Album reviews | World Music Central

The album cover for Menta Selvatica by Mila Trani features a central figure, presumably the artist, draped in a textured, eclectic outfit with woven elements, soft fabrics, and intricate patterns. Her expression is serene yet expressive, with wild, tousled hair adorned with delicate details like thin wires and small flowers. The background is white.

Album reviews

Wild Mint, Wild Sound: Mila Trani’s Genre-Blending Hybridization

Mila Trani – Menta Selvatica (Segell Microscopi, 2025) Inspired by the mythological and medicinal properties of wild mint, Menta Selvatica (wild mint) is an exploration…

The album cover for Celtic Sea by Carlos Núñez features a collage-style design. At the center, Núñez is pictured wearing a yellow raincoat and a gray knit cap, gazing toward the horizon with a serene expression. Surrounding him are nine square images: ocean waves, rocky coastlines, vintage nautical maps, handwritten sheet music, a sunset over the sea, and a ferry.

Album reviews

Setting Sail on Celtic Sounds: Carlos Núñez Navigates Musical Currents

Angel Romero March 17, 2025 No Comments bagpipe Breton music Carlos Núñez Celtic music Galician music Spanish music world music

Carlos Núñez – Celtic Sea (Arfolk AR1208, 2023) Carlos Núñez’s album Celtic Sea is a musical voyage through the maritime connections that have bound Celtic…

The album cover for Belgica by Broes features a vintage-style illustration of a sailing ship in icy waters, with a towering snow-covered mountain in the background. The color palette is a mix of muted beige, white, and blue.

Album reviews

Sailing into Sound: Broes Charts a Musical Course with “Belgica”

Tyler Bennet March 16, 2025 No Comments Belgian music Broes world fusion world music

Broes – Belgica (Self-released, 2025) History and music have long shared an intimate relationship, with melodies often serving as vessels for memory, storytelling, and cultural…

The album cover for Koyo by Zar Electrik features a fusion of futuristic cybernetics and organic elements. At its center is a humanoid figure with a dark metallic face, intricate circuitry, and glowing golden eyes. A red hat, adorned with a delicate golden chain, sits atop the figure's head. One side of the head is partially overtaken by a small bonsai-like tree. A thick, golden snake coils around the figure’s neck. The typography is bold and futuristic, with the album title written in stylized yellow Arabic script intertwined with geometric red and yellow lines.

Album reviews

Electric Healing: Zar Electrik’s Electro-World Innovation

Angel Romero March 15, 2025 No Comments Arabic music electro-world folktronica global electronica Gnawa world fusion world music

Zar Electrik – Koyo (Jarring Effects Label & Lamastrock, 2025) After gaining recognition with their debut EP Hawa, an extensive international tour, and a recorded…

The album cover for Coisas de Viver by Roberta Campos features a mirrored composition. The artist, with voluminous curly hair, is dressed in a dark, textured outfit against a deep black background. Her face, framed by her curls, appears twice—once in reality and once as a reflection, creating a symmetrical effect. She reaches outward with her hand, fingers slightly curled, adorned with red nail polish.

Album reviews

Living and Learning: Roberta Campos Embraces Artistic Freedom

Iliana Cabrera March 14, 2025 No Comments Roberta Campos world music

Roberta Campos – Coisas de Viver (self-release, 2025) Fifteen years into her career, Braziian singer-songwriter Roberta Campos embraces full creative independence with Coisas de Viver…

The album cover for On the Lash - Fireside featuresh a delicate watercolor illustration. Framed by a rustic brick wall, an arched window reveals a cozy interior scene: a crackling stone fireplace, a soft armchair draped with a blanket, and a small wooden shelf adorned with books, a lamp, and a vase holding a single flower. The artwork is credited to Elizabeth June LaPeer.

Album reviews

Trad-Inspired: On the Lash Ignites Irish Folk with Fireside

Angel Romero March 13, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Elizabeth June Joel Tyrone Myers John Robey On the Lash Patrick Hartson world music

On the Lash – Fireside (2025) Midwest-based Irish folk quartet On the Lash will release their debut EP, Fireside, on April 4, 2025. The ensemble…

Sam Sweeney - Escape That cover artwork. A photo of a man outdoors removing his sweater over his head.

Album reviews

Sam Sweeney Reinvents English Folk Fiddle with ‘Escape That’

Angel Romero March 12, 2025 No Comments English Folk music fiddle Sam Sweeney violin world music

Sam Sweeney – Escape That (Hudson Records, 2022) Sam Sweeney, one of England’s most accomplished traditional musicians, makes a bold leap with Escape That, his…

Violeta Parra - Las últimas composiciones de Violeta Parra. A black and white photo of the artist playing charango.

Album reviews

Violeta Parra’s Final Songs Masterpiece Returns in Original Form

Angel Romero March 11, 2025 No Comments Chilean music Violeta Parra world music

Violeta Parra – Las últimas composiciones de Violeta Parra (Vampisoul, 2025) Vampisoul is reissuing in 2025 the album Las Últimas Composiciones de Violeta Parra (the…

The album cover for Egwu Mmanwu Igbo: Music of Igbo Masquerade by Okwy Osadebe and Highlife Soundmakers International is an illustration. It prominently features Okwy Osadebe in traditional Igbo attire, adorned with red and green patterned fabric, gold jewelry, and a red cap. He gestures warmly, as if inviting the listener into the music. The background is an expressive mix of warm colors—orange, yellow, and black—depicting silhouetted musicians playing instruments like the saxophone, trumpet, guitar, and drums, emphasizing the highlife and Igbo masquerade music themes. The hand-drawn typography is bold, with a mix of yellow and red hues.

Album reviews

Highlife in Disguise: Okwy Osadebe Honors Igbo Masquerade Tradition

Tyler Bennet March 10, 2025 No Comments Highlife Nigerian music Okwy Osadebe Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers world music

Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers – Music for Igbo Masquerade (Odogwu Entertainment / Palenque Records, 2025) Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers’ latest album, Music for…

The album cover for Snow Flower by Tenzin Choegyal, in collaboration with Matt Corby, Rohin Jones, and Alex Henriksson, is a fusion of traditional Tibetan iconography and modern digital surrealism. It features a vividly blue-skinned, meditative figure resembling a Buddhist deity, adorned with intricate jewelry, a third eye, and a serene expression. The figure’s body is partially melting or dripping away, revealing an explosion of colorful, abstract patterns beneath, reminiscent of contemporary psychedelic art. Surrounding the figure are butterflies. The typography is bold and modern, with Tibetan script alongside English text, set against a pastel pink and blue background.

Album reviews

Tenzin Choegyal & Collaborators Explore Sound and Meditation in ‘Snow Flower’

Tyler Bennet March 9, 2025 No Comments world fusion world music

Tenzin Choegyal, Matt Corby, Rohin Jones, Alex Henriksson – Snow Flower (Rainbow Valley Records, 2025) Tenzin Choegyal, Grammy-nominated Tibetan musician and composer, joins forces with…