A few days ago I posted a mixtape of the best music released in March (or those albums that were released a little earlier, but which I discovered only in March). Now I bring a traditional list of up to 30 albums that I recommend. One for each day of April...
Ahl Nana - L'Orchestre National Mauritanien (Radio Martiko 2023.)
Ahl Nana is a band that has been active for about 50 years, it can be called the first representative of desert rock, and Radio Martiko published the first recordings that this band ever made on the album "L'Orchestre National Mauritanien".
Ali Farka Touré - Voyageur (World Circuit 2023.)
It's been 17 years since death of this great musician, and World Circuit has released an album composed of recordings from jam sessions and pre-concert rehearsals. "Voyaguer" is another indication of Ali Farka Touré's greatness.
Altin Gün - Aşk (Glitterbeat Records 2023.)
The fifth album in five years od the bend which sells out concerts wherever they appear, is also the best of their career.
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily - Love in Exile (Verve 2023.)
There are so many emotions on this album that it cannot be listened to indifferently. The American-Pakistani-Indian trio recorded beautiful musical landscapes that tell an uniquely emotional story.
Aziz Sahmaoui & Eric Longsworth - Il Fera Beau Demain Matin Jusqu'a Midi (Passé Minuit en Accords 2023.)
On this album, the Moroccan gnawa master joined forces with an American jazz musician, and this synergy once again showed how easily traditional sounds are connected with other musical genres.
Baaba Maal - Being (Palm/Marathon Artists 2023.)
The last few albums of the Senegalese music legend were below the level he set during his career, so this album was somewhat surprising with its quality. "Being" is a modern African album on which Baaba Maal as a guest gave a chance to some younger musicians, so they also brought freshness to this material.
Brigan - Liburia Trip (Liburia Records 2023.)
We waited five years for the new album, and on it Brigan brilliantly combined the traditional music of the south of Italy with electronic music
Caixa Cubo - Agôra (Jazz & Milk 2023.)
Caixa Cubo on this album invoked Chica Corea and Return To Forever, and that can never sound bad.
Clement Janinet & Adama Sidibé - Sokou (Helico 2023.)
A nice collaboration of a French violinist and guitarist with a multi-instrumentalist and singer from Mali. A calm, pleasant album.
Derya Yildirim & Graham Mushnik - Hey Dostum, Çak! (Buback 2023.)
This time Derya Yildirim teamed up with French musician Graham Mushnik to record an album of songs for children. Members of Derya's family also helped them, making the project even more intimate.
Dobrila & Dorian Duo - Dobrila & Dorian Duo 2: Pile šareno (SJF Records 2023.)
With their first album two years ago they presented themselves excellently, and now they have only confirmed that they are among the more interesting new artists in the Balkans. Macedonian traditional songs are presented here with only voice and oud, and with the phenomenal use of a looper that gives the whole material a somewhat doom atmosphere.
Dur-Dur Band Int. - The Berlin Session (Out Here Records 2023.)
Dur-Dur Band Int. is one of the bands whose older albums have undergone numerous reissues or various compilations of their works have appeared in recent years. In the 70s, this group was the main artist in Somalia, and it combined various influences - Fela’s Afrobeat, ethiojazz and a lot of specific rhythms and chants from their country. The group reunited in 2019. and recorded a new album which is now published.
Gabriel da Rosa - É o que a casa oferece (Stones Throw 2023.)
Earlier this year Lucas Santtana and Ian Lasserre released their albums, and Gabriel da Rosa fits perfectly into this trend. Samba, bossanova, Joao Gilberto. That's what this album sounds like.
Gaïsha - Ana Aïcha (Zephyrus Records 2023.)
Gaïsha is another group from Belgium that plays with the global sound. Zephyrus Records described their first album as a hypnotic trip of oriental groove and psychedelic funk. We can only agree with that.
Houria Aichi - Chants Courtois De L'aures (Accords Croisés 2023.)
Houria Aïchi studied psychology, and while working as a sociology teacher, she began singing traditional Berber chaoui songs. Three decades later, she is one of the most important names in the Maghrebi music scene, and with her new album she once again shows all the beauty of Chaoui music.
Ireke - Tropikadelic (Underdog Records 2023.)
Ireke is a new project from the increasingly successful Underdog Records, and in this case two French musicians and producers have surrounded themselves with great guest vocalists and recorded an excellent Afro-Caribbean dance album.
Lankum - False Lankum (Rough Trade 2023.)
With their first two albums, Lankum have established themselves as one of the more interesting new Irish folk artists, and with "False Lankum" they have only confirmed that. The most beautiful thing about them is that they do not devote themselves to that part of Irish heritage that has to do with parties and lots of alcohol, but create mystical, somewhat droning soundscapes.
Les Mamans Du Congo & Rrobin - Kikento EP (Jarring Effects 2023.)
Les Mamans Du Congo & Rrobin is a project created by Glayds Samba from Congo and French producer Rrobin, offering an interesting combination of lullabies of the Bantu people with electronic music and hip-hop. Three years ago they presented themselves for the first time with the album of the same name, and now they are back with an interesting EP with four songs.
Marta Kolega i Dunja Bahtijarević - Pjesme (Intek Music 2023.)
Marta and Dunja are known in the Croatian scene for their numerous vocal projects. In this intimate project they have combined traditional songs from all over the world with their own poetry. Unique and very interesting.
of Tropique - Buster Goes West (Electric Cowbell Records 2023.)
Crazy and ingenious. Of Tropique will definitely shake you violently with their sound, and what they play could be described as a combination of Afro-Caribbean rhythms with music from spaghetti westerns and old cartoons. Teppei Konda's great clarinet should definitely be highlighted.
Pixvae - Oi Ve (compagnie 4000 2023.)
In recent years, bands have emerged from Lyon that combine progressive noise rock with traditional music from around the world. Pixvae have found their influence in cumbia, which they approach in a very modern and energetic way.
PoiL Ueda - PoiL Ueda (Dur Et Doux 2023.)
PoiL Ueda is a fusion of the prog-rock band PoiL from France and the Japanese artist Junko Ueda, who plays the traditional instrument satusa biwa and sings medieval songs from her homeland. The idea is interesting, the execution is even better, and soon we will have the opportunity to see PoiL Ueda in Slovenia and Croatia.
Moonlight Benjamin - Wayo (Ma Case 2023.)
Moonlight Benjamin is called the priestess of voodoo rock'n'roll, and that's how her music sounds. Voodoo rhythms followed by hard rock with energetic vocals. That's "Wayo."
Sainkho Namtchylak - Survival Songs (Starsing 2023.)
Tuvan throat singing legend Sainkho Namtchylak plays with musical styles on this album as well, and somehow everything sounds best when blues and Tuvan music are combined.
Sheikhs Shikhats & B'net Chaabi - Sheikhs Shikhats & B'net Chaabi (Zephyrus 2023.)
Sheikhs Shikhats & B'net Chaabi come from Belgium and are led by Laïla Amezian and Laurent Blondiau. There are 16 other musicians in the band. This band combines Moroccan chaabi music with jazz in luxurious orchestrations.
Solomane Doumbia - Segou To Lagos (Mieruba Records 2023)
Solomane Doumbia built his career as a percussionist and arranger in Salif Keita's band, and now he has recorded a solo album titled "Segou To Lagos," released by Mieruba Records. Doumbia interestingly combines traditional music from Mali with jazz and traces of afrobeat. He himself emphasises that the album is a tribute to Tidiana Kone, who was the first to connect the music of Mali and Nigeria.
Son Rompe Pera - Chimborazo (Aya Records 2023.)
If you are indifferent to this album, ask yourself if you have a sense of rhythm. Son Rompe Pera has recorded the best of cumbia on "Chimborazo" - from slightly classic dance hits to a combination of cumbia and punk. One of those albums you listen to over and over again.
Susana Baca - Confidencias (Pregón Producciones 2023.)
Peruvian legend Susana Baca had a ten-year hiatus in her discography, and now she's back with three releases in three years. She has left nothing out, and so "Confidencias" is also a beautiful journey through South American music.
Yalla Miku - Yalla Miku (Bongo Joe 2023.)
Energy bomb! This is the easiest way to describe the debut album of the Swiss group Yalla Miku. For a more detailed description, I used their explanation on the Bandcamp page: twisting traditions of North and East Africa with electronica, post punk and krautrock grooves.
Yamäya - Senegal (Funkiwala Records 2023.)
Yamaeya is another British group that dabbles in African music. They invited Senegalese singer Khadim Saar to help them, and their sound is based mainly on afrobeat, but there is also griot music, ethiojazz and even hip-hop.