Reviews

At the Studio

The Zonke Family

The Zonke family hail from Nyampanda, a small border town on the Zimbabwean side of the boundary with Mozambique. They...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Lagos Pepper Soup

Michael Olatuja

Nigerian bassist and composer Michael Olatuja has spent most of his life in three cities: first Lagos, then London, and...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Dudu Phukwana and the Spears

Dudu Pukwana

Now this truly is a musical treasure to stumble upon: back in 1969 the noted producer Joe Boyd had befriended...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Inganekwane

Zoë Modiga

In both senses of the term, Johannesburg’s Zoë Modiga is a new world star. Her ancient-to-future energy swirls from a...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Néné

Ilam

Ilam is the Montréal-based Senegalese singer and guitarist whose debut album, Hope, had him compared to everyone from Tracy Chapman...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Nva K’la

Ssewa Ssewa

James Ssewakiryanga Jr is a multi-instrumentalist from Kampala who performs as Ssewa Ssewa. His principal instrument is the janzi, which...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Lindé

Afel Bocoum

After years of playing with Ali Farka Touré, Afel Bocoum seemed well placed to take over the great man’s mantle...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Umanyanyatha: Songs from the Soul of Zimbabwe

Vusa Mkhaya

Born in Zimbabwe but resident in Austria for more than 20 years, Vusa Mkhaya made his name in world music...

Reviewed in issue October/2020

Afwoyo

Milégé

Here's an album of nine tracks that's taken nine years in the making. That's not to suggest obsessive production values,...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sept/2020

Siftorde

Tidiane Thiam

Tidiane Thiam is a photographer, visual artist and guitarist from Podor, the dusty home town of Baaba Maal in northern...

Reviewed in issue Aug/Sept/2020