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Reviews

Review of amaXesha

amaXesha

Bongeziwe Mabandla

Black Major / Platoon

Rating: ★★★

The story of Southern Africa's ‘contemporary urban folk’ music can be told in five acts: Madala Kunene, Buddy Masango, Vusi...

Reviewed by Bongani Madondo in issue: June/2023

Review of Accomplice Two

Accomplice Two

Tommy Emmanuel

CGP Sounds

Rating: ★★★★

A mutually inspired quest for excellence pervades AccompliceTwo. The much-anticipated follow-up to 2018's Accomplice One features Australian guitar wizard Tommy...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: June/2023

Review of Before I Knew What Had Begun I Had Already Lost

Before I Knew What Had Begun I Had Already Lost

Jon Wilks

Jon Wilks

Rating: ★★★★

For Jon Wilks’ fourth album he has broadened the sonic palette of 2021's spare Up the Cut, adding Jackie Oates’...

Reviewed by Glenn Kimpton in issue: June/2023

Review of Sufi Trance of the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus

Sufi Trance of the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus

Ensemble Al-Kindi & Sheikh Hamed Daoud

Top of the World

Buda Musique

Rating: ★★★★★

This album from the formidable Ensemble Al-Kindi is their first release since the untimely death of their founder Julien Jâlal...

Reviewed by Alexandra Petropoulos in issue: June/2023

Review of Naamu

Naamu

Teun Creemers

ZenneZ Records / One World Records

Rating: ★★★★

For years, bass player Teun Creemers has played behind illustrious West African artists like Harouna Samake (Salif Keita’s kamelengoni player)...

Reviewed by Daniel Brown in issue: June/2023

Review of Yeahno Yowouw Land

Yeahno Yowouw Land

Langendorf United

Top of the World

sing a song fighter / Black Sweat Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Yeahno Yowouw Land is deep and earthy, and high and celestial; it's a land of swirling euphoria and wholesome, grounding...

Reviewed by Celeste Cantor-Stephens in issue: June/2023

Review of Ecuatoriana – El Universo Paralelo de Polibio Mayorga 1969-1981

Ecuatoriana – El Universo Paralelo de Polibio Mayorga 1969-1981

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

Another sparkling release from Analog Africa's rich goldmine, this time centring on one of the great 70s pioneers of Andean...

Reviewed by Chris Wheatley in issue: June/2023

Review of Itkuja Suite: Invocations on Lament

Itkuja Suite: Invocations on Lament

Rent Romus & Heikki Koskinen

Edgetone Records

Rating: ★★★

The itku lamentations of eastern Finland were originally performed at funerals and weddings, usually by women. This cathartic tradition developed...

Reviewed by Wif Stenger in issue: June/2023

Review of The Songs Which Are

The Songs Which Are

Stranger Still

See Through Music

Rating: ★★★★

This Toronto-based ensemble continue their exploration of musicalising the work of the late self-taught Nova Scotia poet Alden Nowlan, around...

Reviewed by Jeff Kaliss in issue: June/2023

Review of One Day

One Day

Jenna Reid & Harris Playfair

Lofoten Records

Rating: ★★★★

It's titled One Day because it took just that for the remarkable fiddle player Jenna Reid to record this exquisite...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: June/2023

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