Live reviews
The Spirit of Tengri 2019 review
Jim Hickson visited the seventh edition of The Spirit of Tengri festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan to discover the wonderful - and the weird - of 'contemporary ethnic music.'
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Ritual Healing | an interview with Ayom
Ahead of their appearance at this year's Songlines Music Awards ceremony, revisit an interview with the Barcelona-based Ayom, whose push for greater global understanding via ritualistic Afro-Lusophone engagements bagged them 2021's Best Group category
Features
“The big mining companies trying to take this land and push the reindeer people away” | How Solju are standing up for the Sámi culture
When not herding reindeer, Finnish mother-daughter duo Solju are bringing the Sámi tradition of joiking to wider audiences
Features
Joshua Burnside chooses the five most important albums in his life
The Belfast-based singer looks at the albums that formed his musical consciousness and remain integral to it
Features
The Gurdjieff Ensemble's Sacred Movements
As Armenia’s The Gurdjieff Ensemble make their first visit to the UK for Songlines Encounters Festival, Simon Broughton talks to the group’s director about the enigmatic composer and mystic who inspired the ensemble
Features
10 Essential Bulgarian Albums
Nikolas-Kaan Yilmaz picks out ten albums that trace the nation’s fascinating musical timeline, asking Bulgarian musicians and fans of Bulgarian music alike to share some of their favourites along the way
Features
Making music in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp
Kakuma Sound’s co-founder reports from one of the world’s largest refugee camps, an inspirational musical wellspring for social change
Features
Oumou Sangaré interview: “Africa can evolve while preserving certain traditions that are worth preserving”
Oumou Sangaré contemplates the current state of her native Mali. She speaks to Andy Morgan about how music and mogoya may be the only things that can save it. Photography by Holly Whittaker
Features
Cimafunk interview: “You must never forget where you come from”
Jane Cornwell catches up with Cimafunk, the Cuban sensation taking the world by storm
Features
Chango Spasiuk: A Beginner's Guide
Chris Moss shines a spotlight on Argentina’s chamamé music and the career of one of its leading ambassadors, accordionist Chango Spasiuk
Features
Eliza Carthy's News of the Whirl: Rituals
From smashing eggs to spitting at horses to shouting ‘Yellow car!’, Eliza unpacks the strange daily rituals and superstitions that we indulge in
Features
VRï interview: “Traditional music is owned by the people”
The Welsh trio VRï are injecting new life into traditional songs, mining the country’s past for the stories of everyday people
Features
Beyond the myths: Iceland Airwaves reveals the real sound of Iceland
Charis McGowan visits Reykjavik, where Iceland Airwaves is showcasing the many layers of Icelandic music. “It’s such a young culture”, she discovers
Features
World Pioneer: Manu Chao
Peter Culshaw shares stories collected on the road with Manu Chao, this year’s winner of Songlines’ World Pioneer, an award given to artists for their contribution to music
Features
China’s Musical Secrets
An ambitious Folk Music of China series by Naxos World features folk songs from all of the country’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minority groups. The compilations offer a COVID-proof musical journey to rural China. Frank Kouwenhoven reports
