The Indonesian island of Bali resounds with the vibrant, often thunderous music of its gamelans – the ubiquitous percussion orchestras of bronze and bamboo. Andy Channing conjures up the magic of its many incarnations
Jane Cornwell speaks to wordsmith, sonic alchemist and champion of the disenfranchised Alabaster DePlume about the power of collective healing and facing up to fear during an artistic residency in besieged Palestine
Local resident Christopher Conder explores the past and present of the largest street festival in Europe, Notting Hill Carnival
Almost 50 years after their debut, the Staples Jr Singers have reconvened for a surprise follow-up with a divine hand, as always, playing its part. “We just a musical family… that’s the gift God gave us,” they tell Alexandra Petropoulos
Kayleigh Watson hears how producer Vanyfox finds comfort and community in the rhythmic world of batida
A new project is allowing British comedian James Acaster to return to the music career he never planned to leave
Belgian trio Avalanche Kaito, led by Burkinabé griot Kaito Winse, have driven their post-punk assaults to combustible extremes on their latest album
Artists and labels from La Réunion select the albums that have helped this small, isolated island become a hotbed of musical creativity
The winner of the Booker Prize 2022 talks playing in Sri Lankan grunge and trip-hop bands, the Aragalaya protests and his love of The Police
Seth Jordan joins Julian Belbachir for a five-week trek across Morocco to launch a new cross-cultural Moroccan-Australian ensemble
Sophie Parkes meets the folk, roots and trad evangelist, who talks about his no-holds-barred autobiography and a career pledged to music’s margins
The Welsh musician of Super Furry Animals fame speaks to Garth Cartwright about his fascination for songs sung in languages other than English
Chris Moss shines a spotlight on Argentina’s chamamé music and the career of one of its leading ambassadors, accordionist Chango Spasiuk
Ten of our longest-standing contributors pick albums released during Songlines’ lifetime that are well overdue another listen
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap found themselves at the centre of several media storms this year, clashing with authorities while selling out shows worldwide. In an exclusive interview, they tell Erin Cobby that their upcoming third album is a push to refocus attention on what they stand for: promoting the Irish language and fighting colonial injustice
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