Latest News and Features

News

Obituary: Rise Kagona (1960-2024)

The joyous, spiralling guitar playing of Rise Kagona helped to make the jit jive of the Bhundu Boys one of the glories of the 1980s world music boom.

Live reviews

Llais 2024, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, October 12-13

Voices from Bulgaria, India and Ireland light up the latest edition of one of Wales’ most vocal festivals.

News

Songhoy Blues release latest single from upcoming fourth album, Hèritage

Celebrated Malian ethno-rock innovators Songhoy Blues have released a new single, ‘Gara’, ahead of the upcoming release of their highly anticipated fourth studio album, Hèritage.

Best New Albums

The Best New Albums from Around the World (December 2024)

Featuring Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Ekuka Morris Sirikiti, Afro Celt Sound System, MOMO. and more

Features

50 Global Guitar Greats

50 guitarists who have made an impact outside of the usual rock’n’roll axis of axes

Features

Seckou Keita: “My mum and aunties were griot singers… there was no escaping it!”

After the pandemic forced Seckou Keita to think about concepts of home, he responded with his most adventurous album to date

Features

Mdou Moctar: Niger's desert rock resistance

Mdou Moctar has had a great year, with a new album and worldwide tour positioning him as a new breed of African guitar hero… but he’s not alone. Bombino and Etran de l’Aïr are two other electric guitar-heavy bands who are establishing Niger as the capital of ‘desert rock’

Reviews Database

Review of 100% Sahara Guitar

Review of Antologia, Vol 2

Review of Àbòr Édín

Review of Horizon Unlimited

Review of Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head)

Review of Woodland

Review of Milimo

Review of Lost Things Returning

Review of Sweet Release

Review of Cracher le Feu

Latest issue

Songlines - December 2024

Magazine

Inside the issue…

The World’s 50 Greatest Guitarists – Featuring Ali Farka Touré, Davey Graham, Rokia Traoré, Django Reinhardt, Paco de Lucía…

Mdou Moctar – we speak to Mdou Moctar, Bombino and Etran de l’Aïr, three guitar bands from Niger leading a desert rock resistance

Mostar Sevdah Reunion – celebrating 25 years of the sevdah institution building bridges across former Yugoslavia and now the world

Christy Moore – a conversation with one of Ireland’s most beloved folk singers

Seckou Keita – chatting about a joyful new release exploring his love of Afro pop

ganavya – exciting new voice uniting spiritual jazz with South Asian classical traditions

Warsaw Street Music – a look at the history of street music in Warsaw and its current revival

Marc Ribot – Beginner’s Guide to a guitarist who’s played with everyone from Tom Waits to Susana Baca

Latin Jazz – we pick the Essential 10 Latin jazz crossover albums

+ 15-track Top of the World album (CD & download)

Find out more >

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