In 1985, the star-studded supergroup USA for Africa – initiated by Harry Belafonte and led by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie as well as iconic producer Quincy Jones – released its global charity anthem "We Are The World", which went on to sell over 20 million copies and raise over $75 million to combat famine in Africa. The song was remade in 2010 to benefit the earthquake-ridden Republic of Haiti. This year, Lionel Richie suggested recording a third [...]

This period of being at home more and reflecting on life, the state of affairs and current world order has come with the immediate benefit of consuming even more music. Although the lack of revenue for streaming of any kind remains an issue that needs to be addressed, we can't say we haven't revelled in the abundance of music being released, shared and performed live on screen at the moment. As such, we ourselves have made a load of new discoveries. But it also [...]

In other transatlantic news, Berlin-based Man Recordings founder, DJ and producer Daniel Haaksman returns with a superb dancefloor-friendly exploration of the Afro-Latin diaspora for BBE Music. Haaksman has long made a name for himself as a transcontinental curator of global, tropical and future bass tunes – ever since his seminal "Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats" compilation in 2004 – steadily cultivating aural dialogues between Europe, South America and [...]

A few months ago, when commercial air travel was still a thing, we visited our second home on the Bosphorus. During our stay, we had the opportunity to meet with Esma and Murat Ertel (lead singer and electric saz player of experimental Istanbul psych-formation Baba Zula) in a coffee house in the neighbourhood of Levent on the occasion of their soon-to-be and meanwhile recently released "Uzelli Elektro Saz" album, compiled from the extensive archives of the [...]

In 1976, the legendary Erkin Koray, one of the pioneers of Anatolian rock music, released a track called "Cümbür Cemaat", which roughly translates to 'all together now'. Almost five decades later, today, Frankfurt-based producer and partisan of Balkan music styles Shantel teams up with Istanbul-based outfit Cümbüş Cemaat – notice the play on words, 'cümbüş' referring to an oud- or mandolin-like Turkish instrument as well as a 'merrymaking' – to [...]

As many countries across the globe have slowly begun to lift certain precautionary measures, in an attempt to aid their struggling economies, social distancing remains a global issue. Naturally, those who can still choose to stay at home as much as possible. Yet, even though this is a time of separation for most of us, there is also a growing need for support, solidarity and togetherness, if only virtual, to alleviate the effects of social isolation. In [...]

The Vikings from Guadeloupe...we'll let that resonate for a minute, before we proceed. These 1960s legends from the French Antilles are the pioneers of Biguine jazz as well as the archipelago's first true rockstars. In many ways "they embodied the same spirit of liberty and anti-conformism" as other leading international bands and artists of the times and "with their unorthodox dress sense reinvented the music of the tropics and shook up its conventions."

Their [...]

It's only been about two months, but considering the current isolated situation, it seems like ages ago that we thoroughly rejoiced over Kutiman's blazing desert funk EP "Saluf", containing two standout tracks that were just what we had been hoping to hear from the multi-talented Israeli producer. While that record is still grooving on our turntable, here comes another adventurous, jazz-infused piece of music by the man himself, entitled "Layla". 

Releasing [...]

Listening is key. This is one of the motifs that has been a recurrent theme in our daily work and still rings true. We listen and thus we learn. We discover new music by listening to the music others discover before us and follow their lead. Then, we introduce others to the music we value, hoping they'll listen, and so on and so forth. It was listening to Danish vocalist, producer and dj Astrid Engberg's "Djiguiya Mix" for Copenhagen-based record shop Palmspree [...]

It didn't take much convincing, but we've come to the following conclusion: When the going gets tough, we need to turn to music to soothe our souls, swing our moods and act as an antidote to whatever is weighing heavily on our minds. Enter Analog Africa and Ranil, who, in light of the ongoing global pandemic, decided to share a selection of ten more tracks to accompany the latter's recently released project "Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical (Limited Dance [...]

Geneva-based 'fournisseur' of contemporary underground releases Les Disques Bongo Joe has just hit big in our books with its latest release, a sizzling compilation composed of Maghreb music straight from the cultural melting pot of – who would have guessed – Lyon. While we were well aware of France's colonial pursuits in North Africa and subsequent migration from these territories, this release positively blindsided us. It also happens to bear an incredible [...]

Truly uplifting, just like a new day's first rays of sun, trees and flowers in bloom or an unexpected window of opportunity. Even with the current lockdown situation, one thing is certain, spring is in the air and musically heralding this change of seasons is the new studio album by London's Awale Jant Band on ARC Music. 

Led by Senegalese singer Biram Seck and composed, engineered and mixed by French band leader/guitarist Thibaut Remy, "Yewoulen" (which [...]