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The Yenbett album cover by Noura Mint Seymali features a red background with a black-and-white photo of Seymali at center, performing and holding her ardin. The image is framed in a decorative, arch-shaped border. The album title appears in Arabic at the top, with Seymali’s name in Arabic script below.

Charts

Noura Mint Seymali’s Yenbett Tops Europe’s World Music Charts

Mauritanian griot Noura Mint Seymali has reached No. 1 on the World Music Charts Europe for December 2025 with her new album Yenbett. The record…

The cover presents a green background framed by ornate curling designs. Gold lettering spells “Celtic Woman,” while Nollaig appears below in red with decorative accents. The subtitle “A Christmas Journey” sits in smaller gold type. Small clusters of red berries near the corners.

Album reviews

Celtic Woman Unwrap Nollaig – A Christmas Journey For 2025

Ryan Emmert December 1, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Celtic Woman Christmas music Irish music world music

Celtic Woman Nollaig – A Christmas Journey (Celtic Collections, 2025) Celtic Woman’s Nollaig – A Christmas Journey presents a 13-track Christmas studio album that brings…

Dàna band photo. Four young women musicians.

New Releases

Dàna Set Sights On Debut Album After Celtic Connections Breakthrough

World Music Central News Room December 1, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Dàna world music

Glasgow-based trad quartet Dàna is preparing a debut album following a successful year on the live and recording circuit. The all-female group features Anna Robertson…

Mandé Sila - Live @ Levon Helm Studios cover artwork. A collage of four photos of the artists playing live.

Album reviews

Mandé Sila Lights The Way: Habib Koité Unveils Acoustic Supergroup

Angel Romero November 30, 2025 No Comments Mandé Sila world music

Mandé Sila – Live @ Levon Helm Studios (Contre-Jour, 2025) Mandé Sila, a new acoustic project led by Malian guitarist and singer Habib Koité, brings…

A hazy landscape filled with drifting clouds in muted browns, grays, and blues. Four sun icons line up near the top, each slightly different in shape. A faint hint of red appears in the lower corner.

Music videos

Gnoss Mark Eight-Year Milestone With New Track Bennybeg

World Music Central News Room November 30, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Gnoss Scottish music world music

Scottish quartet Gnoss have released “Bennybeg,” a new track built around the band’s trademark mix of acoustic and electric sounds. The tune was written by…

a photo of La Capi sitting in a garden, smiling, holding her guitar, next to a cat.

Music videos Single reviews

An Earful of Joy

Tom Orr November 29, 2025 No Comments Caribbean music Colombian music La Capi world music

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,…

Astro Bloc band photo. Two women and two men.

New CDs

Astro Bloc Ignite Glasgow Folk Scene With Debut Album

World Music Central News Room November 29, 2025 No Comments Astro Bloc Celtic music Scottish music world music

Glasgow-based folk band Astro Bloc has released its debut album, introducing a new four-piece to the Scottish scene. The group features Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín and…

The cover features an illustrated musician playing a wooden flute against a faded sun-like circle. Blocky lettering frames the image with the artist’s name at the top and the title Volume 1 in large red type at the bottom. Muted greens, oranges, and reds give it a vintage poster feel.

New Books

Celtic Folk Star Michael McGoldrick Unveils 50-Tune Collection For Session Players

World Music Central News Room November 29, 2025 No Comments Celtic music flute Michael McGoldrick world music

Renowned flutist and composer Michael McGoldrick has published a new tune book, 50 Original Tunes & Chords: Volume 1. The collection gathers fifty original melodies…

Wave Of The Flood Merlot. An illustration of a woman's hand holding a cup of red wine.

Music videos

Wave Of The Flood Raises A Glass With New Single ‘Merlot’

World Music Central News Room November 28, 2025 No Comments Scottish music Wave Of The Flood world music

Contemporary folk artist Wave Of The Flood has released new single “Merlot,” a track that reflects on love, compromise, and everyday relationships. Produced by folk…

The cover for Kyrgyzstan Sessions by 11 Hours presents a weathered gold field framed by an earthen border. A dark, flame-like silhouette rises at the center. The top displays the title in Russian and English in red, divided by a thin vertical line. The bottom repeats the bilingual theme with “Kyrgyzstan Sessions.”

Album reviews

Kyrgyzstan Jaw Harp Sessions Leap Across Time Zones

Angel Romero November 28, 2025 No Comments Erkin Khomusoul Irina Bogatyryova jaw harp khomus Kutman Sultanbekov Kyrgyz music Kyrgyzstan Sessions Mark Growden Russian music temir komuz vargan world music

11 Hours – Kyrgyzstan Sessions (self-released, 2025) Jaw harp collective 11 Hours gathers virtuoso players from Russia, the United States, Kyrgyzstan, and Sakha (Yakutia) for…