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Ballads on the Box
Two new TV shows, The Gallows Pole and The Change, give British and Irish folk music starring roles
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A Beginner's Guide
Show of Hands: A Beginner's Guide
Nathaniel Handy looks back at the humble beginnings of the Devonshire folk duo who are now at the forefront of the British folk scene
Features
Manu Chao's Clandestino appeared at the cross-fade of the millennium and sounded perfect – a radical masterpiece
Peter Culshaw reminisces on his time biographing the elusive Manu Chao as his classic solo album, Clandestino, is re-released 20 years on
Features
The Rough Guide to World Music: Nigeria
Nigeria's best-known cultural exports – juju, Afrobeat and fuji music – barely scratch the surface of the vast and vibrant cultural topography of the nation
Essential 10
Calypso Albums | The Essential 10
Calypso has its roots in canboulay music brought to the Caribbean by African slaves, but the style is constantly being revitalised and reinterpreted. Charles de Ledesma traces its history and chooses his top ten albums
A Beginner's Guide
Víctor Jara: A Beginner's Guide
Nearly 50 years a¤er his death, Víctor Jara’s songs continue to inspire idealism across Latin America. Chris Moss recalls Chile’s pre-eminent protest singer
Features
The Rise and Resistance of Cambodian Hip-Hop
Alex Robinson visits Cambodia, where a new generation are using hip-hop as a force for social change despite repression that carries dark echoes of the country’s past
Features
Eliza Carthy: Wayward and Free
Nathaniel Handy speaks to English singer-songwriter Eliza Carthy, who is the happiest she’s ever been with her new band, new voice and newfound freedom
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
Essential 10 Iranian Albums
Founded in 2001, 127 are a cornerstone of Iran’s alternative scene. Erin Cobby asks the group’s drummer Yahya Alkhansa to map out the country’s underground music scene in ten albums
Artists
Oumou Sangaré
Known as the 'Wassoulou songbird', Oumou Sangaré is one of Mali's greatest singers and activists who is constantly challenging gender inequalities
A Beginner's Guide
Martin Carthy | A Beginner's Guide
One of British folk music’s most influential figures is marking his 80th birthday. Julian May delves into his prolific and remarkable recordings
Features
“The music takes me over. I dive in so deep that I go into a trance… Music is who I am” | Rokia Koné interview
The new voice of Mali, Rokia Koné, teamed up with producer-to-the-stars Jacknife Lee for an album sure to go down as a classic. Jane Cornwell catches up with this seemingly improbable, though quite inspired, pop partnership. Photography by Karen Paulina Biswell
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
World Building Through World Music
Erin Cobby reports on six projects using music as a platform to build communities and give the systematically marginalised a voice, both now and in the future
