Friday, June 5, 2020
Tinariwen: every album reviewed
Since their debut album in 2001, the throbbing desert blues of the Touareg guitar band Tinariwen has conquered the musical world: here are reviews of all of their albums to date
Features
Thursday, May 28, 2020
San Salvador interview: “There’s a universality in our music that works”
Mark Sampson chats to the dynamic French vocal sextet San Salvador during a brief moment at home in south-west France following a whirlwind 18 months of international touring
Thursday, May 28, 2020
The 50 Greatest Albums of the Last 5 Years (updated 2020)
Life-changing, jaw-dropping albums from Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita, Angélique Kidjo, Mariza, Bassekou Kouyaté, Blick Bassy, Lankum, Debashish Bhattacharya, Lau, Oumou Sangaré, Kefaya and more...
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Moonlight Benjamin: Vodou Priestess of Haitian Blues
The Haitian-raised, French-based singer-songwriter Moonlight Benjamin tells Lucy Hallam where her distinctive blend of vodou and blues originates from
Friday, May 1, 2020
Giants of Afrobeat: an interview with Tony Allen and Orlando Julius
Fela Kuti is synonymous with Afrobeat, but there are two other underappreciated pioneers of the genre. Nigel Williamson speaks to Tony Allen and Orlando Julius
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
The Lost Words: Spell Songs
Nathaniel Handy is captivated by the musical spells conjured up by a collective of artists in response to The Lost Words book
Monday, April 27, 2020
Great albums from around the world - country by country and genre by genre
Musical genres around the world
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Sarathy Korwar interview: “It takes guts and vulnerability to cut through the noise and find your own voice”
Sarathy Korwar is becoming an influential figure within London’s vibrant and eclectic music scene. He talks to Jane Cornwell about his latest project, inspired by Brexit Britain and the importance of changing the East-West narrative. Photographs by Rishabah Sood
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Introducing... Guiss Guiss Bou Bess
Jenny Cathcart speaks to the Senegalese group who are making waves with their inventive, contemporary take on sabar drumming
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Ravi Shankar remembered
Memories of the Indian sitarist by fellow musicians and admirers
Friday, March 27, 2020
The 10 Essential Sámi Albums
Marja Mortensson is helping to breathe new life into the Sámi tradition of joik. Here, Merlyn Driver highlights ten more excellent albums by Sámi artists
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Jasdeep Singh Degun: "The premise of East and West is no longer relevant"
Songlines spoke to the award-winning sitar player Jasdeep Singh Degun, who recently premiered his first concerto with the Orchestra of Opera North
Friday, March 20, 2020
Kinshasa Revisited
Songlines spoke to French producers Bernard Treton and Martin Meissonnier about their fascination with the progressive sounds coming from Kinshasa in the 70s
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Kodo: Inside the Taiko drumming powerhouse
Taiko, the theatrical Japanese drumming spectacle, is seeing a global revival of interest. Michael Church speaks to members of Kodo, the group at the forefront of its resurgence. Photos by Takashi Okamoto & Nishita Taro
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Nazar: “Angolans could take over the world of pop music if we truly wanted to”
Manchester-based producer Nazar looks back to his conflict-afflicted upbringing in Angola and picks out some audio plums from the debris
