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 | 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 26, 2021 | Reviews
The Moranbong Band’s state-sanctioned propaganda power pop meant to entertain the North Korean masses is interesting as both a document of contemporary North Korean culture and a collection of pleasant songs, yet its provenance remains mysterious and...
by Joel Dwek | Apr 16, 2021 | Reviews
Consummate pop music performed perfectly – but is there enough of it to satisfy? The first song on Taiwanese indie band The Fur.’s 2018 album Town is called Short Stay, which sums up my only real issue with the album, and it’s an uncommon criticism for me to...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 20, 2021 | Reviews
A wonderful album concept, laden with pastoral sounds and themes, made all the more enticing by Kim Jung Mi’s alluring vocals… I must admit that on first listen, the album as a whole failed to reveal itself to me. I was absolutely blown away by one track,...
by Danny Wiser | Mar 19, 2021 | Reviews
The Minyo Crusaders are the vanguard of the restoration of a noble Japanese music tradition by way of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America… It is not often that an album leaves me stumped about how to start a review; when that happens it is usually because of...
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 | Dec 6, 2020 | Advent Calendar
SOUTH KOREA: Snow Candy – Starship Planet… This collaboration between K-pop artists K.Will, Sistar, and Boyfriend comes from a country that is not a Christian nation. Therefore, this Christmas song is continuing in the tradition pioneered in the West where...
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 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 | Aug 8, 2020 | Reviews
A celebration of world music, Our World In Song takes inspiration from many sources and reinterprets it in a Chinese folk style… What is world music when you really think about it? In some ways it is undefinable and intangible, and it often finds itself used as...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 31, 2020 | Reviews
Enjoyably cheesy, Richie Jen shows off his prowess as a balladeer… Some albums take you by surprise, and to my shock, this album by Richie Jen, was one of those. Not because it was surprisingly brilliant or sublime – far from it (sorry, all you Richie Jen fans...
