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Review of The Shovel Dance

The Shovel Dance

Shovel Dance Collective

American Dreams

Rating: ★★★

Lankum aren’t the only purveyors of doom-laden folk. London-based nine-piece Shovel Dance Collective show with this, their second album, that...

Reviewed by Tony Gillam in issue: December/2024

Review of Parlour Ballads

Parlour Ballads

Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings

Hudson Records

Rating: ★★★★

Parlour ballads, as a genre, get poor press as low-grade, middle-class Victoriana, but here’s Jon Boden at the piano (and...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: December/2024

Review of Luoteniegut

Luoteniegut

Áššu

Nordic Notes

Rating: ★★★

Joik vocalist Ulla Pirttijärvi is among northern Finland’s strongest Indigenous voices. Pirttijärvi combines her powerful singing with West African influences...

Reviewed by Wif Stenger in issue: June/2025

Review of Our Garden Needs its Flowers

Our Garden Needs its Flowers

Jess Sah Bi & Peter One

Awesome Tapes from Africa

Rating: ★★★

A very welcome reissue of an oddity from the Ivory Coast that was a huge regional hit when issued in...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: October/2018

Review of Loud and Clear

Loud and Clear

Otava Yo

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★

Active for 20 years, Otava Yo are probably the most successful Russian band on the world music scene with their...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: September/2024

Review of We Are in the War

We Are in the War

Prince Buju

Makkum Records

Rating: ★★★

Also known as Aduko Saabo, Prince Buju is the latest luminary to gain exposure through Makkum Records, the Amsterdam-based label...

Reviewed by Jon Lusk in issue: July/2015

Review of Democrazy

Democrazy

NMB Afrobeat Experience

Cristal Records

Rating: ★★★

It's a sign of our amazing cross-cultural times that a group hailing from the Massif Central, the wild granite heart...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: Nov/Dec/2014

Review of Atlantic Beat: Mad’in Portugal

Atlantic Beat: Mad’in Portugal

OqueStrada

Jaro Music

Rating: ★★★

There is a variety of ways of ordering a coffee in Portugal: OqueStrada tells us all about it in ‘Café...

Reviewed by GonÇalo Frota in issue: Jan/Feb/2015

Review of Wondrous Traveler

Wondrous Traveler

The Small Glories

The Small Glories

Rating: ★★★★

In more than one aspect, this is a unique recording of a new group uniting two stars based in and...

Reviewed by Jeff Kaliss in issue: October/2016

Review of Reka

Reka

Muha

Muha

Rating: ★★★

Based in Nottingham, with a flavour of the Russian bardic singer-songwriters, a leavening of Gypsy jazz elements and some...

Reviewed by Kim Burton in issue: Jan/Feb/2015

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