Reviews
Gagaku
Gagaku, meaning ‘refined’ or ‘noble’ music, is a form of Japanese imperial court music that flourished during the Heian period...
Reviewed by Charlie Cawood in issue: Jan/Feb/2016
Man No Die
Bola Johnson has been one of the finds in the recent plethora of re c ent Nigerian highlife/Afro-funk archive reissues....
Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Jan/Feb/2011
Britadeira
This seasoned Brazilian musician and producer’s first solo album seems designed to divide opinion but challenge indifference. The minimalist minute-long...
Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: January/February/2024
Music is Choice
A trio that existed from 1998 to 2005, New Zealand's Trinity Roots were local heroes who opened the door for...
Reviewed by Seth Jordan in issue: Aug/Sep/2011
Anthology of Traditional Folk Music in Moravia 6: Love & Wedding Songs
These are the final releases in the excellent Czech label Indies Scope's survey of Moravian music. While the first four...
Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: April/2016
The Complete Friends of Old-Time Music Concert
Bessie Jones, John Davis & The Georgia Sea Island Singers with Mississippi Fred McDowell and Ed Youn
The immediate (and significant) feeling I got when I first started listening to this 1965 concert was one of privilege;...
Reviewed by Glenn Kimpton in issue: August/2024
The St Buryan Sessions
Throughout 2021, Sarah McQuaid has been releasing songs and videos as The St Buryan Sessions, her live lockdown recordings made...
Reviewed by Sophie Parkes in issue: December/2021
Eadarainn a’ Chruit: Between Us the Harp
Marshalsay’s second album focuses on the three different harps of Scotland (the lever harp, the wire-strung clarsach from the Gaelic...
Reviewed by Billy Rough in issue: January/2026
Cuba: Music and Revolution – Culture Clash in Havana Cuba, Experiments in Latin Music 1975-85 Vol 1
This compilation, curated by Gilles Peterson and Soul Jazz's Stuart Baker, collects together some of the most exploratory items from...
Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: April/2021
Bákini: En el Nuevo Mundo
Bákini is not just the name of this album, it is a project led by musicians and educators Michael Spiro...
Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: March/2018
