Album reviews – Page 19 – World Music Central

An orange sky hangs over a sweeping, black-ink landscape where a lone figure sits facing a rippled expanse. Hand-drawn lettering spells “Spove” at the top.

Album reviews

From Hallingdal To Homs: Spove’s Folk Flight

Spove, Nawara Alnaddaf, Silje Risdal Liahagen, Inger Hannisdal, Adrian Myhr – Spove (Fiol, 2025) Norwegian-Syrian quartet Spove has released its debut album, Spove. The exquisite…

Zemog El Gallo Bueno cover artwork. Conga drums in front an inflatable castle.

Album reviews

Zemog El Gallo Bueno Playful Return With New Album ¡Ya Tú Sabes!

Angel Romero December 19, 2025 No Comments Zemog El Gallo Bueno

Zemog El Gallo Bueno – ¡Ya Tú Sabes! U All Reddy Noe (Pinch Records, 2025) ¡Ya Tú Sabes! (You Already Know) is the latest album…

Album reviews

Cory Henry Releases Soulful and Funk-Fueled ‘A Wonderful Holiday’

Angel Romero December 18, 2025 No Comments Cory Henry funk gospel jazz-funk neosoul soul world music

Cory Henry — A Wonderful Holiday (2025) Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter Cory Henry has released A Wonderful Holiday, a six-song collection of original Christmas…

The album cover for Maame by Cheikh Lô shows the artist seated with a guitar, smiling as he plays. He wears a wide-brimmed hat and patterned robe, set against a surreal desert landscape with red sand, rocky formations, a barren tree, and a glowing full moon in a starry night sky. The design combines earthy tones with cosmic blues and purples.

Album reviews

Lô And Behold: Maame, a DYI Effort

Madison Quinn December 17, 2025 No Comments Cheikh Lô world music

Cheikh Lô – Maame (World Circuit, 2025) A decade has passed since Cheikh Lô last offered a studio album, and Maame feels like a homecoming…

Roger Glenn - My Latin Heart cover artwork. an illustration of Roger playing flute.

Album reviews

Roger Glenn Returns With My Latin Heart with Vibes, Flute, And Fire

Iliana Cabrera December 15, 2025 No Comments Latin jazz world music

Roger Glenn – My Latin Heart (Patois Records, 2025) Veteran multi-instrumentalist and composer Roger Glenn released My Latin Heart in 2025, his first new album…

The cover for Scarrow by Salt House presents a weathered landscape where blurred streaks of blue, gold, and brown drift across the frame like layered horizons. A dark, low ridge anchors the bottom edge, and a small white animal silhouette stands near the corner.

Album reviews

Salt House Gently Glow On Scarrow, Their New Folk Beacon

Angel Romero December 14, 2025 No Comments Andy Bell Anna Hughes Ben Nicholls English Folk music Ewan MacPherson Jenny Sturgeon Magnus Lundmark Salt House world music

Salt House – Scarrow (Hudson Records, 2025) The outstanding English folk trio Salt House return in 2025 with Scarrow, their fifth studio album for Hudson…

Zaïko Langa Langa - Makinu cover artwork. A photo of the band leader.

Album reviews

Kings of Congolese Rumba Zaïko Langa Langa Unveil New EP, Makinu

Tyler Bennet December 14, 2025 No Comments Congolese music world music Zaïko Langa Langa

Zaïko Langa Langa – Makinu (2025) Zaïko Langa Langa, a true legend of African music, celebrates fifty years of their career with their new maxi…

The cover presents a woman with pale skin, dramatic eye makeup, and glossy black gloves against a black background. She holds an ornate circular frame that glows with warm light around the title The Ring. The band name Ashavahishta appears below.

Album reviews

Ashavahishta Channels Rumi On Trance-Driven The Ring

Angel Romero December 12, 2025 No Comments Ashavahishta Balochi music trance music world fusion world music

Ashavahishta – The Ring (X Dot 25 Music, 2025) World fusion trance group Ashavahishta released its new album The Ring on October 31, 2025. The…

Wesli - Makaya cover artwork. A photo of Wesli smiling.

Album reviews

Wesli’s Impressive ‘Makaya’ and The Echo Of Revolt

Angel Romero December 10, 2025 No Comments Afrotronix André Desilets Caribbean music David Charbonneau David Mobio Donald Dogbo Emmanuella Michel Etienne Lebel Gaya Sanya Michel Elie Guy Khé Haitian music Jean François Ouellet Joaquin Diaz Karl Henry Bréseaux Kattam Laraki Cote Kokou Damawou Lasso Sanou Marilyn Felix Martin Lizote Martine Labbe Mathieu Van Vliet Maxime Saint Pierre Michel Medrano Brindis Moïse Matey Yawo Namouri Cissé Nicolas M’Tima Nicolas Therrien Noel Mpiaza Balu Pascal Laraque Rachel Therrien Ronald Nazaire Sara Renelik Sika Valmé Sylphir Charest Ti Fane Stéphanie Séjour Watson Joseph Wesli world fusion world music

Wesli – Makaya (WUP, 2025) Makaya, the expansive and awe-inspiring 24-track double album from Haitian-Canadian singer, guitarist, and folklorist Wesli stretches to nearly one hour…

Cristina Branco in an orange jacket pulls the collar toward her face, meeting the camera. Behind her, a wall layered with graffiti. White lettering at the side announces the album title.

Album reviews

Disobedience Required: A Review of Cristina Branco’s Mulheres de Abril

John Alan Urquhart December 9, 2025 No Comments Cristina Branco fado Mulheres de Abril Portuguese music world music

Cristina Branco – Mulheres de Abril (Locomotiva Azul, 2025) For over thirty years, Cristina Branco has been reinterpreting fado, Portugal’s national music, for an ever-increasing…