Live reviews
Ethiopia In Brussels: Mulatu Astatke & Black Flower review
Ethio-Jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke played a retrospective set from his golden era on the opening night of the Brussels Jazz Festival
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News
Special Source #1: Salif Keita, Femi Kuti, Youssou N'Dour, Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
A round-up of new releases that are on the horizon from some of the biggest names in Africa and the US
A Beginner's Guide
Punch Brothers: A Beginner's Guide
Punch Brothers have been pushing the boundaries of bluegrass for over a decade and show no signs of stopping. Alexandra Petropoulos tells their story
News
WOMAD announces new home for 2026 return
Neston Park in Corsham, Wiltshire will be the home of WOMAD for their next festival, taking place on 23–26 July 2026
Features
The 4 Corners and Centre of Amayo’s Universe
Amayo, former frontman of Antibalas, has released a solo album honouring traditional Edo customs and his martial arts training. He picks the albums (and film) which led to this moment
Features
Songlines Summer Festival Guide 2025
The sun has finally arrived and the festival line-ups are coming in thick and fast, so here’s our guide to some of the best festivals showcasing global artists in the UK and around the world this summer
Playlists
Playlist: Middle Earth Music
A Songlines playlist for Apple Music exploring Scandinavian folk music that evokes the world of JRR Tolkien by Emilia Amper, Rydvall Mjelva, Slow Moving Clouds, and many more
Features
Dispatch from Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Reporting from a festival that is as much about education and outreach as ensuring audiences see some of the best music Africa has to offer for free
Features
Spotlight: Eric Bibb
Paul Slade speaks to the American bluesman about the joy of living away from the US and how he’s finally found the funk
Features
Gaye Su Akyol: fantasy is reality
Gaye Su Akyol is taking the world by storm with her psychedelic, surrealist take on Turkish rock. She tells Robert Rigney how she bridges worlds: between East and West, fantasy and reality, old and new
Features
Quickfire: James BKS
Hyping favourite hip-hop releases and musical heroes with the French-Cameroonian producer and son of Manu Dibango
Features
Won Il: breaking boundaries to bring Korean music to the world
Won Il first inaugurated London’s K-Music Festival in 2013 while serving as artistic director of the National Orchestra of Korea. A notable composer and multi-instrumentalist, he tells Charis McGowan about his role as a cultural ambassador and why he is so passionate about promoting Korean music in all its forms
Features
Criolo interview: “The streets of Brazil are going to burn even more, but all we want is an end to suffering. We cannot take any more”
Brazilian artist Criolo gives his frank views on Brazilian society today and although the challenges for its future look daunting, he tells David Katz why he remains hopeful for his country
Features
2025 Preview: Reasons to be Cheerful
A lot is cooking this year. Here are the albums you should be getting excited about, from unknown West Virginian gospel singers and Afrobeat legends to Indigenous Brazilians playing ‘country music’ and soulful Ethiopian sounds
Features
Feel the Tremor
Erin Cobby heads to a festival in the Azores for a weekend of global sounds and finds herself part of a community championing inclusivity, creativity and open-air commmunions
