Reviews

Les Îles du Désert

Loy Ehrlich

Loy Ehrlich was one multi-instrumental third of France’s esteemed Hadouk Trio, whose co-founder and fellow ex-Gong member, Didier Malherbe, guests...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Bamako Chicago Sound System

Nicole Mitchell & Ballaké Sissoko

In the summer of 2017, kora maestro Ballaké Sissoko and American jazz flautist Nicole Mitchell were commissioned by Chicago’s Hyde...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Piltan

Esfand

It’s becoming too much of a cliché: an electronic dance beat, repetitious and supposedly ecstatic – occasionally labelled as mystical...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Lifelines

Davidsson

Caught somewhere in the ether between Nashville, Tennessee, where he’s now based, and Reykjavík in his native Iceland, Davidsson’s debut...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

From China to Appalachia

Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian

Musically, China is vast and variegated and Appalachia much smaller and more isolated. But you’ll find yourself tempted to hear...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Woo La Ba

Tilibo

Here’s a pleasantly classy duo in which kora player Ibou Cissokho is teamed up with the Norwegian acoustic guitarist Ole...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Feuilles Fauves

Lo’Jo

The five members of French collective Lo’Jo celebrate over four decades of camaraderie exploring poetry, music and cabaret drawn from...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Radio Chévere

Rio 18

Anglo-Latin fusion has enjoyed considerable success over the years, with standout albums including David Byrne’s Rei Momo, Paul Simon’s The...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Gran’s House

Indian Man

Bristol-based DJ and producer Jay Singh, AKA Indian Man, joins a wave of artists of South Asian descent putting their...

Reviewed in issue November/2024

Details

Driss El Maloumi Trio & Watar Quintet

Moroccan oud player Driss El Maloumi has cropped up frequently in these pages, both with a couple of Top of...

Reviewed in issue November/2024