Album reviews – Page 29 – World Music Central

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…

This album cover for Tondini Plays Mostar Sevdah Reunion (Disko 088) features a dark, grainy aesthetic with retro neon typography. “Tondini” appears prominently in electric blue script, flanked by pink cursive for “Mostar Sevdah Reunion” and “Disko 088.” The word “Plays” is centered in small block letters. A shadowy, partially obscured figure in sunglasses stands in the background.

Album reviews

Tondini Reimagines Bosnian sevdah songs through a disco-infused electronic dance music

Angel Romero July 13, 2025 No Comments Bosnian music electronic dance music folktronica global electronica sevdah Tondini world fusion world music

Tondini – Tondini plays Mostar Sevdah Reunion – Disko 088 (Snail Records, 2025) Electronic producer Tondini presents Disko 088, a collaborative, joyful and hip-shaking concept…

The album cover for Tostemt by Øyonn Groven Myhren and Marit Karlberg features a vintage, book-like design with a textured red and beige marbled background. A cream-colored label with a red border at the center displays the title in red script, followed by the artists’ names in black. Below, the subtitle reads “Tralleslåtter og Danseviser Anno 2025.”

Album reviews

Double Take: Vocal Harmonies Echo the Hardanger Fiddle on Tostemt

Madison Quinn July 12, 2025 No Comments a cappella hullar låttane kvedarar lèt på kjafte Marit Karlberg Norway Norwegian music Øyonn Groven Myhren tullar slåttane world music

Øyonn Groven Myhren & Marit Karlberg – Tostemt (Heilo, 2025) Øyonn Groven Myhren and Marit Karlberg reimagine Norwegian fiddle traditions through two-part vocal arrangements on…

Papo Vázquez - Songs del Yucayeke coer artwork. An image of a Taino village.

Album reviews

Trombonist Papo Vázquez Explores Puerto Rican Roots on ‘Songs del Yucayeke’

Iliana Cabrera July 11, 2025 No Comments Latin jazz Papo Vázquez Puerto Rican music world music

Papo Vázquez – Songs del Yucayeke (Pícaro Records, 2024) Papo Vázquez returns with his 11th album, Songs del Yucayeke, backed once again by his longtime…

Makgona Tsohle Band - Makgona Tsohle Reggi cover artwork. A photo of the band playing on a rooftop.

Album reviews

Makgona Tsohle Band Reclaims the Groove on Makgona Tsohle Reggi

Tyler Bennet July 10, 2025 No Comments Makgona Tsohle Band South African music world music

Makgona Tsohle Band – Makgona Tsohle Reggi (Umsakazo Records, 2020) In the lexicon of South African music, few names carry the sheer weight of legacy…

The album cover for Vã Revelação by Bruna Black and John Finbury features Bruna Black partially obscured behind a flowing red fabric. The album title, Vã Revelação, is elegantly scripted across the center, with the artists' names—Bruna Black and John Finbury—displayed in a modern font below.

Album reviews

Hidden Truths, Revealed Grace

Iliana Cabrera July 9, 2025 No Comments Brazilian music Bruna Black Chico Pinheiro Duduka Da Fonseca John Finbury John Patitucci Rogério Boccato Vitor Gonçalves world fusion world music

Bruna Black and John Finbury – Vã Revelação (Green Flash Music, 2024) The first time I heard Vã Revelação, Bruna Black’s voice curved around the…

The album cover for Nouse Luonto – Lauluja Monimuotoisuudesta features delicate, red tree roots spreading downward against a misty green and white watercolor background

Album reviews

Raise Your Voice, Save the Wild: A Folk-Powered Ode to Finnish Biodiversity

Angel Romero July 8, 2025 No Comments Alina Järvelä Anette Åkerlund Ánnámarját Antti Paalanen Charlotta Hagfors Désirée Saarela Esko Järvelä Finnish music Iida Savolainen Juho Kivivuori Kimmo Pohjonen Kirsi Vinkki Maija Kauhanen Maria Kalaniemi Meriheini Luoto Nouse Luonto Olli Kari Oskari Lehtonen Petri Prauda Piia Kleemola Tero Hyväluoma Tommi Asplund Topi Korhonen Vesa Norilo world music

Various Artists – Nouse Luonto – Lauluja Monimuotoisuudesta (Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup, 2025) Nouse Luonto (“Rise, Nature”) is a remarkable collaborative album that brings together…

The album cover for Promenade by John Wright features two photographs of the artist playing the jew's harp (also called guimbarde). The top left corner displays his name and instrument in elegant serif font, while the title Promenade appears prominently in bold white lettering at the bottom, all set against a solid light blue background.

Album reviews

John Wright and the Art of the Jaw Harp

Angel Romero July 6, 2025 No Comments guimbarda guimbarde jaw harp jew’s harp John Wright world music

John Wright – Promenade (Guimbarde-Jews Harp) (Buda Musique, 2025) John Wright (1939–2013) was a pioneering English musician who elevated the jaw harp (also known as…