As reigning king of a self-explanatory genre called sambasoul, Brazil’s Wesley Noog proves his claim to the throne on “Pródigo,” a charmer with layers of…
Samba Royalty
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
It Takes All Kinds
A multinational band called Womankind delivers “Apaga La Luz,” a smooth but sizzling Latin-flavored track celebrating the virtues of the fairer gender.
New and Old from Portugal
Traditional Portuguese music is grandly showcased on “Espantalho do Deserto,” the debut single by the band Trevo de Cordas. The song moves between heartbeat-like subtlety…
A Fania Favorite
Senegalese singer Fania Niang has been making noteworthy music for over two decades. Her recent track “l empreinte” is a hypnotic combination of lightly husky…
Keeping Grandmothers Grand
Congolese by birth and based in Toronto, Jonathan Nvita honors women of a certain age and status on “Kaku” (“Grandma”), which merges soukous with hints…
Love in Triplicate
Italian guitarist Gianluca Verrengia shows both finesse and fire throughout “Tres Amores,” an exemplary piece of flamenco rumba (rumba flamenca) that’s largely instrumental until choral…
Desert Delight
I’ve long agreed with the contention that blues music was born in Saharan Africa, and the most recent affirmation is courtesy of “Tansihay” by Hamida…
In the Forecast
Ireland’s Owen Casey teams with Austrian reggae band House of Riddim to spread “Sunshine All Year Round,” a song that further solidifies Casey as a…
Unifying Musically
With help from a very engaging video and all-real instrumentation, multinational outfit Una Lengua Infinita celebrates tolerance and diversity on “Chefchaouen,” a beauty of a…
Getting Busy
Notwithstanding the Dropkick Murphys’ punkish rendition, the more traditionally Celtic version of Dick Gaughan’s “The Worker’s Song” by Tennessee-based Jenny and the Weazels packs plenty…