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Reviews

Review of Orchestral Qawwali – Live at Birmingham City Hall

Orchestral Qawwali – Live at Birmingham City Hall

Rushil Ranjan & Abi Sampa with Ben Palmer & The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Top of the World

Dhamma Records

Rating: ★★★★

Combining Sufi (Islamic mystic) qawwali (devotional singing) with Western orchestral arrangements, the Orchestral Qawwali project has been making waves for...

Reviewed by Jameela Siddiqi in issue: May/2025

Review of Raag Kirwani on Tabla Tarang

Raag Kirwani on Tabla Tarang

Kamalesh Maitra

Black Truffle

Rating: ★★★★

Tabla tarang is a set of up to 16 small, wooden dayan drums, arranged in a semi-circle and tuned to...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: May/2025

Review of Reele Bumbou

Reele Bumbou

Kaito Winse

Rebel Up! / Zephyrus

Rating: ★★★

This latest release from Burkinabé musician Kaito Winse is a short collection of traditional stories sung and performed on various...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: May/2025

Review of Tchenbé!

Tchenbé!

Dowdelin

Underdog Records

Rating: ★★★

The third album from the Lyon-based group marks a slight departure from their previous two. Dance vibes rooted in Martiniquais...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: May/2025

Review of Pool

Pool

Ross Ainslie

Great White Records

Rating: ★★★

Did someone say ‘funky folk’? Yes? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The sixth studio album from multi-instrumentalist Ross...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: May/2025

Review of Aden

Aden

Gwilym Bowen Rhys

Recordiau Erwydd

Rating: ★★★★

Gwilym Bowen Rhys, a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Bethel, north Wales, is hailed as a rising star in Welsh folk...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: May/2025

Review of Grilli

Grilli

L’Alba

Buda Musique

Rating: ★★★★

The Corsican group L’Alba not only dig deep into the traditions of their island but also think of them as...

Reviewed by Maria Lord in issue: May/2025

Review of SOL

SOL

Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos | Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos

Top of the World

Olindo Records

Rating: ★★★★

Monsalve may be based in Paris but he learned his craft playing post-rock, avant-jazz-funk and Afro-Venezuelan music in Caracas and...

Reviewed by Andy Cumming in issue: May/2025

Review of Maré Cheia

Maré Cheia

Meno Del Picchia

pequeno imprevisto

Rating: ★★★

Musician and anthropologist Meno Del Picchia has managed to combine his academic career with songwriting and music production. He’s explored...

Reviewed by Andy Cumming in issue: May/2025

Review of Magnífico Boogaloo

Magnífico Boogaloo

VARIOUS ARTISTS | Various Artists

Vampisoul

Rating: ★★★★

Another fine compilation to complement Vampisoul’s cumbia collections, Magnífico Boogaloo features a Peruvian take on a genre tailor-made for dancers....

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: May/2025

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