The Netherlands’ Ukulele MJ skillfully demonstrates the emotive range of her chosen instrument with “Lost World,” a grand mosaic of strummed and picked sounds that…
Ukulele MJ ‘s Optimistic Uke Sounds
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
The Bolokos, High energy Gwo Ka from Guadeloupe
A mix of punk rock and Guadeloupean gwo ka? I’m game. The Bolokos, a hard-hitting trio from Guadeloupe, achieve that blend with “Koute Pou Tann,”…
Chinese Reggae Discovery
I know precious little about the reggae scene in China as a whole and even less so about how it stands in the remote province…
Remarkable Reggae by Babylon North
Some surprisingly authentic roots reggae has come my way from the unlikely locale of Sweden over the years, and the latest example of such is…
Splendid Middle Eastern Fusion by Mixed World Ensemble
Israeli Guitarist Guy Gottesfeld and the aptly-named Mixed World Ensemble shine brilliantly on “Origins,” an exquisitely layered piece with Middle Eastern inflections, hypnotic wordless vocals…
Yeisy Rojas presents Sizzling Afro-Cuban Rhythms
Yeisy Rojas, a Cuban who relocated to Norway to earn a master’s degree in jazz violin, teaches a potent lesson of cultural respect with her…
Train to Roots Appeal for Peace
“Paxi (LKJ)” by Italian reggae band Train to Roots effectively cops the riddim and melody from dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson’s “Bass Culture” and turns…
Spirited Song by The Static Dive
Lounge-ready yet rather spunky, “Welcome to the Bluelight” is a Latin-flavored charmer by The Static Dive, which is the professional name of American instrumentalist Bob…
Laid Back “Mountain Dance”
You might think a tune called “Mountain Dance,” from the album Earth and Wind, is unfettered booty-shaking music, but it’s actually a layered, nuanced, very…
Tlapalería Don Chuy’s Outstanding Mix
Mixing jazz and R&B with an Afrobeat-like sense of syncopation, Mexico’s Tlapalería Don Chuy score big on all counts with “De Allí Pa’llá.”