world music | World Music Central

Reb & the Good News pressure single cover. A woman in a pink bikini blowing bubbles.

Afrobeat Finery

It’s a shade smoother than most Afrobeat, but “Pressure” by Reb & the Good News out of Portland, Oregon is nonetheless a deep-cutting slice of…

Trio Da Kali - Bagola cover artwork. A color photo of the trio outdoors with clouds in the background.

Album reviews

Trio Da Kali’s Bagola: A Stellar Recording Rooted in Manding Traditions

Angel Romero February 16, 2025 No Comments Fode Lassana Diabaté Hawa Kasse Mady Diabate Madou Diabaté Malian music Manding blues Manding music Trio Da Kali West African music world music

Trio Da Kali – Bagola (One World Records, 2025) In Bagola, Trio Da Kali presents a scintillating collection of newly composed songs, in which the…

Salistre Doy Mi Vida cover artwork. An illustration of the heads of the two artists.

Music videos

Flamenco With a Fresh Twist: Salistre and María del Tango Release “Doy Mi Vida”

World Music Central News Room February 15, 2025 No Comments Flamenco Salistre Spanish music world music

Salistre has debuted “Doy Mi Vida” (I Give My Life), a new romantic single featuring María del Tango, in which they mix contemporary and traditional…

Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band - Lumen cover artwork. A colorful illustration of flowers and leaves.

Album reviews

Danilo Pérez and Bohuslän Big Band Unite Jazz Cultures with Lumen

Iliana Cabrera February 15, 2025 No Comments Alberto Pinton Christer Olofsson Danilo Pérez Göran Kroon Gustaf Wiklund Ingrid Utne Jan Eliasson Joakim Rolandsson Lennart Grahn Linus Lindblom Lisbeth Diers Martin Bjurek Svanström Mikael Karlsson Niclas Rydh Olli Rantala Samuel Olsson Staffan Svensson world fusion world music

Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band – Lumen (Prophone Records, 2024) Lumen by Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band is a striking new…

Crossroads Concerts 2025 poster. A collage of photos of artists set to perform.

Events

Irish-Indian Fusion at the Crossroads in New York

World Music Central News Room February 14, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Irish folk music New York Irish Center world fusion world music

The New York Irish Center continues its world music series, Crossroads Concerts, with a fusion of Irish and Indian folk traditions on Thursday, February 27,…

The cover art for Wish You Were Here by Vini de Groove features a visual homage to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. It depicts the outline of Brazil, illuminated by a prism-like light effect. A white beam enters from the left, refracts within the Brazilian silhouette, and emerges on the right as a vibrant spectrum of colors.

Music videos Single reviews

Not Just Wishful Thinking

Tom Orr February 14, 2025 No Comments Brazilian music Vini De Groove world music

Without losing the surreal cynicism or rhythmic undercurrent of the original, Vini De Groove gives a northeastern Brazilian vibe to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were…

This album cover by the Irish band Notify features an image of an orchestra bathed in purples and blues, with a hint of cosmic texture. The text highlights a collaboration between the Irish Concertina Orchestra, the MGCE Concert Orchestra, and Cormac McCarthy.

Album reviews

NOTIFY’s ‘Worlds Collide’: A Bold Fusion of irish Tradition and Innovation

Angel Romero February 14, 2025 No Comments Adam Taylor Celtic music Davie Ryan Hugh Dillon Irish folk music Irish music NOTIFY Pádraig Rynne Rory McCarthy Tara Breen world music

NOTIFY – Worlds Collide (Liosbeg Records, 2025) NOTIFY, a six-piece contemporary instrumental ensemble from Ireland, has released an ambitious and extraordinary new live album, Worlds…

The single cover for Need You to Care by Talia Keys features a stylized anatomical heart illustration infused with musical elements. The aorta and arteries morph into piano keys, while the heart itself takes on a textured, woodcut-like appearance with warm hues of red, orange, and yellow. A headphone jack extends from the bottom. The typography is bold and blocky, aligned to the left.

Music videos Single reviews

It’s Got What You Need

Tom Orr February 13, 2025 No Comments Reggae Talia Keys world music

A hard-hitting blend of rock, reggae and soul, “Need You to Care” by America’s Talia Keys packs a punch on all three levels, as well…

International Castanets Competition 2025 poster. An image of a castanet that combines various types of castanets.

Competitions Events

International Castanets Competition Returns to Madrid with Teresa Laiz

World Music Central News Room February 13, 2025 No Comments castanet Concurso Internacional de Castañuelas Flamenco International Castanets Competition world music

The International Castanets Competition (Concurso Internacional de Castañuelas), founded by castanet master and concert artist Teresa Laiz, is Spain’s first and only competition dedicated to…

The album cover for Robert Zielinski's Kiangardarup features a serene silhouette of the artist playing the violin at sunset. The scene is set against a colorful sky transitioning from orange to purple, reflected in a still body of water below. The foreground is framed by gentle grasses,

Album reviews

Kiangardarup: Robert Zielinski’s Cinematic Voyage Through Music and Nature

Angel Romero February 13, 2025 No Comments fiddle Robert Zielinski violin world music

Robert Zielinski – Kiangardarup (self-released, 2024) Kiangardarup, a mesmerizing album by Robert Zielinski, is an hour-long suite for violin, wooden flute, cello, and bouzouki. The…