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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Joel Dwek | Sep 4, 2021 | Reviews
Taking inspiration from the indie rockers of the past, Nemra manage to place Yerevan on the world map of rock… Hailing from sunny Armenia, rock band Nemra, clearly like to have fun with words. The title of their debut album is Mubla, which is album backwards,...
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 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 Danny Wiser | Aug 8, 2021 | Reviews
Having warmed up for Iron Maiden in the year before the album’s recording, B.T.R. go on to earn their stripes with this banging rock record… As someone who has spent much of my life avoiding ‘the dark side’ in terms of my music listening habits, I have...
by Joel Dwek | Aug 6, 2021 | Reviews
American styles sung in Nepali by a powerhouse vocalist in the form of Arthur Gunn, this is a debut album that makes you pay attention… Born in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, Dibesh Pokharel, later known professionally as Arthur Gunn, moved to the...
by Danny Wiser | Jul 24, 2021 | Reviews
While LUNA features experimentalism combined with a fearless attitude, this album by plucky indie band from the Abode of Peace leaves one of us cold, the other enthusiastic… Danny: In the interest in being straight-up and honest, I will admit from the outset...
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 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 | May 31, 2021 | Reviews
A cracking debut album by BfolkMuzik680 showcases a talented young hip-hop artist with depth and heart… Whilst one of the mantras on our project has been to give each country and artist ‘their fair due’, we cannot pretend that when it comes to discovering albums...
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 Danny Wiser | May 16, 2021 | Reviews
Stories of life’s everyday happenings are sung with amazing instrumentation behind them in a wonderful crossover of genres… One of the joys of this journey around the globe’s different music cultures is that we have of course discovered a myriad of musical...
by Danny Wiser | May 13, 2021 | Reviews
Michele Henderson’s debut album introduces the world to her impressive vocal talent… As an internationalist with a keen sense of global identity, from a young age I took great pride in my rather abnormal interest in countries other than my own. Whilst most...
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 Danny Wiser | Feb 7, 2021 | Interviews
Toeing the party line to earn a living whilst engaging in subversive acts to develop his craft, electro space-rock composer Stefan Elefteriu, speaks about plying his trade in the Socialist Republic of Romania, building his own synthesiser and his latest album Quantum...
by Danny Wiser | Feb 5, 2021 | Reviews
Successfully fusing three seemingly disparate genres, Ojo de Buey create a perfect chilled-out album whilst showing off the riches of Costa Rican culture… When Danny recommended me this album, he described it as reggae rock fusion, and I immediately took a deep...
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 | 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 21, 2020 | Advent Calendar
UKRAINE: Shchedryk – Crimean Chamber Choir… This well-known Christmas carol has its origins in the Crimean region of Ukraine, which tells the story of a swallow flying into a house to declare the prophecy of the prosperous year that lies ahead. Whilst not...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 16, 2020 | Interviews
Ecuadorian rock singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, award-winning sound engineer, former lawyer, and academic Antonio Vergara spoke to NoiseNomad about his background, the power of music, the Ecuadorian music scene, and revealed an exclusive about his latest...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 16, 2020 | Advent Calendar
JAMAICA: Santa Claus, Do You Ever Come to the Ghetto? – Chronixx… This cover of gospel/reggae artists Carlene Davis and Trinity’s song touches on a theme that many fail to remember during the festivities. Whilst Christmas can often be a time of materialism...
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 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 8, 2020 | Interviews
Upon release of Malcura’s sophomore album, we were joined by guitarist Josh Voce to discuss a range of topics including cultural appropriation, busking days with Tash Sultana, and an impromptu gig alongside the band’s heroes… “Music’s come so...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 7, 2020 | Advent Calendar
BRAZIL: Tão bom que foi o Natal – Chico Buarque… As the largest Catholic nation in the Americas, it is no surprise that there is a wealth of Christmas songs and traditions. This particular song by famed Brazilian singer-songwriter Chico Buarque is a...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 4, 2020 | Advent Calendar
ETHIOPIA: The Savior Of The World Is Born Today – Orthodox Tewahedo Church… Christianity is often thought of as being brought over to Africa by imperialist Western powers who colonised nations across the continent. This fallacy is put into check by the...
by Danny Wiser | Dec 3, 2020 | Advent Calendar
NEW ZEALAND: A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree – Kingi Ihaka… In some ways, this song is a perfect encapsulation of New Zealand today, celebrating its Maori culture, whilst also honouring its firmly Western identity. An adaptation of the popular English carol The...
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 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 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 | Oct 21, 2020 | Interviews
Mexican songwriter and bassist Carlos Toledo joined us to tell us about his band’s latest album Prueba El Sabor, the salsa scene in Mexico and much more… “You don’t need to speak Spanish to enjoy and listen to the music…” That said, it might help....
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 | 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 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 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 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 Danny Wiser | Aug 5, 2020 | Reviews
If you want to hear what defying the odds sounds like, then give Skylla’s Christian R&B tracks a listen… Trials Of Your Faith by Skylla is an album. Trials Of Your Faith by Skylla is an R&B album. Trials Of Your Faith by Skylla is a quite good...
by Danny Wiser | Jul 26, 2020 | Reviews
Kabul Dreams’s raw, edgy, and unrefined debut album demonstrates that with defiance, talent can even emerge through the most challenging beginnings… When most people think of Afghanistan, they perhaps think of the images that have been disseminated across...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 9, 2020 | Reviews
Lay Phyu is one of Myanmar’s most famous rock stars – but how did he get to this position during the notoriously repressive military regime?… Until the recent process of democratic reforms, Myanmar was one of the states most isolated from the rest of...
by Joel Dwek | Jul 3, 2020 | Reviews
Hugely listenable and emotionally genuine, Damien Rice offers up a satisfying set of songs about sadness and love… O, Damien Rice’s debut album from 2002, mines a very traditional idea for inspiration, that of heartbreak, sadness, melancholy. What he may lack in...
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...
