KOKOKO! Electrify on the Intensely Innovative ‘Butu’
KOKOKO!’s Butu is full of heat and movement, from the traffic sounds that start the opening track “Butu Ezo Ya” to the final claps of razor-sharp “Salaka Bien”.
Global Music
Hermanos Gutiérrez Explore the Final Frontier on ‘Sonido Cósmico’
In Sonido Cósmico, Hermanos Gutiérrez take to the stars, evoking the open spaces of an imagined Wild West and the even greater mystique of the final frontier.
Forest Law Debut ‘Zero’ Has Worldly Finesse
At the center of Forest Law’s Zero is his versatile guitar work, through which he variously evokes bossa nova, classic funk, and psychedelic folk.
L’étrangleuse Find Artful Balance with ‘Ambiance Argile’
L’étrangleuse’s music draws from all sides of the Mediterranean and beyond, creating something new and categorically nebulous in a way that works well.
The Zawose Queens Shine on Their Triumphant Debut ‘Maisha’
The Zawose Queens’ Maisha is a triumph, an endlessly satisfying assemblage of textures and timbres embodying a bold sonic spectrum of traditions.
Remi Kabaka’s Jubilant ‘Roots Funkadelia’ Is Reissued
Roots Funkadelia is a joy of a record with Remi Kabaka and company celebrating West African popular sounds and everything they’ve generated in the diaspora.
‘Azerbaijani Gitara Volume 2’ Displays Rəhman Məmmədli’s Guitar Genius
Azerbaijan’s Rəhman Məmmədli dazzles, deserving of recognition for his imaginative reconfigurations of longstanding forms and palpably impassioned playing.
Communal Grooves Are Unstoppable on Aba Diop’s ‘Revolution Sabar’
Aba Diop’s commanding voice soars at an electrifying pitch on every song, calling out local histories, genealogies, and moral messages: a human archive.
‘Ghana Special 2’ Chronicles an Innovative Chapter in Highlife History
Ghana Special 2 possesses a wide range of styles. The 18 substantial tracks are packed with synths, horns, and driving beats.
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Frank Rosaly’s ‘MESTIZX’ Is a Cosmic Collage
MESTIZX is unquestionably cosmic, but it’s also grounded in the real lives and spaces of artists who refuse to be broken into cultural shards.
Desperate Times Call for Poetic Protest From Cyril Cyril
Cyril Cyril’s Le Futur Ça Marche Pas is for agitators, a genre-be-damned assemblage of poetry and vivid effects in the form of well-produced electronic rock.
Pabllo Vittar’s ‘Batidão Tropical Vol. 2’ Is Brazilian History You Can Dance To
Pabllo Vittar’s music echoes cultural movements and carries layers of Brazilian history in a package that requires no explanation to enjoy listening and dancing to.