Chantelle Smith & Richard Wileman – Samhain Tree (2026) Samhain Tree is the alluring 2026 debut album by folk singer-songwriter Chantelle Smith & composer Richard…
Samhain Tree, Where Wyrd Folk Meets the Otherworld
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Rite of Strings’ Extraordinary Debut, Dust and the Moon
Rite of Strings – Dust and the Moon (Bright Shiny Things, 2026) Dust and the Moon is the debut album by a remarkable act called…
King Ayisoba Teams With Adrian Sherwood for Seventh Album ‘Pure Confusion’
King Ayisoba — Pure Confusion (MAIS UM MAIS, 2026) Ghanaian musician King Ayisoba‘s seventh album, Pure Confusion, presents a captiovating mix of Ghanaian roots music,…
Blues Musician Artur Menezes Wins Unsigned Only Music Artist of the Year Award
Artur Menezes won the Unsigned Only Music Artist of The Year Award with the song “Once Again.” He is a Brazilian-born, Los Angeles-based guitar player,…
The Cross-Cultural History Of The European Lute
The European lute is best understood not as a single instrument but as a family of plucked chordophones whose history connects courtly art music, popular…
Guachinangos Amalgamate Son Jarocho, Cumbia and Champeta on Debut Album
Guachinangos – Vol. 1 (Jalopy Records, 2026) New York seven-piece Guachinangos (the red snappers) released its debut album, Vol. 1, earlier this year. The ensemble…
Juan Saiz Reconnects With Cantabrian Tradition on Tañedor
Juan Saiz — Tañedor (self-released, 2026) Spanish musician Juan Saiz has released Tañedor, a new album that explores the traditional music of Cantabria (northern Spain)…
Frederico7 Builds a Brazil Beyond Borders on ‘Brasileirôu’
Frederico7 – Brasileirôu (Lion’s Lair Records, 2026) On Brasileirôu, Frederico7 treats Brazil as an inner geography. On its 12 songs, the Brazilian-born songwriter brings together…
Tanasi, Masters of Sensational, Enduring Worldgrass
Tanasi — Tanasi (Self-Released, 2026) Tanasi’s self-titled debut album presents a flavorful musical exchange led by dobro player Billy Cardine, guitarist Anya Hinkle, and banjo…
The Frame Drum: A World History Held In One Hand
(headline image: Remo Fiberskyn 3 frame drum) The frame drum is among the most widely distributed percussion instruments in human musical culture: a shallow frame,…