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Review of Zama Zama

Zama Zama

Battlefield Band

Temple Records COMD2012

Rating: ★★★

A Zulu expression, roughly translating as let‘s try our luck’, might not seem the likeliest choice of title for a...

Reviewed by Sue Wilson in issue: March/2010

Review of Xalam

Xalam

Ben Aylon

Top of the World

Riverboat Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Born in Israel, Ben Aylon has spent much of the last dozen years in West Africa and in particular in...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: July/2021

Review of Momo Le Doyen

Momo Le Doyen

Momo Wandel Soumah

Buda Musique

Rating: ★★★

The Guinea-born saxophonist, singer and composer, who died in 2003 at the age of 77, was one of Africa’s greatest...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Aug/Sep/2012

Review of The Adventures of Prince Ahmed

The Adventures of Prince Ahmed

The Khoury Project

Institut du Monde Arabe

Rating: ★★★★★

This CD/DVD combination is absolutely brilliant, not least for the restoration of this ground-breaking animated film by the German Film...

Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: July/2013

Review of Grá agus Bás

Grá agus Bás

Donnacha Dennehy

Nonesuch

Rating: ★★★★

As a signee of the powerhouse American label Nonesuch, Donnacha Dennehy rubs shoulders with world music luminaries like the Buena...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: July/2011

Review of Yellow Fever/Na Poi

Yellow Fever/Na Poi

Fela Kuti

Rating: ★★★★★

It’s now 16 years since Fela Kuti died and his legendary status continues to grow. The problem with legends, though,...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: July/2013

Review of Live at the BBC

Live at the BBC

Richard Thompson & Linda Thompson

Island/Universal

Rating: ★★★★★

Richard Thompson fans require deep pockets. This is not the first box-set to concentrate on the man's extensive oeuvre, and...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: Aug/Sep/2011

Review of XXX

XXX

Söndörgő

Top of the World

GroundUP Records

Rating: ★★★★

The latest album from Hungarian tambura band Söndörgő isn’t triple X-rated, but it does mark their 30th anniversary. Their name...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: October/2025

Review of Chaos

Chaos

Lagos Thugs

Top of the World

Immensum Music

Rating: ★★★★

On first play of this sparkling debut album from Nigerian 12-piece Lagos Thugs, it’s hard to believe you’re not listening...

Reviewed by Russel Higham in issue: March/2024

Review of All My Friends

All My Friends

Aoife O’Donovan

Top of the World

Yep Roc Records

Rating: ★★★★

A little more than a century after the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution secured American women the right to...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: May/2024

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