The Rough Guide To Music Without Frontiers

The compilation market is over-crowded; genuinely valid albums offering anything new are so rare that it is hard to suppress a groan when yet another arrives for review. But hallelujah – here's one that's hugely worthwhile, with an intelligent theme, an admirable cause and a fascinatingly diverse and interesting selection of music too. Produced in association with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), every track is by a group or artist representing the culture of indigenous minorities and peoples in unrecognised or occupied territories. The Roma sounds of Parno Graszt, the Saharawi singer Mariem Hassan, the Kurdish music of the Kamkars and the Basque songs of Korrontzi are joined by little-heard examples of Oromo, Uyghyur and Balachi music and tracks from Palestine, Corsica and Mongolia. All stake out their right to cultural preservation, defying the pressures of assimilation by dominant and often oppressive rulers. A second disc of traditional Tibetan songs of freedom by the Dutch-based Tibetan singer Namgyal Lhamo is a welcome bonus. One rather large gripe, though: a booklet giving some background to the music and the struggles represented should have been essential.