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Review of Super Disco Pirata

Super Disco Pirata

VARIOUS ARTISTS | Various Artists

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

Twenty-three sometimes bizarre, but often glorious cuts of mainly Colombian cumbia, assembled from pirated bootleg records, from the period 1965-80,...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: January/2025

Review of We Will Never Die

We Will Never Die

Yat-Kha

Top of the World

The Lollipoppe Shoppe

Rating: ★★★★

This is Tuva’s one and only Albert Kuvezin’s first Yat-Kha studio album since 2010’s excellent Poets and Lighthouses. Right from...

Reviewed by Michael Ormiston in issue: July/2021

Review of Stambeli: The Legacy of the Black Tunisians

Stambeli: The Legacy of the Black Tunisians

Salah el-Ouergli

Par Les Chemins Productions

Rating: ★★★★

The heavy clacking of the qaraqab (iron castanets) and the hypnotising melodies of the gimbri (three-stringed lute) make it easy...

Reviewed by Alexandra Petropoulos in issue: July/2011

Review of Super Nova Samba Funk

Super Nova Samba Funk

Banda Black Rio

Far Out

Rating: ★★★

Over a decade that’s seen all kinds of obscure and often fantastic Brazilian funk prised from the archives, the band...

Reviewed by Brendon Griffin in issue: Aug/Sep/2011

Review of Música da Terra

Música da Terra

Batuk

Teka Music

Rating: ★★★

Batuk are a dance-infused trio hailing from South Africa. Comprised of renowned producer and rapper Spoek Mathambo, Aero Manyelo and...

Reviewed by Alex De Lacey in issue: March/2017

Review of Sem Palavras (feat Iván ‘Melon’ Lewis)

Sem Palavras (feat Iván ‘Melon’ Lewis)

Marta Pereira da Costa

Marta Pereira da Costa

Rating: ★★★★

‘Queen of the Portuguese Guitar’, Pereira da Costa may only be on her second album, but her trailblazing reputation as...

Reviewed by April Clare Welsh in issue: November/2024

Review of Birds

Birds

Da Lata

Da Lata Music

Rating: ★★★★

Can that be the sweet sound of spring? On the strength of this fourth album by beloved London-based tropicalistas Da...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: April/2020

Review of An Dà Là – The Two Days

An Dà Là – The Two Days

Mànran

Manran Records

Rating: ★★★

After three years of near-constant touring, this six-piece band’s third album finds Ewen Henderson taking over lead vocals from now-departed...

Reviewed by Kevin Bourke in issue: May/2017

Review of Fio da Memória

Fio da Memória

Luísa Maita

Top of the World

Cumbancha Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Maita's 2010 debut, while pleasant enough, gave little indication of the innovative experimentation of this, its follow-up. Early last year...

Reviewed by Howard Male in issue: Jan/Feb/2017

Review of Detrás da Serra

Detrás da Serra

Banda De Pífanos Caju Pinga Fogo

Banda De Pífanos Caju Pinga Fogo

Rating: ★★★★

The pífano is a type of fife flute that probably originated from Europe but was adapted using bamboo by the...

Reviewed by Andy Cumming in issue: August/2025

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