From Batov Records’ Bandcamp site: “Sababa 5 are back once again on our exclusive Middle Eastern Grooves series with another double-sided 7” titled ‘Forgive – Прости (Prosti)’: a funky release featuring the voice and lyrics of Anton Koliadko. ‘Forgive’ opens with a simple, vintage-sounding, syncopated hook led by the bass, Continue Reading
World Music
Russian World Music Chart 2025
I had the privilege of being asked to be among a group of writers to select the best World Music to come out of Russia this year. The quality of music hiding there is astounding! Thanks to Russian World Music Chart for allowing me to contribute.
Sarathy Korwar – There Is Beauty, There Already
What a sublime work this is! I’m new to the work of Sarathy Korwar, a US-born, India-raised bandleader and master percussionist. This percussive gem is his latest work. From Sarathy’s Bandcamp site: “Playing as a 40-minute suite of hypnotic and transcendent drum improvisations, the album beats through a repetitive, circular Continue Reading
Various Artists – Antonovka Records: Young Flowers: Music of Kazakhs from Orenburg Region
The top ten albums of 2025 from the Russian World Music Chart will be announced soon, and this year has been exceptional for ethnic and world music. One standout album comes from Antonovka Records, a label that was originally based in Russia but is now located in Chișinău, Moldova. If you’re Continue Reading
Mukta – Indian Sitar & World Jazz
A new band for me, Muktar is from France, and their Bandcamp site introduces them this way: “French bassist Simon Mary and his band have performed on stages around the world. Generous and modern shamans, talented alchemists, Mukta occupy more than ever a special place on the chessboard of new world Continue Reading
Saagara – 3 The Shackleton Versions
From Waclaw Zimpel’s Bandcamp site: “Saagara’s album 3 made itself right at home in the tak:til universe as soon as it was released to considerable acclaim last October, quickly becoming as much of a touchstone for the label’s Fourth World aesthetic as Jon Hassell, 75 Dollar Bill and Širom. A Continue Reading
Fred Elias & Buddy Sarkissian – Outtakes from Magic Fingers Play Cleopatra’s Favorites & Hellenic Near East Gems: Near Eastern Music in New England ca. 1957
From Canary Records’ Bandcamp Site: “These recordings were released on Aris/Aristophone in the early ’60s on two LPs, tracks 1-8 from the album Magic Fingers Play Cleopatra’s Favorites and tracks 9-14 from an album divided between them and the Greek clarinettist George Mirros titled Hellenic Near East Gems. Both seem Continue Reading
Various Artists – Vampisoul: Rangarang
From the Bandcamp site of the consistently solid record label Vampisoul: “”Rangarang” is a compilation of forgotten jewels from pre-revolutionary Iran. These songs tell the stories of an artisan community that flourished during the 1960s and 1970s before vanishing into oblivion. The pop stars who stayed in Iran were summonsed Continue Reading
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu Plays Mulatu
Today is a joyful day because I finally get to listen to an album I’ve been eagerly anticipating for months. The Ethiopian musical genius Mulatu Astatke has released a new album featuring 11 tracks, showcasing the distinctive instrumentation that defines his unique sound. From his Bandcamp site: “Mulatu Plays Mulatu realises Continue Reading
Various Artists – Canary Records: What Heaven Has Against Me: Central & Southern Turkish Folk Music, ca. 1928-55
From the Canary Records Bandcamp site: “Armenian singers from the central, southern, and eastern regions of Turkey — Urfa, Diyarbekir, Malatya, Gaziantep, Harput, etc. — recorded prolifically in the U.S. from the mid-1910s through the ‘20s. Meanwhile, Darü-1 Elhan (Istanbul Conservatory) was founded in 1916. During the 1920s, academics there Continue Reading