Album reviews | World Music Central

The album cover for Sizzling by Frankie Paul features a retro design with a grid-patterned blue background. Centered is a tilted photo of Frankie Paul singing in a recording studio, flanked by musicians, including a drummer and keyboardist. Above the photo, the album title “Sizzling” appears in bright red script, while the artist’s name, “Frankie Paul,” is displayed in large yellow and turquoise text across the top.

Album reviews

Frankie Paul’s Sizzling Returns to Heat Up Digital Platforms

Frankie Paul – Sizzling (VP Records/17 North Parade, 2025) VP Records and 17 North Parade continue their reissue series highlighting 1980s feel-good dancehall reggae with…

The album cover for Bords de Terre – Dubhe by Horzines Stara features delicate, colorful flowers taped to a weathered, cracked plaster wall. The band name and album title appear in simple, uppercase sans-serif type.

Album reviews

Borderless Voices: Horzines Stara Pushes Limits on Bords de Terre – Dubhe

Madison Quinn July 25, 2025 No Comments a cappella French music Horzines Stara world fusion world music

Horzines Stara – Bords de Terre – Dubhe (Vlad Productions / InOuïe Distribution, 2022) Horzines Stara’s 2022 release Bords de Terre – Dubhe (Edge of…

The album cover for Nubes Selva by Grecia Albán features a collage that combines Andean and Amazonian motifs. At the center, the artist stands partially obscured by lush tropical leaves, dressed in woven patterns. Surrounding her are embroidered clouds, a jaguar, religious iconography, and folkloric imagery, all framed by tapestry-like borders. The title and artist's name appear vertically along the sides in colorful lettering.

Album reviews

Grecia Albán Weaves South American Folklore Into the Future

Iliana Cabrera July 24, 2025 No Comments Ecuador Ecuadorian music Grecia Albán world fusion world music

Grecia Albán – Nubes Selva (Folkalist Records, 2025) Charmind Ecuadorian singer and songwriter Grecia Albán makes her label debut with Nubes Selva (“Cloud Jungle”), an…

Kengo Saito / Japanistan Trio – Douce Errance. A photo of the trio holding their musical instruments.

Album reviews

Japanistan Trio: Crossroads Without Borders

Madison Quinn July 23, 2025 No Comments Kengo Saito world fusion world music

Kengo Saito / Japanistan Trio – Douce Errance (Felmay, 2025) On Douce Errance, the Japanistan Trio weaves Afghan rubab, Japanese shakuhachi, and Persian tombak through…

Trobozanke - Šokačko Kolo: Music from Eastern Croatia cover artwork. A photo of the four artists.

Album reviews

Trobozanke Present Šokačko Kolo: Music from Eastern Croatia

JGurski July 22, 2025 No Comments Croatian music Filip Golubov Ivana Čik Marija Golubov Martin Kovačević Morana Lakotić Tamara Čer Tomislav Kovačević Tomislav Livaja Trobozanke world music

Trobozanke – Šokačko Kolo: Music from Eastern Croatia (Antonovka Records, 2025) In traditional Slavonian villages, trobozanke referred to the most skilled female church singers, typically…

The album cover for Fugaz by Juan Medina features a black-and-white photograph of a heron mid-flight above a forest stream, with a turtle resting on a log in the foreground. The title appears in bold yellow, while the artist's name is rendered in white, both set against the dark foliage for sharp contrast.

Album reviews

Juan Medina’s “Fugaz” Bridges Flamenco Guitar and Jazz

Angel Romero July 20, 2025 No Comments Flamenco Juan Medina world music

Juan Medina – Fugaz (Satelite K, 2025) Spanish composer and guitarist Juan Medina has released Fugaz, his debut guitar album. Here, the gifted guitarist combines…

Party Time – The Sunshot Singles 1974 covr artwork. A 1970s photo of black men and women, and a white woman, dancing in in a club.

Album reviews

Riddim and Shine: Phil Pratt’s 1974 Sunshot Classics Return

Angel Romero July 19, 2025 No Comments Al Campbell Ansel Collins Barrington Spence Bobby Kalphat Delroy Wilson Dub Flowers & Pratt Horace Andy Jah Woosh Linval Thompson Pat Kelly Phil Pratt Phil Pratt All Stars Pratt's All Stars Reggae Roman Stewart Roy Graham The Heptones The Twinkle Brothers U-Roy world music

Various Artists – Party Time – The Sunshot Singles 1974 (‎ Doctor Bird, 2025) This 2CD collection calls to attention the influential work of Jamaican…

Tigray Tears - The World Stood By cover artwork. a male musician playing krar.

Album reviews

“The World Stood By” Channels Tigray’s Grief, Grace, and Global Neglect

Angel Romero July 17, 2025 No Comments Tigray Tears world music

Tigray Tears – The World Stood By (Toy Gun Murder, 2025) On Tigray Tears’ The World Stood By, a cast of exiled Tigrinya-language singers transforms…

João Selva - Onda cover artwork. 5 vertical blue wave lines over a white background.

Album reviews

Riding the Wave: João Selva Returns with Onda

Iliana Cabrera July 16, 2025 No Comments João Selva world music

João Selva – Onda (Underdog Records, 2025) Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist João Selva continues his exploration of Afro-diasporic rhythms with Onda, his fourth solo…

The album cover for The Beginning of the Beginning (African Remix 2024) by Cserepes features a background of traditional African woven fabric in earthy tones of gold and black, adorned with geometric patterns. The title and artist name appear in serif font at the center.

Album reviews

Back to the Rhythm: Cserepes Remixes African Roots

Angel Romero July 15, 2025 No Comments world fusion world music

Cserepes – The Beginning of the Beginning (Fonó, 2024) Károly Cserepes returns with The Beginning of the Beginning, his seventh remix album. This new installment…