Reviews

Amataga

Te Vaka

It's heartening that this multi-ethnic Polynesian fusion family band, headed by Opetaia Foa’i is, on this evidence, still going strong...

Reviewed by Jon Lusk in issue: Jan/Feb/2016

Caravan Palace

Caravan Palace

France has long led the way when it comes to contemporary artists reinterpreting Gypsy jazz and swing, inevitably inspired by...

Reviewed by Ed Stocker in issue: June/2011

La Criée

Zakouska

Originally influenced by the Balkan and Romanian traditions spanning the Carpathian mountain range of Central and Eastern Europe, this French...

Reviewed by Lucy Hallam in issue: May/2020

Svod: Traditional Songs from Serbia and the Balkans

Bilja Krstic & Bistrik Orchestra

ARC Music is developing into one of the foremost record labels releasing new Balkan recordings – having issued excellent efforts...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: April/2017

Exil-Exile

Kyriakos Kalaitzidis & En Chordais

I've had time for composer and oud player Kyriakos Kalaitzidis since I first encountered his ensemble/record label En Chordais in...

Reviewed by Marc Dubin in issue: Aug/Sep/2019

Muzikr

Carlou D

He’s been rumoured to be Senegal’s next big thing for years, and for good reason. Carlou D has steadily climbed...

Reviewed by Katharina Lobeck Kane in issue: Aug/Sep/2010

Ali

Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin

This is the second album Vieux Farka Touré has released as a tribute to his father Ali Farka Touré in...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: November/2022

I Met Her By The River

Dawda Jobarteh

The stately and elegant opening title-track of Jobarteh's latest album suggests we can expect a solo kora record rooted deeply...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Jan/Feb/2019

Project Masnavi

Eishan Ensemble

Closely following their acclaimed albums Nim Dong (2018) and Afternoon Tea at Six (2020), Sydney-based Persian-jazz group Eishan Ensemble reconfigure...

Reviewed by Charlie Cawood in issue: December/2021

Pixvae

Pixvae

Unbelievably, the same musicians responsible for the sublime recent album by Nilamayé are involved in this hard-to-digest release. If your...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: April/2017