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Review of Intrepid Adventures to the Lost Riddim Islands

Intrepid Adventures to the Lost Riddim Islands

Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento

Transmitter

Rating: ★★★★

Nicky Bomba is one of Australia’s busiest musos. Whether drumming behind his roots guitarist brother-in-law John Butler, fronting the 26-piece...

Reviewed by Seth Jordan in issue: October/2012

Review of Esencia

Esencia

Mariachi Herencia de México

Mariachi Heritage Foundation

Rating: ★★★★

Studio-recorded mariachi needs to be kept loose and as live-sounding as possible to work at all. With its female and...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: December/2019

Review of RDS-202

RDS-202

KermesZ à l'Est

KermesZ à I''Est

Rating: ★★★★

KermesZ à l'Est are not only the wildest Balkan band in Belgium, but probably on the planet. I first encountered...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: July/2020

Review of At Big Pink

At Big Pink

Bengali Bauls

Floating World

Rating: ★★★

This is a historic recording first released on the American Buddha label in 1968 and it's great that Floating World...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: June/2017

Review of Jive & Soul: The Very Best Of

Jive & Soul: The Very Best Of

Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens/The Soul Brothers

Nascente

Rating: ★★★★

It’s highly unusual to combine two different artists on a ‘Best Of’ set like this, but the teaming of two...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Jan/Feb/2011

Review of Doğu Ekspresi

Doğu Ekspresi

Café Türk

Top of the World

Sound Concept Records

Rating: ★★★★

The border town of Kars in the far north-east of Turkey holds a special allure in the Turkish imagination. The...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: April/2025

Review of Indian Talking Machine Part Two: Instrumental Gems from the 78rpm Era

Indian Talking Machine Part Two: Instrumental Gems from the 78rpm Era

VARIOUS ARTISTS | Various Artists

Sublime Frequencies

Rating: ★★★★★★★★

Compiled by musician, author and Indian classical music collector Robert Millis, this captivating collection of instrumental Hindustani, Carnatic and folk...

Reviewed by Paul Bowler in issue: May/2026

Review of #NuNairobi

#NuNairobi

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Outhere Records DIGITAL ONLY

Rating: ★★★

Not just the banner for a new wave of artists, creatives and entrepreneurs that are proud to call the Kenyan...

Reviewed by Russell Higham in issue: October/2019

Review of The Ultimate Guide to English Folk

The Ultimate Guide to English Folk

VARIOUS ARTISTS

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★★

We’re not short of compilations of British folk music, but this comes with a difference. Its compiler is Jon Boden,...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: Jan/Feb/2017

Review of Gagok, Pungnyu III

Gagok, Pungnyu III

Jeong Ga Ak Hoe

Akdang Eban

Rating: ★★★

This is a beautifully packaged atmospheric recording, but one that may take some getting used to. The gagok repertoire, protected...

Reviewed by Keith Howard in issue: Apr/May/2012

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