Claude Fontaine Wafts in Tropical Dreamscapes on ‘La Mer’
From the first notes of her sophomore album La Mer, it’s clear that singer-songwriter Claude Fontaine is a chanteuse, and it’s not a role she takes lightly.
world music
Nicole Mitchell and Ballaké Sissoko Explore Their Connections
Bamako is the truest kind of jazz, all about movement and communication, and Nicole Mitchell and Ballaké Sissoko make for an expert team at the helm.
Ugandan Master Storyteller Ekuka Morris Sirikiti Is Spellbinding
Ekuka Morris Sirikiti’s work reminds us that he and his traditions are very much still here, not artifacts of old media but flesh and blood, spirit and sound.
Okaidja Afroso Nurtures Living Tradition on Acoustic ‘Àbòr Édín’
Okaidja Afroso’s Àbòr Édín delivers a genuinely seamless blend of different styles and unplugged sounds, with each track dense with color and meaning.
The Zawose Queens Shine on Their Triumphant Debut ‘Maisha’
The Zawose Queens’ Maisha is a triumph, an endlessly satisfying assemblage of textures and timbres embodying a bold sonic spectrum of traditions.
Remi Kabaka’s Jubilant ‘Roots Funkadelia’ Is Reissued
Roots Funkadelia is a joy of a record with Remi Kabaka and company celebrating West African popular sounds and everything they’ve generated in the diaspora.
‘Azerbaijani Gitara Volume 2’ Displays Rəhman Məmmədli’s Guitar Genius
Azerbaijan’s Rəhman Məmmədli dazzles, deserving of recognition for his imaginative reconfigurations of longstanding forms and palpably impassioned playing.
Communal Grooves Are Unstoppable on Aba Diop’s ‘Revolution Sabar’
Aba Diop’s commanding voice soars at an electrifying pitch on every song, calling out local histories, genealogies, and moral messages: a human archive.
‘Ghana Special 2’ Chronicles an Innovative Chapter in Highlife History
Ghana Special 2 possesses a wide range of styles. The 18 substantial tracks are packed with synths, horns, and driving beats.
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Frank Rosaly’s ‘MESTIZX’ Is a Cosmic Collage
MESTIZX is unquestionably cosmic, but it’s also grounded in the real lives and spaces of artists who refuse to be broken into cultural shards.
Desperate Times Call for Poetic Protest From Cyril Cyril
Cyril Cyril’s Le Futur Ça Marche Pas is for agitators, a genre-be-damned assemblage of poetry and vivid effects in the form of well-produced electronic rock.
‘Once We Had a Home’ Uplifts Rohingya Refugee Voices
Home records vocal expressions of pain, love, and life at Kutupalong, bringing Rohingya refugee experiences into its audiences’ aural consciousnesses.