Ellen McIlwaine Made Music For ‘We the People’ 50 Years Ago
By combining multiple styles, playing techniques, and cultural influences, Ellen McIlwaine challenged notions of genre classification and embraced music as a “universal language”.
world music
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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.
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.
‘The Rough Guide to the Music of Yunnan’ Explores Modern Borderland Folk
The Rough Guide to the Music of Yunnan is yet another admirable volume of the venerable Rough Guides series with its embrace of many forms of diversity and very catchy tunes.
Ibrahim Maalouf and Angélique Kidjo Celebrate the Return of the ‘Queen of Sheba’
Ibrahim Maalouf and Angelique Kidjo reinvent the Solomon-Sheba legend as a cross-cultural story with contemporary resonance on Queen of Sheba.
Paris Combo Have Happy Ending with ‘Quesaco?’
Slipping on a Paris Combo album is like sliding into the ease of a Sunday afternoon. The rhythms’ soft sway and Belle du Berry’s charming vocals don’t urge; they invite.
Sonny Singh Celebrates Sikh Spiritualism with Pop on ‘Chardi Kala’
Red Baraat’s Sonny Singh celebrates Sikh spiritualism with more than a dash of Western pop’s global power on Chardi Kala, but its dependence on pop balladry weakens it.
The Good Ones’ ‘Rwanda…You See Ghosts, I See Sky’ Reaches Staggering Depths
The Good Ones’ raw truths and achingly beautiful music reach staggering depths on Rwanda… You See Ghosts, I See Sky.
Supergroup Congotronics International Dazzle on ‘Where’s the One?’
Congotronics International, a supergroup of Konono Nº1 and Kasai Allstars members and guests, make their recorded debut with Where’s the One? It’s phenomenal.
Pierre Kwenders Blends Rumba, Rock, and R&B on ‘José Louis and the Paradox of Love’
Pierre Kwenders’ José Louis and the Paradox of Love is inventive and heartfelt. Kwenders isn’t simply blazing a narrow trail but opening up a cosmos.
