Reviews
The Phosphorescent Blues
Every mention of Chris Thile inevitably describes him as the best mandolin player in the world. Reviews of Punch Brothers’...
Reviewed by Matt Milton in issue: March/2015
Near East Quartet
With its combination of moody grooves, fragile melodies, and near-ambient accompaniment, Near East Quartet offers the sonic set menu of...
Reviewed by Liam Izod in issue: April/2019
Raga Yaman
Uday Bhawalkar is a maestro of dhrupad, an ancient Indian classical vocal style, believed to be the world's oldest musical...
Reviewed by Jameela Siddiqi in issue: August/September/2023
At Fargrounds
Jacken Elswyth is a banjo player and instrument maker known for her work as a member of the Shovel Dance...
Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: June/2024
Jami
This album is a double dedication, firstly to the 15th-century Sufi poetry of Jami, and secondly to the qawwali master...
Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: June/2024
Blŵgras
In terms of dazzling instrumental expertise, Taff Rapids can stand alongside the best bluegrass bands on the planet. With the...
Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: May/2025
Radio Sevdah
The Bosnian band, who won Best Group in the 2023 Songlines Music Awards, launch a radio station in the form...
Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: January/2026
Finishing
Best known for his vocal, kora and balafon work with the glorious Afro Celt Sound System, N’Faly Kouyaté now shows...
Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: December/2025
Roger Izeidi Presents Vita Matata With African Fiesta
A powerhouse from the golden age of Congolese rumba. African Fiesta was formed in 1963 by singer Tabu Ley Rochereau...
Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: May/2026
Bomba Pop
Amsterdam Klezmer Band are full of chutzpah — or, as the Dutch say, gotspe. Just two years shy of the...
Reviewed by Celeste Cantor-Stephens in issue: May/2024
