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Review of Eclairer le Monde (Light the World)

Eclairer le Monde (Light the World)

Youssou N’Dour

Top of the World

The Orchard

Rating: ★★★★★

It starts with a furious flurry of percussion, and then in comes that voice, as commanding, passionate and distinctive as...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: May/2025

Review of Vivo en Santo Domingo

Vivo en Santo Domingo

Toné Vicioso & Aumbata

Toné Vicioso

Rating: ★★★★

Dominican musician Toné Vicioso has roots in bebop and avant-garde music, nurtured while resident in New York during the 70s....

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: May/2025

Review of Chapter III: We Return to Light

Chapter III: We Return to Light

Anoushka Shankar

Top of the World

LEITER

Rating: ★★★★★

We Return to Light is the conclusion of a triptych of instrumental mini-albums that has seen sitarist Anoushka Shankar explore...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: May/2025

Review of Turnar

Turnar

Hekla

Phantom Limb

Rating: ★★★

Named for the medieval French castle tower in which it was partly recorded, Turnar is the third album from Icelandic...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: May/2025

Review of Tatekieto

Tatekieto

PulciPerla

Prado Records / Cie Pulcinella / The Pusher

Rating: ★★★

What’s in a name? PulciPerla is the marriage of two long-standing groups: the high-energy Toulouse quartet of drums, bass, accordion...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: May/2025

Review of Live in the Khaleej!

Live in the Khaleej!

Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi & Boom.Diwan with Arturo O’Farrill

Boom.Diwan

Rating: ★★★★

This project is inspired by Al-Mulaifi’s grandfather, one of the last of a generation of Kuwaiti master pearl divers, and...

Reviewed by Tom Spargo in issue: May/2025

Review of Sunce Te Gleda

Sunce Te Gleda

Donja Jeka

Donja Jeka

Rating: ★★★

With a title translating as ‘Sun is Looking at You’, the album cover hints that this is a sequence of...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: May/2025

Review of Una Oportunidad Más de Triunfar en la Vida

Una Oportunidad Más de Triunfar en la Vida

Los Pirañas

Glitterbeat

Rating: ★★★

The tireless and protean Eblis Álvarez is back in another form. The Meridian Brothers artist hitches up with Mario Galeano...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: May/2025

Review of Kiniata

Kiniata

Kin’Gongolo Kiniata

Hélico

Rating: ★★★★

Kinshasa is surely one of the world’s most exciting musical cities, and Kin’Gongolo Kiniata are the latest proponents of that...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: May/2025

Review of Senu Mi Venu Mi

Senu Mi Venu Mi

VS Tempet + Điger

Own label

Rating: ★★★

Described as “Croatian traditional singing with modern musical sound” and “fresh interpretations of Croatian musical heritage”, this is an album...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: May/2025

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