Blending Arabic instrumentation with longing vocals and the surprising but welcome presence of a vibraphone, “Together Forever” by Moroccan singer Catalus captures both the ears…
Got It Together
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
Effervescent Reggae
Veteran Jamaican singer Winston McAnuff always comes up with ways to keep reggae music fresh. His song “Bubble” (referring to the kind we all need…
Jamaica Meets Irie-Land
Celtic reggae? Yup. Owen Casey hails from Ireland, and his track “Easy Enough” is a real charmer with traditional touches from his home country. But…
Butterfly-menco
Giving the timeless tones of flamenco just the right amount of modern flourish, Spanish artist Carmel infuses “Mariposa Al Fuego” with a cool fire all…
Mediterranean Update
Rooted in Mallorca folk tradition and funked up to just the right degree, “Sa Ximbomba” is the latest gem from U.K. band Periscopi Invertit.
Tasty Menu
An array of Latin American music styles are seamlessly fused on “Latin Café 2.0,” a cool/warm/hot piece of work by Malamañoso out of Italy.
An Earful of Joy
Colombia’s La Capi smiles her way through the video for her pan-Caribbean track “Cantar,” and rightly so. It’s all about singing joyously no matter what,…
In a Jam and Loving it
My very rudimentary knowledge of Spanish is at least enough to grasp that a descarga is a musical jam session with distinct Cuban roots. Drummer…
A Long Rewarding Run
Jumping nimbly from reggae to Afrobeat within its lengthy running time, “Attic Night” shows Spain’s El Globo to be a band with chops and versatility.
Sonic Safe Space
Modern jazz, flamenco and Arabic modalities and a message of peace and safety combine to make “Amann Amann” by French artist Siwane a tune filled…