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 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 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 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 | 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 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 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 | 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 | 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 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 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 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 | 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...
by Danny Wiser | Sep 3, 2021 | Reviews
The Anjolok brothers stay to true to their roots while adding a modern flavour to their debut album… Danny: Having recently watched the superb one-man show A Thousand Sons written and performed by Jamie Sefton, the theme of nuclear test detonations in the...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 31, 2021 | Reviews
A Toast to Life features Jewish music that veers from sincere ballads to danceable pop songs, all the while revelling in its essential and unabashed yiddishkeit… Coming from a (more or less) Modern Orthodox Jewish background, the type of Jewish pop music that...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 30, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
Brown earns her crown as Zimbabwe’s “Queen of Pop” in this magnificent debut attempt… In my first forays into adulthood, I fell deeply in love. I was drawn in by her colour, her energy, the sense of liberty that she transmitted and the feeling...
by Danny Wiser | Aug 20, 2021 | Interviews
Electronic music trio Owanj, formed of Isla Greenwood, Jemal Toussaint, and Isaac Westmore, spoke to us about the development of their debut album, embracing diverse music cultures and connecting to their precious natural surroundings… “You can spend a whole...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 22, 2021 | Reviews
Blurring the boundaries between tradition and progression, the Uzbek diva shows us her country by combining old songs with a new sound… When it comes to the field of acting, it is said that no actor is more than six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. When...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 20, 2021 | Reviews, Top Picks
The beloved Sudanese icon gives a masterclass in musical expression with an album that combines soulful vocals and musical fusion… Known affectionately as the King of Sudanese Jazz, Sharhabil Ahmed’s profile in his homeland of Sudan has been high ever since the...
by Danny Wiser | Jul 18, 2021 | Reviews
Serge Tonnar & Legotrip provide a multi-genred extravaganza that celebrates the language and culture of the Grand Duchy… It is fair to say that Luxembourg is a country that punches well above its weight for one of its size economically. Over the years many...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 8, 2021 | Reviews
A complex but flawed piece of work, does the Spanish rap star manage to bring flamenco into the 21st Century? Over the course of listening to so much music from around the world, I have surprised myself at how little music I have totally disliked. Even in genres that...
by Danny Wiser | Jul 6, 2021 | Reviews
Wintry sounds abound in this confident debut album from Riit that takes Inuk music to electro pop… Born in a tiny village in the windswept frozen tundra of Canada’s newest, largest, and most sparsely populated territory named Nunavut, Riit’s debut album is a...
by Danny Wiser | Jun 27, 2021 | Reviews
Feminist pop that pays tribute to some of Chile’s greatest figures, Pascuala Ilabaca’s work is thoughtful as well as entertaining… In Europe there exists a perception that it is the continent that has produced the most important and best masters of...
by Danny Wiser | Jun 25, 2021 | Reviews
Not quite Prince, but Al Walser demonstrates similar musical vision… At NoiseNomad we are fortunate enough to speak to a range of artists for our interview section. One common theme amongst them is that most artists don’t like being pigeon-holed into a genre....
by Danny Wiser | Jun 13, 2021 | Reviews
The Five Stars provide a lovely introduction to Faʻa Sāmoa – the ‘Samoan Way’… Aside from awareness of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s heritage, it is fair to say that I grew up knowing little else about Samoa. The island nation is in a part of the world...
by Joel Dwek | May 25, 2021 | Reviews
Daði Freyr creates retro pop with a funky disco beat – it’s fun, but is it enough?… The day before I sat down to write this, Icelandic musician and knitwear enthusiast Daði Freyr and his band Gagnamagnið have just lost the Eurovision song contest....
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 Danny Wiser | Apr 18, 2021 | Reviews
Havea’s independently released debut album is a set of genuinely uplifting and engaging tunes… The sense of wanderlust and adventure that characterises many backpackers is something that shines through in Tonga-born Joel Havea’s wonderful debut...
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 Joel Dwek | Mar 3, 2021 | Reviews
The powerful vocals and contemporary style of this album is what made this such an influence on the Turkish music scene… When Sezen Aksu rose to prominence, she changed the face of Turkish pop music, and became embedded as an enduring figure of Turkish pop...
by Joel Dwek | Feb 19, 2021 | Reviews
Perfectly pleasant Pacific pop tunes are the order of the day with these Cook Island music specialists… Though their name may suggest to outsiders and people unfamiliar with the myriad of different nations, territories and islands that comprise the Oceanic...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 7, 2021 | Reviews
Hailing from a nation where pop music production was once a dangerous act, UTN1 have proved themselves to be an excellent boy band in their own right… When writing a review of any artist whose backstory in music is one of oppression, one has to make a decision...
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 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 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 Danny Wiser | Dec 24, 2020 | Advent Calendar
PUERTO RICO: Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano… This is one of our favourite Christmas songs of all time. If you want to host a Christmas party and wish to get your guests dancing, then your best bet is to head over to your sound system and pop on José...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 22, 2020 | Advent Calendar
AUSTRALIA: White Wine In The Sun – Tim Minchin… Comedian Tim Minchin’s song is the perfect song for atheists, non-Christians and Christians who are able to laugh at the tragic comedy Christmas has become in the Western world. Whilst on this journey of...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 19, 2020 | Advent Calendar
THE NETHERLANDS: Een Heel Gelukkig Kerstfeest – De Toppers… Though this song is full of festive fun, it serves to remind us of Dutch Christmas, and thus poses questions about the way in which Christmas is celebrated in The Netherlands today. Meaning ‘A...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 13, 2020 | Advent Calendar
INDIA: Shehar Ki Pariyon Ke Peeche – Ayesha Jhulka and Aamir Khan… Not strictly a song about Diwali, this Bollywood hit is featured in the background of Diwali celebrations and has become synonymous with this festival of light. Diwali itself is a Hindu...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 10, 2020 | Advent Calendar
LEBANON: لج تلج فيروز- (Talj Talj) – Fairuz… Whilst much of the Arab world do not have a notable celebration during the festive season due to their Muslim faith, one can often forget the region also is residence to those of other faiths including Bahá’i,...
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 Danny Wiser | Dec 10, 2020 | Advent Calendar
ISRAEL: Ma’oz Tzur – Yonina… Husband and wife duo Yoni & Nina Tokayer’s cover of the Chanukah classic Ma’Oz Tzur updates an 800-year-old song that has been popularly sung by Jewish communities around the world since the time of its original writing. The song...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 9, 2020 | Advent Calendar
GREECE: Hronia Polla – Sakis Rouvas… For many around the world, Christmas Day is the day of giving and receiving gifts, however, not so in the Hellenic Republic (AKA Greece, to us simple folk). In fact, exchanging presents takes place on New Years’ Day,...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 8, 2020 | Advent Calendar
CANADA: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Michael Bublé… In some senses, the most traditional offering we could be giving you during our World Music Advent Calendar is this extraordinary rendition of the classic Christmas song Have Yourself a Merry...
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 | Dec 5, 2020 | Advent Calendar
SWEDEN: Mer Jul – Adolphson & Falk… This delightfully jaunty Christmas tune by the Swedish synth-pop superstars Adolphson-Falk details the excitement felt in anticipation of Christmas by Swedes across the land hoping for the most Christmassy day of...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 1, 2020 | Advent Calendar
PHILIPPINES: Noche Buena – Joey Albert… Constituting the largest Christian nation in Asia, the Philippines has a wealth of different Christmas carols and anthems both religious and secular. Noche Buena by Joey Albert mixes the two creating a pop song about...
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 23, 2020 | Interviews
Distraught and dismayed by the brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in his native Nigeria, solicitor turned singer/songwriter Jon Scott’s latest EP emphasises the need to unite and bring harmony, almost serving as a prophecy for recent events in his...
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 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 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 | 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 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 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 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 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 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 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...
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...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 28, 2020 | Reviews
It’s perfectly acceptable bubblegum pop, but can the success of Russian girl band Blestyashchiye tell us anything about the influence of Western culture in modern Russia?… Some of the artists we speak about on here contain multitudes, either in their music...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 18, 2020 | Reviews
Yemenite Jewish culture is made accessible through A-WA’s enjoyable electronica album… This album is made by three Israeli sisters, but from the sound of it, you wouldn’t necessarily know that. Israel is a small country with a huge amount of ethnic and...
by Danny Wiser | Jul 8, 2020 | Reviews, Top Picks
Lamomali, a Malian-French collaboration, shows that traditional music can be incorporated into modern pop in a manner that breathes new life into the genre of world music… I have started to come around to the notion that the term ‘world music’ is, for the most...
by Danny Wiser | Jun 30, 2020 | Reviews
The Latin Queen of Pop Shakira shows off her capacity to hook a Western audience with her powerful and unique voice… Whilst at NoiseNomad we typically like to discover more niche artists whose albums our readers perhaps have not heard of, it would be unjust to...
by Danny Wiser | Jun 4, 2020 | Reviews
The Pakistani pop stars Vital Signs certainly know how to make a fun and catchy sound… The hallmark of a great pop album is not necessarily about the quality of the music, but sometimes it can be of its catchiness. According to this logic, Vital Signs, Vol 1. is...
by Joel Dwek | Jun 4, 2020 | Reviews
Fun, light, and easy, Kavatime is an album full of fun, relaxing tunes in the Polynesian style… Before we start the review proper, it’s worth noting for anyone who looks these boys up on Spotify that the songs are named incorrectly. For example, the song...
