New Ali Farka Touré Music Surfaces on Star-Studded ‘Voyageur’
Voyageur is as complete and wondrous an album as anything Ali Farka Touré put out during his lifetime, in no small part due to the work of his son, Vieux.
Global Music
Puerto Rico’s iLe Transforms From Rappers’ Kid Sister to Bolero Warrior
Formerly the sole female vocalist in rap group Calle 13, iLe has turned into a Latin alternative firebrand, pushing her art and her politics in exciting ways.
Acid Arab Bring Middle Eastern Textures to the Dance Floor on ‘٣ (Trois)’
Blending Algerian Raï and Gasba, Syrian Dabke, Turkish dance, and floor-shaking Chicago Acid moves, Acid Arab make music targeting hips with surgical precision.
GlobalFEST 2023: On Stage and Tiny Desks
This year’s edition of globalFEST, the 22-year-old music event, brought an eclectic array of artists to New York stages and NPR’s Tiny Desk series.
Reissues of Tinariwen’s Early Albums Recall the Saharan Group at Their Most Iconic
Unimpeachable in both technique and sincerity, Aman Iman and Imidiwan are potent assemblages of the qualities that make Tinariwen’s music evergreen.
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The 10 Best Global Music Albums of 2022
The best global music albums demonstrate how much art comes specifically from connections between people and the importance of the places they bring with them.
‘Kel Tinariwen’ Adds Synthpop to Tinariwen’s Repertoire
Previously released on cassette in Mali, Kel Tinariwen offers a very different sense of style than the rugged sounds for which Tinariwen are so well known.
Bala Desejo’s ‘SIM SIM SIM’ Is a Tale of Narcissism and Privilege
In Bala Desejo’s SIM SIM SIM I hear a lack of self-awareness and embarrassing naiveté that only the wellborn can afford to experience.
Batida Features Lusophone Luminaries on Boldly Transnational ‘Neon Colonialismo’
These sounds are some of Batida’s most dramatic to date as Neon Colonialismo is made for hot, dark nights of the best kind.
Kottarashky & the Rain Dogs Play with Balkan Beats and Eclectic Pop Sounds on ‘Doghouse’
Kottarashky and the Rain Dogs dig deep into the possibilities of contemporary Balkan folk-pop assemblages on Doghouse. There’s much here that’s truly exquisite.
Putumayo Revisits Afro-Cuban Rhythms
Putumayo’s Afro-Cubano continues the breezy, tropical tour of the world, pouring new ingredients into their familiar aural elixir.
Avalanche Kaito’s Debut Turns Ancient Oral Traditions Into Post-Punk Explosions
Multiple musical histories come to bear on Avalanche Kaito, resulting in an Afrofuturist-tinged, cyberpunk-shaped fantasy well worth an immersive listen.
