Analog Africa has done a wondrous thing by introducing the world to the best of Somali music. The Dur-Dur Band was one of the best house and hotel bands in Mogadishu before the tragic civil war began, and thanks to the label’s efforts, their work is being repackaged and remastered.
World Music
Various Artists – Analog Africa: Sound City Joburg – South Africa’s Township Soul 1969 – 1981 (Analog Africa Nr. 47)
We have to wait until December 4 for this release, but if the available tracks are anything to go by, it’s going to be an absolute banger. Go to the Bandcamp site and read the backstory of this album. It’s a novel read. Analog Africa has done another magnificent job Continue Reading
Raisa Alekseevna Khodjer and Alexander Innokentievich Samar (Раиса Алексеевна Ходжер и Александр Иннокентьевич Самар) – Ненгниэ дичини
Two days of Nanai songs! This EP features singer Raisa Alekseevna Khodjer performing three tunes from the traditional Nanai catalog. The sound is as clear as can be, and Raisa’s voice is gentle and pleasant. Alexander Samar’s lower register pairs perfectly with Raisa’s voice. A charming EP.
Архивы Николая Батуновича Киле. “Нани” (Нанайцы) часть 1 & 2 (Nikolai Batunovich Kile’s Archives. “Nani” (Nanai) Parts 1 & 2))
The two releases shown above constitute a wonderful archive of ethnographic recordings of the Nanai people who populate parts of Russia’s Far East and Northeast China, where they are known as the Hezhen.
Белолуна (White Moon) – Песнь печали и радости
A pleasant surprise from Russia! Белолуна (White Moon) is a duo that produces electronic music tinged with folk elements (and God knows Russia has so many of those) along with motifs from local fairy tales. It’s unique music, sounding refreshingly modern but keeping its head swiveled towards the past. Recommended. Continue Reading
Kazdoura – Ghoyoum غيوم
Thanks to my dear brother in music, Yasen, for introducing me to Kazdoura, a Canadian band that has roots in both Syria and Lebanon. From the band’s Bandcamp site: “Rooted in Levantine Arabic music and fueled by genre-bending experimentation, Kazdoura’s debut album Ghoyoum is a vibrant fusion of Arabic Maqams, Continue Reading
Azymuth – Woodland Warrior
The Brazilian band Azymuth was not just the coolest fusion band in Brazil. They could hold their own with anyone anywhere in the world. They were truly brilliant performers, and this particular record, not a popular one by any means, is a hidden treasure worth digging up just for the Continue Reading
Orchestra Baobab – Made In Senegal
Perhaps the greatest band West Africa has ever produced has a new album coming out on October 23, 2026. Orchestra Baobab has a storied 50-year history blending all the styles native to Senegal and other parts of West Africa along with rhumba, jazz, and even bits of funk here and Continue Reading
Various Artists – The Abkhaz Of Caucasus
From the Shango Records Bandcamp site: “Waking up in the middle of the night, feeling the gentle touch of moss on your bare skin and overwhelmed by the eery yet calming atmosphere of unknown surroundings and civilizations. This is a location no one ever goes to, only exceptional people, a Continue Reading
Ethiopian Musicians recorded by Ragnar Johnson and Ralph Harrisson – Ethiopian Musics 1971
Sub Rosa release some of the most intriguing music around, like experimental music from Iran to folk-dub collaborations between scene giants like M. J. (Mick) Harris and Martyn Bates, but this release is something altogether different. Here are some notes from Sub Rosa’s Bandcamp site: “Ethiopian Musics 1971 is one Continue Reading