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Reviews

Review of Magic Accident

Magic Accident

Della Mae

Compass Records

Rating: ★★★

It’s time to start leaving out the “all-female band” tag when referring to Della Mae. While their critical role as...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Galaxia Tropical

Galaxia Tropical

Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

This is Analog Africa’s eagerly anticipated second volume of works by Jorge Raúl Llerena Vásquez, the legendary cumbia singer and...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Working in Wood

Working in Wood

Brooks Williams & Aaron Catlow

Red Guitar Blue Music

Rating: ★★★

Don’t get me wrong: this album’s fine. It’s well-played, pleasant to listen to and seems to have its heart in...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Sun Gonna Shine

Sun Gonna Shine

Roosevelt Holts

Dust to Digital

Rating: ★★★

Chiefly now remembered – if at all – for his 1930s work with Tommy Johnson, here Roosevelt Holts proves himself...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Legado

Legado

Plena Libre

La Buena Fortuna Music

Rating: ★★★★

Over some 32 years and 17 albums, this 12-piece globe-trotting Puerto Rican outfit has built a formidable live reputation, delivering...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Nineteen Seventy Seven

Nineteen Seventy Seven

Grupo Um

Far Out Recordings

Rating: ★★★★

A second lost album of jazz fusion recorded during the military dictatorship by the ever-influential Grupo Um. Expanding from a...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Vitamina Y

Vitamina Y

Yilian Cañizares

Yilian Cañizares

Rating: ★★★★

Described by Chucho Valdés no less as “a virtuoso”, the Switzerland-based, Cuban-born singer and violinist’s album, Erzulie, received five stars...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Where We Go

Where We Go

Jesse Appelman

Top of the World

Jesse Appelman

Rating: ★★★★

Leaving behind a career in non-profits to pursue music full-time, with his new album, Where We Go, California native mandolinist...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Schoonertown

Schoonertown

The East Pointers

Nettwerk

Rating: ★★★★

The curse of the music journalist is that sometimes you just can’t find the words to write about your favourite...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge

Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge

Van Morrison

Exile Productions

Rating: ★★★★

Van Morrison is on a roll. Following on from covers albums of skiffle and rock and the new material on...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

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