band of the Dakar-based Baobab Club, the band’s mix of...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 20, 2021 | Reviews
An experimental album that fails as often as it succeeds is just saved by Alina Orlova’s unique vocal talents… Born to a Polish-Lithuanian father and a Russian mother in what is now modern-day Lithuania, Alina Orlova’s music reflects those diverse cultural...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 19, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Electro masters Justice bring darkness to disco in their superb debut album… Looking at the album cover of Justice’s debut album †, one would be forgiven in thinking it might be a metal album. Whilst on the surface that might seem far from the case when one...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 18, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
State-sponsored bands often are ‘middle-of-the-road’; however, this is far from the case for these experimental Turkmen extraordinaires… Home to the ‘Gates of Hell’ (the Darvaza gas crater which still burns nearly half a century later after a...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 17, 2021 | Reviews
Machado’s powerful voice shines in this celebration of Afro-Venezuelan culture… Before we start reviewing the album properly, we must address the earworm in the room. The song Oh, Santa Rosa will be stuck in your head for hours and hours, possibly days and...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 16, 2021 | Reviews
On the verge of perfection – but is Papa Wemba let down by a Western production team?… Papa Wemba’s decision to release an album with such an international sound, as he collaborated with Brit-pop producer of New Order and Pet Shop Boys fame Stephen Hague,...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 15, 2021 | Reviews
A legacy of the Vietnam War, Saigon Soul Revival appropriate a Western genre whilst adding a wonderful Vietnamese twist… In some respects, the very idea of Vietnamese soul music seems unusual. Vietnam in the Western consciousness is usually solely recalled in...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 14, 2021 | Reviews
As old meets new on this multi-genred record, its minimalist approach is simultaneously the key to its success and also the reason for its slight downfall… Many sub-genres could be used as labels to describe this record. Yet, from nu jazz to trip-hop to acid...
by Joel Dwek | Jan 13, 2021 | Reviews
Evocative of a Nordic winter, Aurora’s debut album features a song you’ll never forget… The unusual yet compelling sound of Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora’s debut album could perhaps be, in part, down to her own self-described isolated childhood...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 11, 2021 | Reviews
A whistle-stop tour of rock; Jadal prove themselves to be competent across the whole genre… We all have our own musical biases and I am no different. Whilst reggae, soul, and disco hit me in three different ways, my love for those genres is more visceral and...
by Danny Wiser | Jan 11, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Soul man Emmanuel Pi Djob shows off his talent as he crosses the divide of the Anglo-Francophone conflict in his native Cameroon… Many musicians from all around the world decide to sing in English. There are a variety of reasons for doing so, principal among...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 27, 2020 | Reviews
Pop-rock maestro Lucio Dalla merges an array of styles to create a beautiful sound… Despite being an immense admirer of all things Italian, as a non-Italian speaker who has never had the opportunity to live in Italy as of yet, I sometimes feel as though I cannot...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 26, 2020 | Reviews
A beautiful introduction to the world of kafi, Abida Parveen guides her listeners on a spiritual journey of devotion… Despite not being NoiseNomad’s in-house resident Sufi music expert, I do not feel overwhelmed by the task of writing a flattering review of...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 25, 2020 | Reviews
A celebration of the kora and Gambian music in general, Jobarteh manages to keep true to tradition while also managing to adapt the music for the times… The Gambia is mainland Africa’s smallest nation. Shaped snake-like, as if acting as a buffer for the Gambia...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 23, 2020 | Reviews
An album with a twist as Systema Solar confront issues of feminism and environmentalism on the dancefloor… This album by Colombian electro-cumbia dance group Systema Solar is a truly great party album. It really is. Rumbera, my favourite song by a long, long...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 23, 2020 | Reviews
Although ultimately a pan-Latin genre, Celia Cruz’s Cuban origins shine through the first truly seminal salsa album… When one thinks about salsa stars who were instrumental in the early development of the genre in New York, one nationality of performer seems to...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 22, 2020 | Reviews
Sahra Halgan and her bandmates succeed in creating enjoyable songs, as well as shining a light on her homeland… Hailing from the unrecognised state of Somaliland, formed in the brutal civil war that Somaliland and its neighbour Somalia endure to this day, Sahra...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 21, 2020 | Reviews
Perhaps the very definition of a problematic favourite, Let The People Sing poses the difficult question of whether an album can be loved despite its complicated and often reprehensible politics… Ahead of writing this review I have been tossing and turning in my...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 13, 2020 | Reviews
Andean prog-rock fusion with an interesting sound and an important message… Having not experienced an immediate visceral and emotional connection with this album when I had first listened to it, I was nevertheless intrigued by a style that I had never previously...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 12, 2020 | Reviews
Almost two decades after initially planned, stars link-up to show off their musical talent, reminding us of the evident connection Cuba has to its African roots Arguably the best and certainly one of the most renowned world music albums comes from Cuba. In fact, Buena...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 10, 2020 | Reviews
A joyful album born out of trying times, Pareira and Araujo show that entertainment for entertainment’s sake can have meaning… The small nation of East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste, but Wikipedia goes for East Timor and therefore so shall I) shares a...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 10, 2020 | Reviews
On the surface, famed Angolan musician Bonga’s latest album is just a set of pleasant, melancholy tunes, but dig deeper and you’ll find profound themes and resonances… Recados de Fora, meaning ‘Messages from Outside’ in English, is the...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 9, 2020 | Reviews
Thought of as a utopia of tolerance, Mari Boine’s anger at the treatment of the Sámi people serves to uncover Scandinavia’s darkest secret… Listening to the first 19 seconds of this album, to the uninitiated, it might appear that Boine is rather...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 8, 2020 | Reviews
Fleet-footed finger-work abound, Carlos Paredes takes us on a breakneck tour of Portuguese fado music… When I was 12, I went on a school trip to Barcelona, and one of the events we participated in during the trip was to attend a concert of flamenco dancing and...
by Joel Dwek | Dec 7, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
The Chinese rockers prove their worth in this blisteringly brilliant debut album, demonstrating their lightness of touch as well as their ability to melt your face off with pure rock… There is an interesting debate to be had as to why do we respond in the way we...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 29, 2020 | Reviews
Dubbed the ‘ambassadors of Paraguayan music’, Los Tres Paraguayos certainly succeed in showcasing Paraguay’s most special instrument Like most nations in Latin America in the 20th century, Paraguay shared a political history marked by the continuous shift between...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 28, 2020 | Reviews
The Sammarinese band put their nation on the map with this cromulent pop-rock album As the answer to the rather challenging pub quiz question ‘Who was the first band to represent San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest?’, Miodio also hold the rather embarrassing...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 27, 2020 | Reviews
Alsarah and The Nubatones guide their listeners down a stream of emotion-filled waters… Once again on NoiseNomad we find ourselves not only exploring the music of a new nation, but also learning about the culture and the plight of another minority group. This...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 26, 2020 | Reviews
A wide range of styles come together superbly in this wonderful album… What initially struck me about Dutch-New Zealander band My Baby (strange name for a band, I agree) is how retro and yet how modern they sound. They mix blues, funk, country and electronic...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 25, 2020 | Reviews
Pindoll have made a promising debut, with much to commend it and many catchy, fun tunes… Over the many, many albums we have found, listened to, pored over and reviewed on this site, there are several types or categories of album that we have identified. Twisted...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 24, 2020 | Reviews
Estonian electronic rock outfit Sopruse Puiestee attempt many things in the form of an album with many overarching themes and ideas… Sopruse Puiestee are a band from Estonia, a small nation on the Baltic Sea, near their linguistic brethren, Finland. Formed in...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 22, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Balla Et Ses Balladins’ bittersweet masterpiece celebrates liberation from colonialism… Whilst on the surface, this might seem a fun album with songs that were at the epicentre of Guinea’s “bar dancing music” scene, with simply not much more of a story to...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 22, 2020 | Reviews
Pioneers of Sufi rock Junoon honour their predecessors, their piety and their poetry… When I think about Junoon, one quote that comes to mind is that of Isaac Newton. The legendary scientist once said: “If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 21, 2020 | Reviews
Easy, relaxed vibes pulsate through this collection of upbeat, jazzy tunes… Two things set off warning signs within me when I was given this album to review. First off the bat was the fact that on the album cover of Infinite Rhythm, Abbos Kosimov himself is...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 20, 2020 | Reviews
L’Eden dei lunatici provides a chilled out selection of enjoyable rock tunes that entertain, if not delight… Despite having been released in 2020, L’Eden dei lunatici by Italian singer-songwriter Umberto Palazzo has a distinctly 90s indie feel to it, with...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 19, 2020 | Reviews
Although impossible to compete with ABBA, Look Sharp! is enough to earn Roxette a worthy number #2 slot on the list of Sweden’s greatest musical exports When the average Tom, Dick, and Harry think about Sweden, it is likely that IKEA, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and meatballs...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 18, 2020 | Reviews
An ambitious, if not entirely successful set of Latin-Balkan fusion tunes by Churupaca that alternately delights and frustrates… Most often here at NoiseNomad we review things we like, but occasionally I find myself having to review an album I don’t know if I...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 17, 2020 | Reviews
A selection of varied tunes from the Mountain Kingdom, Sankomota entertain as well as serving as a reminder of the history of its larger neighbour, South Africa… Aside from being known for its comparatively cold climate compared to much of the rest of the...
by Joel Dwek | Nov 9, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Gurrumul is a masterpiece of the highest order that evokes plenty of emotion and highlights the importance of preserving Aboriginal culture… About two weeks before I began writing the review for Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s debut solo album Gurrumul, I saw an...
by Danny Wiser | Nov 1, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
The sextet embrace the musician’s law – “If it feels good, do it!” in this odyssey of funk… If one is, for example, to suffer a bereavement, it is unlikely that they would have the same capacity to immediately enjoy a delicious, sweet...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 31, 2020 | Reviews
French DJ Llorca’s debut album mixes in soul, jazz, bossa nova, and funk alongside electronica and house, and a sonic journey into his own musical origins… The French house musician Ludovic Llorca got his start releasing records in 1997 on a small record...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 30, 2020 | Reviews
Dubbed ‘The Sultan of Shred’, Bombino earns this title in his epic second studio album as he simultaneously shows off modern Tuareg culture and his musical skills… Musicians are often capable of making powerful comments in the lyrics of their music that elevate...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 29, 2020 | Reviews
Easy, relaxed vibes pulsate through this collection of upbeat, jazzy tunes… The Caribbean islands have a myriad of musical styles associated with them, from reggae and calypso, to dancehall to dub, but one of the most popular styles of recent years has been soca...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 28, 2020 | Reviews
Andorran singer Marta Roure provides a hugely enjoyable set of Catalan-language pop rock tunes… Whilst Marta Roure comes from a nation known internationally mostly for its skiing resorts, the Eurovision Song Contest should have been a perfect opportunity to show...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 27, 2020 | Reviews
Albanian folk music meets pop in this largely successful and interesting fusion album… One of the great joys of this whole experience for me has been the ability to learn about the culture and people of the countries where we are searching for music, and there...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 26, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Emmanuel Jal’s repeated calls to action throughout the entire record cut through the incredibly fun and upbeat tunes… All across the world there exists a proud tradition of musicians being unafraid to bring their social and political activism into the lyrics of...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 18, 2020 | Reviews
The cultural heritage of the Mongolian people is on display in Egschiglen’s album of traditional music of the steppe… Danny: I have never been more nervous about writing a review. Partially because, unlike with most albums one might not like because the...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 17, 2020 | Reviews
David Broza’s album is full of love, hope, and an important message for us all to learn… As the son of an Israeli, the eternal conflict between Israel and Palestine is one that has always been very close to my heart and plays on my mind often. When my...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 16, 2020 | Reviews
Amazing mood music, but listen closely and This Is for the White in Your Eyes will soon reveal cracks… It is not often that I am left with such contrasting feelings about an album after returning to it for the first time in a while. Yet, This Is For The White In...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 15, 2020 | Reviews
Zorba The Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis collaborates with Grigoris Bithikotsis and Meri Lida, two singers of different styles to form a delightful Greek folk album… While the music of Grigoris Bithikotsis and Meri Lida might make one think of gyros, kleftiko,...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 14, 2020 | Reviews
Released in the 70s, these adaptations by Brazilian musician Deodato of classical music pieces from centuries ago have an almost futuristic quality to them, making this a truly timeless record… Classical jazz fusion is perhaps a harder genre than most to get...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 13, 2020 | Reviews
A mixture of Melanesian melancholy and pop bangers, George Telek shows why he tore up the music scene across all of Oceania… From the opening drumbeat of the first song, Sonny, I knew I was in for a treat. In fact, just looking at the album artwork you know...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 12, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
The work of Sinn Sisamouth reveals a fascinating lost world of Cambodian music, and the tragic circumstances that surrounded its downfall… When Danny gave me Reatrei Nov Hong Kong, Vol. 58, he became the first of the two of us to intentionally break the first...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 4, 2020 | Reviews
Ghana’s very own Bizung talking drum chief Mohammed Alidu flexes his drum tapping fingers, as well as his songwriting chops in this fusion album… Mohammed Alidu’s music is particularly interesting because of his musical heritage, one I confess I knew...
by Danny Wiser | Oct 3, 2020 | Reviews
Fat Freddy’s Drop bridge the gap between the electronic dance world and the world of live instrumentation perfectly – What’s not to love?… When the two of us begun this process of listening to albums from every country in the world, whilst we had...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 2, 2020 | Reviews
Inventive electronic music that combines ambient, funk, rock, and so much more, beluga stone consistently surprise in this eclectic effort… Poland, as a country, is perhaps most famous in the music world for producing the famed pianist and composer Frédéric...
by Joel Dwek | Oct 1, 2020 | Reviews
Indie rockers with a French twist; look out for the track that features one of the British rock icons of our time… Illusion et Imparfait by the French indie rock band the Dandies is a pretty great album, but before we get into the nitty gritty of the album, I...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 30, 2020 | Reviews
Soda Stereo’s iconic record reverberates across Latin America, jam-packed with raw and heartfelt emotion… When reading the likes of Pitchfork or Rolling Stone Magazine, one might notice that amongst many music journalists there is a common trope amidst...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 29, 2020 | Reviews
What’s the link between the Vaudou culture of Togo and the funk music of the 1970s? Vaudou Game show us where the two can meet… A while ago, we reviewed Benin International Musical’s first album BIM #1, and it was in that review where we touched upon the...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 27, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
If Golden Earring were from the UK or the US they would have reached legendary status and this album would be seen as one of the great rock albums of all time – here is why… I have always been someone who chooses to avoid labelling myself as a rock fan....
by Joel Dwek | Sep 20, 2020 | Reviews
Thandiswa treads the line between tradition and innovation in this enjoyably eclectic album… When scouring the world for albums from every country, we have found that there are, broadly speaking, two types of musician, and then there’s the grey zone in between...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 19, 2020 | Reviews
This album is proof that you should follow Amanaz’s advice to “Ask Me About Nice Artistes in Zambia”… Throughout this journey of exploring world music, Joel and I have both discovered many sub-genres which were previously unknown to us. Today’s...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 18, 2020 | Reviews
We delve into the world of chanson music, with this strange yet compellingly mysterious and melancholic effort from Monegasque poet and musician Léo Ferré… Léo Ferré deserves one accolade despite anything else I might say about this album – this is hands...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 17, 2020 | Reviews
Jewish klezmer played by a Roma band, this musical confluence allows us a window into a lost world of Eastern European cultural symbiosis… Whilst I cannot claim to be a film buff like Joel can, whose film reviews you can check out here, I do of course enjoy...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 16, 2020 | Reviews
In this moody and contemplative album, Neapolitan singer-songwriter Enzo Gragnaniello cuts to the heart of what makes Italy tick… If you’ve been an active reader of NoiseNomad, you may have noticed the spectrum of Italian artists that we have reviewed so far,...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 15, 2020 | Reviews
Calypso-style beats and African rhythms define the unique music of these very Happy Boys… On a surface level, Akoeba by the Happy Boys is simply an infectiously fun, upbeat, uplifting album that could make even someone like me, who has two left feet, tap their...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 14, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Beautiful singing from Sammy Davis Jr and gorgeous acoustic guitar playing from Laurindo Almeida – what more do you need…? What do we mean when we pick an album as ‘album of the week’ on this site? It usually means that the album in question...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 13, 2020 | Reviews
A great introduction to the soukous genre, as well as a window into a bleak period of Tanzanian history where The Doctor’s cutting lyrics were a glimmer of hope in trying to remedy the nation’s afflictions… Throughout this journey, Joel and I have discovered...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 12, 2020 | Reviews
Classical crossover pop with operatic influences, iD shows a different side to Kazakh music… Kazakhstan is a central Asian state, a former part of the Soviet Union, and that is where I suspect most people’s knowledge about the nation begins and ends. Rather...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 11, 2020 | Reviews
Kick back and relax with this slow paced cover album that explores a wide range of genres all the way from blues to folk… When discussing records between the two of us that we review on NoiseNomad, we have on several occasions found ourselves discussing the...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 10, 2020 | Reviews
Sharzy’s Iu Mi Flow could be the album for you if you are after some passable Pacific party vibes… For fans of the site who have been there from its inception, I think it is only fair that you have a better understanding of our process. We typically listen...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 9, 2020 | Reviews
K-Pop has taken the world by storm, and IU’s album Modern Times is a good showcase for why that is… K-Pop is a world unto itself, but not necessarily one that is the most accessible to all. Sure, everyone knows about PSY and Gangnam Style, but K-Pop can be...
by Joel Dwek | Sep 8, 2020 | Reviews
This album of vibrant jazz-pop fusion from the former Yugoslavia impresses with its gusto and energy… The jazz rock stylings of Croatian keyboardist Tihomir Asanovic are not necessarily what one would expect to come out of what was then communist Yugoslavia, but...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 7, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Is Bangui Africa’s very own Detroit? Laetitia Zonzambé puts forward a convincing case… The last time I was tasked with writing an ‘album of the week’ for NoiseNomad, I discussed how Leonard Cohen opened my eyes up to the world of lyrically-driven music in...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 30, 2020 | Reviews
This electronic album, whilst fun and upbeat, could also be enjoyed as Nicola Cruz’s ethnographic tour of the spiritual hotspots of planet Earth… The Andes as a region is famed for its indigenous people’s spiritual cosmology and their belief in the sacred...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 29, 2020 | Reviews
The Pakistani pop prodigy Haroon provides an eclectic pack of pretty perfect tunes… Sometimes on NoiseNomad I find myself struggling to find the right words to intellectualise an album that I have really liked, and when I am unable to do so, I feel like I am not...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 28, 2020 | Reviews
Neil Young provides flashes of brilliance amidst an otherwise pleasant plethora of folky tunes… Full disclosure, Neil Young has always been one of my big musical blind spots. What I thought knew about him and his music was limited to a handful of songs, where I...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 27, 2020 | Reviews
Whilst this Bavarian album doesn’t encourage Schuhplattler dancing, The Poets of Rhythm’s fabulous funky beats forces its listeners to get down and boogie… If I did not know that this band was German, I would never have guessed it. So completely have...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 26, 2020 | Reviews
A bundle of fun with distant associations with the jewel in the crown of London’s annual calendar to make it just that little bit more special… Joel: Machel Montano’s music on Monk Evolution is a broadly crowd-pleasing set of fun soca tunes meant to get you up...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 25, 2020 | Reviews
Aggressive, punky beats and passionate lyrics are Karima 2G’s forte – but what can she tell us about the state of Italy today…? Italy is a country that I love. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time there both on holiday, as an exchange student with a...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 23, 2020 | Reviews
Arik Einstein, the Voice of Israel provides a wonderful soft rock album filled to the brim with beautiful melodies and soothing sounds… The music of Israel is an interesting thing to consider, and we have done so already in our review for A-WA, a band made up of...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 23, 2020 | Reviews
Dubbed the voice of the Tunisian Revolution, Mathlouthi’s protest album is full of musical ambition… Imagine you are a young woman, who after years of brutal dictatorship in your homeland that you love, has decided to speak out and use your most powerful tool,...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 22, 2020 | Reviews
Suave beats and smooth rhythms make Argentinian indie pop rockers Bandalos Chinos stand out from the crowd… The music of BACH, the most recent album by the Argentinian indie pop band Bandalos Chinos has a very cool sound to it. So cool I wonder if I should even...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 21, 2020 | Reviews
Blues music returns to its homeland, as it is blended delicately with traditional Islamic rhythms Throughout this journey across the world’s music and musical styles, we have come across all sorts of genre mixes and mash-ups that we thought were unusual and could...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 20, 2020 | Reviews
The Sri Lankan pop duo succeed in creating an enjoyable collection of catchy, easy-listening tunes… When Danny and I discuss these albums, often months in advance before we actually write these reviews, there is one stock criticism that appears more often than...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 19, 2020 | Reviews
Euphonious Burundian Khadja Nin brews up a perfect blend of afrobeat, pop, and new wave with a scrumptious sprinkle of jazz on top… As far as I am concerned, Stevie Wonder is the closest thing we have to a musical deity, and therefore I get very protective of...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 18, 2020 | Reviews
Ambient soundscapes mixed in alongside Indian and Arabic influences, Zahed Sultan’s album provides a chilled out and relaxed listening experience that draws from his cultural heritage… Zahed Sultan is a London-based multi-media artist of Kuwaiti and Indian...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 17, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
There is no blurb that could do justice to this album. Listen to it ASAP… At NoiseNomad we typically review albums that are melodically driven pieces. Often, this is because many of the albums we write about are not in our mother tongue of English, but also it...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 16, 2020 | Reviews
Miss Colombia shows off immense and eclectic musical talent, whilst also exploring the complexities that many migrants have when it comes to their relationship with their homeland… For an electro-cumbia album, a record from a genre that is typically dance...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 15, 2020 | Reviews
African rockers Murfy’s fLaw show they’re more than just an average group with a funny band name… The word ‘Makosa’ is Kiswahili for “the evil that men do”, which to me seems rather ironic given the fact that Makosa, as an album, tells me much more...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 14, 2020 | Reviews
Gentle Nepali folk music sung very well by vocalist Navneet Aditya Waiba. But is there more behind the recording of this album…? When I first gave this a listen, I found the most striking thing about Ama Lai Shraddhanjali by Navneet Aditya Waiba is Waiba’s voice...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 13, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
The King of Raï Khaled earns his title as he blends the genre with a number of others to make an album full of wonderful dance tracks, bringing traditional Algerian sounds firmly into the 21st century… Foreign-language songs that become chart-toppers in the West...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 12, 2020 | Reviews
Rock masterpiece or mindless noise? You decide… The Case for the Prosecution – Danny: Forget whatever Joel is about to say. At the point of writing, I haven’t read it yet. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret – he hasn’t even written it yet – but I...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 11, 2020 | Reviews
Moving on from his pop rock days, Cesare Cremonini’s sophomore effort is a sophisticated pop album with an arty and classical edge… Cesare Cremonini first came to prominence in Italy with the release of 1999’s …squérez?, the first and only album released...
