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Review of A Piece of Infinity

A Piece of Infinity

Meklit

Top of the World

Smithsonian Folkways

Rating: ★★★★

Meklit is an Ethiopian-American vocalist, songwriter, composer and activist based in San Francisco. Her latest release finds her explicitly exploring...

Reviewed by George Newton in issue: December/2025

Review of Callings of the Owed

Callings of the Owed

Mi3raj

Ruptured

Rating: ★★★

Emerging from Cairo’s experimental underground, Mi3raj is a duo comprising poet/vocalist Mohamed Tarek Moussa and producer/muti-instrumentalist Abdelrahman Shaat. Their hypnotically...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: April/2026

Review of Ecstasy: Between Two Seas

Ecstasy: Between Two Seas

Sami Yusuf

Andante

Rating: ★★★★★★★

‘Epic’ is the word to best describe Sami Yusuf. A British-Azerbaijani singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, he has been hailed as...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: May/2026

Review of Loïc Bléjean & Tad Sargent

Loïc Bléjean & Tad Sargent

Loïc Bléjean & Tad Sargent

Aïta Productions

Rating: ★★★★

The musicians of Brittany and Ireland have long held each other in high musical esteem and nowhere is this admiration...

Reviewed by Billy Rough in issue: April/2017

Review of Tablananda

Tablananda

Subhasis Bhattacharya

Top of the World

Riverboat Records

Rating: ★★★★

There is a fine tradition of brothers in bands, occasionally accompanied by a sub-plot of sibling rivalry. Fortunately there is...

Reviewed by Liam Izod in issue: Jan/Feb/2019

Review of Y Su Descarga Internacional

Y Su Descarga Internacional

Bosq

Bacalao Records

Rating: ★★★

US producer Bosq has been making tropical bass since the early 2010s, regularly working with musicians from Africa and the...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: January/2021

Review of Hi-Life Jazz

Hi-Life Jazz

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley

Agogo Records

Rating: ★★★★

Hi-Life Jazz is a super-cool and joyously good natured new release from the Ghanaian veteran. This is his 35th album...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: December/2022

Review of Interconnectedness

Interconnectedness

Carmen Souza

Galileo MC

Rating: ★★★★

When Carmen Souza first began playing and recording with her faithful partner, the bassist and producer Theo Pas’cal, their music...

Reviewed by GonÇalo Frota in issue: April/2023

Review of Renascence

Renascence

Kandia Kouyaté

Top of the World

Sterns

Rating: ★★★★

Given her status as the queen of the Mande griots, it comes as a shock to realise that this is...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Jan/Feb/2016

Review of Magia Negra: The Beginning

Magia Negra: The Beginning

Omara Portuondo

World Village

Rating: ★★★

For her latest offering, the octogenarian diva and former Buena Vista Social Club singer has revisited the first LP she...

Reviewed by Philip Sweeney in issue: Apr/May/2015

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