Reviews

Radio Zodiak

Owls Are Not

Intercontinental musical collective Owls Are Not brings together musicians from Poland, Malawi and Tanzania in the name of intrepid sonic...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Banjovial

Damien O’Kane & Ron Block

After Banjophony and Banjophonics comes the latest album from Damien O’Kane and Ron Block, Banjovial. If you’re paying attention, you’ll...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Rituals

Mariama Ndure

Mariama Ndure is a Norwegian artist born to Gambian parents, and a jazz-loving Berklee College of Music graduate who has...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Small Room In Dakar

Ben Aylon feat Roei Hermon

Multi-instrumentalist Ben Aylon has long been inspired by the music of Senegal. Studying for over a decade with the sabar...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Memories of Magic – Mahō no Kioku

Shugorei

The first few tracks on this album are a red herring. The soft, cinematic tinkling of ‘Alchemy’ and the somewhat...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Dreaming In Gamelan

Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill

This Canadian venture follows a long line of music that has been inspired by the Indonesian gamelan, but has moved...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Nusantara Beat

Nusantara Beat

Nusantara Beat emerged from Amsterdam’s fertile psychedelic scene, its assorted members having previously played in acclaimed acts like Anatolian rockers...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

KROK

СОЮЗ (SOYUZ)

Belarusian group СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) have released an album that, reflecting their in-transit status, is tricky to place geographically. After relocating...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Shy Girl

Hollie Cook

London-based singer-songwriter Hollie Cook returns with a fifth album that sees her outgrow her feel-good, pop-heavy origins into a punchy...

Reviewed in issue January/2026

Niḷa

Ragawerk

Musicians Max Clouth and Martin Standke, who make up Ragawerk, conjure up a heady mix of German angular spikiness with...

Reviewed in issue January/2026