Saïd Chalaban’s Jarama Decidedly Fuses Saharan Desert Traditions with Modern Styles
Saïd Chalaban – Jarama (Argana Records, 2023) Saïd Chalaban presents the Jarama EP connected to the 2018 documentary film “Échos du Sahara.” The making of…
Latvian Cross-cultural Mix by DJ Bestixxx
You likely wouldn’t expect music from Latvia to be an intriguingly chill mix of hip hop with acoustic textures and sounds borrowed from Celtic and…
Charming Harp and Cello by Lily Neill & Vesa Norilo
Lily Neill & Vesa Norilo – Tales and Golden Histories (2023) Harp player Lily Neill and Cellist Vesa Norilo skillfully craft a beautiful set of…
Cool Latin jazz vibes by Hank Hensley
“Hips and Brown Eyes” (from the album Straight No Cover) are clearly important attributes to American artist Hank Hensley, whose thusly named Latin jazz instrumental…
Hocine Benameur’s Souk System Transcends Borders and Genres
Hocine Benameur – Souk System (Hocine Benameur, 2023) Hocine Benameur’s Souk System album presents a distinctive fusion of electronic and North African and Middle Eastern…
Tae’s Effective Afro-Rooted Grooves
A Nigerian called Tae mixes touches of Afropop and hip hop on “About Us.” The song itself could afford to groove much longer than it…
Antonio Gavrila’s Elegant Piano Celebrates the Spirit of Astor Piazzolla
Antonio Gavrila – Tango Suite Buenos Aires (Zoho ZM 202309, 2023) The 27-year-old Bucharest-based Romanian pianist and composer Antonio Gavrila (Florin-Anton Gavrila) ventures into the…
Classic Reggae from Luxembourg
Ah, Luxembourg, an epicenter of reggae music. No? I guess nobody told that to Le Vibe, whose track “Nobody Knows” handily echoes the classic Jamaican…
Erdem Oral Presents Debut Album ‘İz’
Erdem Oral – İz (Ahenk Music, 2023) Erdem Oral’s debut solo album is a musical journey spanning over two decades, featuring the melodies that have…
Substantial Reggae by Togo’s Yao Olagbedji
African reggae has always been a robust genre, and it gets an even bigger boost on “Sunday Morning” by Yao Olagbedji, who hails from Togo.