From the label’s website: “Jutna” is the result of their time spent together, and an answer to that question. In the Wolof language of Senegal, the phrase ‘Jutna’ means “it is time”. Asked to expand on this, guitarist/vocalist Magou Samb stated — “Jutna means, it is time. Time to believe Continue Reading
World Music
RIHA – V
The seminal blog A Closer Listen introduces us to a treasure of a Georgian composer, Rati Oniani (RIHA). It’s a magically weird amalgam of metal, Svan folk, and baroque music. The absolute diamonds one can find in this city never cease to amaze me. You can read the article here: https://acloserlisten.substack.com/p/v
Various Artists – Canary Records: Romane Gil’a: 1958-71 Field Recordings of Roma Songs from Slovakia, Eastern Czechia & Northern Hungary
The ever-great Canary Records released this compilation in November 2024, and I finally had a chance to listen to it. From the label’s Bandcamp site: “Originally released in 1973 in Czechoslovakia as “Romane Gil’a: Anthology of Gypsy Songs” with a cover that looked like an Emerson, Lake, and Palmer album Continue Reading
Various Artists – Mississippi Records: Aman Aman – Greek Anatolian Laments
From the Mississippi Records Bandcamp site: ““Aman Aman” cry the singers on these recordings, their voices preserved on 78rpm discs cut between 1911-1935. The phrase roughly translates to “mercy,” a call of despair, but also one of joy and admiration. On many of these sides, that full range of emotion Continue Reading
Caamaño & Ameixeiras – Quitar o Aire
This album by Caamaño & Ameixeiras is a pleasant surprise from the pater patriae, so to speak. It’s traditional music from the region of Galicia in Spain, heavily inspired by Celtic mythology. Though the instrumentation is basic for this sort of music (accordion, violin), there’s an intangible spark to the Continue Reading
Moyses Dos Santos – Maria
Far Out Recordings should be lauded forever for bringing so many great modern (and a few elder) Brazilian musicians to the attention of Western listeners. On that note, we welcome a debut from a new talent who will serve as a vanguard to Brazil’s diverse music scene in Moyses Dos Continue Reading
Saba Alizadeh – Rituals Of The Last Dawn
Being an insomniac has some advantages. As is normal for me, I stayed wide awake until 4 a.m. listening to music. While doing so, I came across an album by kamancheh maestro Saba Alizadeh which was so eerily beautiful that I had to suggest it for your perusal. The avant-garde Continue Reading
L’Ham de Foc Cor de Porc
L’Ham de Foc is a band that I have always hoped would get a proper reissue of their classic album. The Valencian band is a prime example of the quality of ethnic music that dots Spain. So many regions deserve their local traditional music to be either better exposed or Continue Reading
Various Artists – MaAuLa-o-rama Vol.01 “Exotic Viennoiseries”
“10 French bands play music from the World. The new “French touch?” says MaAuLa Records. Check out the release’s Bandcamp page for an introduction to the bands appearing on this comp.
Freh Khodja – Ken Andi Habib
What a wild release this is! Our friends at Wewantsounds have released yet another unknown gem. From their Bandcamp site: “Wewantsounds is delighted to continue its Algerian music reissue program with the release of Freh Khodja’s sought-after 1975 LP, Ken Andi Habib. Recorded in Paris with Les Flammes, a group Continue Reading