Reviews Search | Songlines

Reviews

Review of Egypt: Vocal & Instrumental Art of the 19th Century

Egypt: Vocal & Instrumental Art of the 19th Century

Aïcha Redouane & Al-Adwar Ensemble

Ocora C561020

Rating: ★★

This recording is probably aimed more at aficionados of Middle Eastern classical music than the casual listener, for the real...

Reviewed by Bill Badley in issue: Jan/Feb/2010

Review of Ol'Jansa

Ol'Jansa

Göran Månsson & Friends

Caprice Records

Rating: ★★★★

Olof Jönsson also known fondly as Ol'Jansa, was a Swedish flute player from Härjedalen in the centre of Sweden, born...

Reviewed by Merlyn Driver in issue: March/2018

Review of Ghanashyam: A Broken Branch

Ghanashyam: A Broken Branch

Ravi Shankar

East Meets West Music

Rating: ★★★

This fascinating and eclectic work is the full version of Ravi Shankar's piece commissioned and first performed by Birmingham Touring...

Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: October/2017

Review of Bendewarî/İntizar/Longing

Bendewarî/İntizar/Longing

Sakina

Ahenk Müsik

Rating: ★★★

Sakina Teyna is a traditional singer who was born into a Kurdish family in Varto, a small town in the...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: June/2019

Review of Mosawi Swiri

Mosawi Swiri

Houssam Gania

Hive Mind Records

Rating: ★★★

The youngest son of the late Mahmoud Gania, a Gnawa maalem (master) of singing and gimbri, the 23-year-old Houssam is...

Reviewed by Charlotte Algar in issue: May/2019

Review of Silent Folk

Silent Folk

Groupa

Footprint Records

Rating: ★★★

Since the 1980s, Groupa have been at the vanguard of progressive Nordic folk, their boldness influencing a whole generation of...

Reviewed by Kevin Bourke in issue: July/2014

Review of East Pakistan Sky

East Pakistan Sky

Ustad Saami

Top of the World

Glitterbeat Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Following releases on Glitterbeat Records in 2019 and 2020, here is another outstanding recording from the Pakistani master surti singer...

Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: January/February/2022

Review of Rio Samba

Rio Samba

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Le Chant du Monde

Rating: ★★★★

Uh-oh. Rio… samba, sun and Olympic Games spring to mind. Something tawdry, perhaps, to cash in on the hullabaloo. Not...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: November/2016

Review of Kalamburage

Kalamburage

SkaZka Orchestra

Eastblok Music

Rating: ★★★

SkaZka were formed by two youths, Artur Gortatschov and Valentin Butt, who shared a homeland in the former Soviet Union...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: Apr/May/2013

Review of Philantropiques

Philantropiques

Guts

Top of the World

Heavenly Sweetness

Rating: ★★★★

First up, a confession: having seen French jazz/soul/funk/rap producer Guts on stage and been less than impressed, I had low...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: July/2019

Subscribe from only £7.50

Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Songlines magazine.

Find out more