East of West – Pastorale (4000 Records, 2025) Instrumental trio East of West returns with Pastorale, their third studio album and a first-time collaboration with…
East Of West Collaborates With Romano Crivici On New Album Pastorale
Category: Album reviews
Kadialy Kouyate’s “Toña” Balances Heritage, Healing, and Innovation
Kadialy Kouyate – Toña (ARC Music, 2025) Senegalese kora player, singer, and composer Kadialy Kouyate returns with Toña, his ninth album and perhaps his most…
Luca Vaillancourt Connects Atlantic Shores with Cantes transatlánticos
Luca Vaillancourt y Los Pescadores – Cantes transatlánticos (Luca Vaillancourt de Dios, 2025) Luca Vaillancourt y Los Pescadores (Luca Vaillancourt and the Fishermen) make their…
Vowel Play: Florence Adooni’s ‘A.O.E.I.U.’ Hits All the Right Notes
Florence Adooni – A.O.E.I.U. (Philophon, 2025) Gifted Ghanaian singer Florence Adooni has released her first international album, A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity), via Philophon.…
Mahotella Queens Make a Majestic Return
Mahotella Queens – Buya Buya: Come Back (Umsakazo Records, 2025) After nearly two decades without original material, South Africa’s iconic mbaqanga group the Mahotella Queens…
Puman Springs Forward With Yunan-Reggae Fusion
Puman – Spring (Sea of Wood Records, 2025) Five years after their breakthrough debut, Puman returns with Spring, their second full-length album and a bold…
Grupo Bongar + Maga Bo: Afro-Brazilian Grooves from the Northeast
Grupo Bongar + Maga Bo – Macumbadaboa (Kafundó Records KAX014, 2019) Macumbadaboa gathers the Afro-Brazilian percussion ensemble Grupo Bongar, from Pernambuco, with producer and DJ…
Big Dreams, Intrepid Fusion: WDR Big Band Tackles “Bluegrass”
WDR Big Band – Bluegrass (MCG Jazz, 2025) A dramatic dream sparked the collaboration behind Bluegrass, the ambitious crossover project from Germany’s WDR Big Band.…
Balalaika Sisters Act: A Folk Revival From Sokolniki
Valentina Kostyukova feat. Vera Chekunova – Made in Sokolniki: Russian Balalaika Music (Antonovka Records, 2025) This album offers a curated selection of delightful traditional Russian…
Maqam on the Move: Mustafa Said Charts a New Course in Arabic Music
Mustafa Said & Asil Ensemble – Maqam Pilgrims (Mapamundi Música, 2025) Egyptian composer and oud master Mustafa Said returns with Maqam Pilgrims, a superb new…