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Artist Profiles

Multifaceted Sicilian Songwriter Luisa Briguglio

Sicilian singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Luisa Briguglio, was born in Messina. She has led the southern Italian roots music ensemble PopulAlma since 2017. The ensemble…

Zafarán - Zafarán cover artwork. A photo of the four musicians in the countryside.

Album reviews

I’m Just Mad About Zafarán

Tom Orr September 9, 2025 No Comments Gypsy music Italian music Roma music world fusion world music Zafarán

Zafarán – Zafarán (self-release, 2025) It doesn’t take long. Bjorn Wennas’ softly pensive guitar is joined by the heart-drenched vocals of Carmen Marsico. Dan Meyers’…

An art‑nouveau–inspired portrait of a pale-skinned woman with blond hair entwined in foliage. She tilts her head upward, eyes closed, amid autumnal leaves and floral motifs. A warm, earthy maroon background frames her, while the album title and band name appear in ivory‑colored type, “Cafuné” above her head and Tra Le Corde Dei Racconti in the lower corner.

Album reviews

Cafuné Spins Italian Folklore Into Folk-Rock Fantasy

Iliana Cabrera September 6, 2025 No Comments Cafuné folk-rock Italian music world music

Cafuné – Tra Le Corde Dei Racconti (M.P. & Records, 2025) Named after the Portuguese word cafuné, a gesture of affection involving fingers combing through…

The album cover for Subtropical by Cocoa Thrill features mirrored black-and-white cactus silhouettes arranged symmetrically against a teal background. The title appears in yellow lowercase serif font at the center, with the artist’s name in smaller yellow type at the bottom.

Album reviews

From Salento to Santiago: A Transcontinental Musical Bridge

Iliana Cabrera August 18, 2025 No Comments Cocoa Thrill Italian music Jazz world fusion world music

Cocoa Thrill – Subtropical (Linfa, 2025) Cocoa Thrill, an instrumental quintet based in Apulia, Italy, explores global rhythms through a distinctly Southern lens on their…

The album cover for Stella Ariènte by Maria Moramarco features a painting of a solemn child wearing a paper crown, standing in front of a table set for a modest feast. Behind the child hangs a crucifix and star-shaped decorations.

Album reviews

Pathos and the Pilgrimage: Maria Moramarco Lights the Way in Stella Ariènte

Iliana Cabrera June 11, 2025 No Comments Italian music Maria Moramarco world music

Maria Moramarco – Stella Ariènte (Visage Music, 2021) In Stella Ariènte, Maria Moramarco channels ancient songs. With the voice of someone who’s walked those dusty…

The album cover for Polaris by Folkatomik features at the center a nude figure wearing a space helmet. It floats against a starry, abstract backdrop of deep blue, orange, and black. Pixelated borders and textured blocks, while bold typography spells out the band name and album title in uppercase letters.

Album reviews

Pointing True North: Folkatomik Charts a Global Course with “Polaris”

Iliana Cabrera June 3, 2025 No Comments Folkatomik Italian music world fusion world music

Folkatomik – Polaris (Italysona, 2022) Folkatomik’s debut album, Polaris, is rooted in the traditional music of Southern Italy. At the same time, they weave in…

The album cover for Enten Hitti's Mistiche Ribelli features an abstract painting. Deep indigo hues dominate the upper part, gradually blending into fiery shades of gold, ochre, and burnt orange below. The band name and album title appear in a delicate, minimalist white font, floating across the transition between dark and light.

Album reviews

Mystic Rebels With a Cause: A Sacred Sound Journey

Angel Romero May 28, 2025 No Comments Ensemble Enten Hitti Gino Ape Italian music Pierangelo Pandiscia world music

Enten Hitti – Mistiche Ribelli (Lizard Records, 2025) Mistiche Ribelli (mystic rebels) is the latest musical project from Pierangelo Pandiscia and Gino Ape, performed by…

Fabrizio Piepoli - Photo by Alessio Caroli

Music videos

Blues on a Saint’s Wavelength: Fabrizio Piepoli Channels St. Nicholas in a Mediterranean Hymn

World Music Central News Room May 28, 2025 No Comments Fabrizio Piepoli Italian music Italy tarab Tarabtella tarantella world fusion world music

Italian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fabrizio Piepoli has released a new single, “Sanda Necole Blues”, produced by Zero Nove Nove with digital distribution via Believe. The…

Artist Profiles

Tarabtella Visionary: Fabrizio Piepoli Mixes Tradition and Technology

Angel Romero May 23, 2025 No Comments Fabrizio Piepoli Italian music world fusion world music

Fabrizio Piepoli is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and educator from Apulia, Italy. He currently teaches traditional vocal techniques at the Conservatory of Lecce, where he…

The album cover for Bonifica Emiliana Veneta – Quattro features a quadrant design with each section saturated in a different color—yellow (top left), blue (top right), red (bottom left), and green (bottom right). Large, translucent letters “B,” “E,” “V,” and the number “4” appear prominently in each quadrant, respectively. Across the center, the band's name is written in white: BonificaEmilianaVeneta Quattro. The abstract background textures resemble turbulent water or rock.

Album reviews

Back to the Quattro: BEV Reclaims Tradition with a Twist

Iliana Cabrera May 23, 2025 No Comments Bonifica Emiliana Veneta Italian music world music

Bonifica Emiliana Veneta – Quattro (Visage Music, 2025) Bonifica Emiliana Veneta’s Quattro marks the group’s first new recording in nearly two decades, a return shaped…