Live reviews
FolkEast Festival 2025: innovation, tradition and midsummer magic in perfect harmony
Julian May heads to a pop-up village of midsummer rituals, famous guitars and sighing oaks
Search results for
The Rough Guide to World Music
The Music of Chile: A Rough Guide
Jan Fairley looks at the history and legacy of nueva canción – a music rooted in the guitar traditions of the troubadour that have played a part in Latin America’s political and cultural struggles
Features
Folk Round-Up (Peiriant, Threaded, Fidra, John Spillane and more)
A selection of essential releases from the European folk scene, including new albums from John Spillane, Fraser Fifield, Fidra, Threaded and Peiriant
Features
Field of Research: Eastern European Organ Music
Organist Gail Archer evaluates the influences, improvisations and ecclesiastical economy of Eastern Europe’s organ music
Features
Quickfire: Polly Bolton (The Trials of Cato)
Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and one third of boundary-crossing folk group The Trials of Cato talks turning points, top albums and clandestine synth strategies
News
Lafourcade's taste of love
Watch as Natalia Lafourcade's new version of 'Tu Si Sabes Quererme' morphs into an animated cosmic fantasia
Features
Best Albums 2020: Europe
All of these albums received a maximum of five stars when reviewed in the 2020 issues of Songlines. Featuring Sam Lee, Shirley Collins, Will Pound, Sam Sweeney, Hamish Napier, Trio Tekke, Rura, and many more
Features
Celtic Connections 2024: Scotland’s ‘City of Music’ tunes up for its much-loved winter festival
A stellar line-up of multi-genre talent gears up to gather in Glasgow for Celtic Connections 2024
Best New Albums
Best New Albums – May 2021 (Ballaké Sissoko, Peggy Seeger, Piers Faccini, Jon Boden)
Outstanding new releases from Frente Cumbiero, Ballaké Sissoko, Peggy Seeger, Piers Faccini, Jon Boden, Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola and more. Tracks from all of these albums are included on the free cover-CD with the May 2021 issue of Songlines
Features
Introducing... Leenalchi
South Korean ensemble Leenalchi are wowing the world with their fresh, body-moving take on pansori. Christopher Conder hears all about it
Features
Omar Sosa interview: “Music as a weapon of mass consciousness”
A prolific collaborator who has travelled extensively since leaving his Cuban homeland, Omar Sosa talks to Jane Cornwell about his fact-finding tour of East Africa and his new album, which sees him collaborate with some of the region’s leading folkloric musicians
Features
Setar | Musical Instrument Guide (with Kiya Tabassian)
The setar player tells Simon Broughton how his instrument came to shape the foundations of his special relationship with fellow Iranian Kayhan Kalhor
Features
Light from the North
Composer and fiddler Aidan O’Rourke is heading to London’s Kings Place to celebrate the musical traditions and communitarian spirit of Scotland. Billy Rough hears all about it
Features
Rhiannon Giddens and Béla Fleck: The Banjo Summit
The banjo is riding high once more, and with various accusations of cultural appropriation in the air, we decided the time was right for a debate with two of the best banjo players out there, Rhiannon Giddens and Béla Fleck
Features
Lola Flores: a beginner's guide
Philip Sweeney takes a look back at the life of the flamenco singer, dancer and actress who remains a beacon of Andalucian culture
