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.
Adriane Pontecorvo
Adriane Pontecorvo is a native San Franciscan with a penchant for global beats. She is a music programmer for community radio station WFHB and studies ethnomusicology at Indiana University.
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.
Mdou Moctar Holds Nothing Back on Extraordinary ‘Funeral for Justice’
Even by Mdou Moctar’s high standards, Funeral for Justice is extraordinary. Its music and lyrics are searing, and the messages are essential in 2024.
‘Once We Had a Home’ Uplifts Rohingya Refugee Voices
Home records vocal expressions of pain, love, and life at Kutupalong, bringing Rohingya refugee experiences into its audiences’ aural consciousnesses.