Best of May 2025.

Two thirds of June have already passed, so I guess it’s time for me to share the list of the best albums of May with you. I didn’t just want to include only albums that were released in May, but rather those I listened to the most during that month. Coincidentally, all 15 albums on this list were released in May, which says a lot about how musically rich this month was. So take a listen to at least some of the albums that made the month for me:

Ammar 808 - Club Tounsi (Glitterbeat 2025.)

Sofyann Ben Youssef impressed me back when he was still a member of the group Bargou 08 — a band I’ll never forgive for breaking up before their announced concert in Slovenia could take place. However, I believe that seeing a show by Ammar 808 will help me get over this disappointment, because what Ben Youssef does can only be described as masterful. Club Tounsi is his third album, on which he fuses heavy bass rhythms with Arabic heritage, all complemented by excellent singers — especially Mahmoud Lahbib and Brahim Riahi. I tried to find a weak track on the album but failed. Arabic electronica has been much hyped in recent years, and it's hard to find anything better than this album.

Azmari - In Oculis EP (Sdban 2025.)

The Belgian group Azmari are masters of blending jazz with melodies and rhythms from all over the world. In their press material, they emphasize that they wanted to reinvent themselves with this EP - and you can hear that in their sound. Although Azmari’s music is still recognizable, "In Oculis" is in some ways more intimate than their previous releases, which is especially noticeable in the last two tracks of the EP. Another excellent release from a group who haven’t put a foot wrong in their career so far.

Bejuco - Machete (Discos Pacífico 2025.)

'Fueled by roots, rebellion and rhythm, this isn’t just an album. It’s a sonic manifesto: raw, layered, and unapologetically Afro-Colombian.' That’s how the band Bejuco describe their second album. By blending music from Colombia’s southern Pacific region - infectious marimba melodies and traditional polyphonic singing - with hip-hop and dub rhythms, Bejuco have proven that they are one of the most exciting young groups from this musically rich country. There is something punk about their music, which makes it even more appealing to me.

Dunjaluk - Vrbas (Selfreleased 2025.)

Dunjaluk has a new EP, and once again it's masterful! Two and a half years after their debut album, the Croatian experimental sevdah duo have released an EP containing five tracks — two previously unreleased, two created in collaboration with the Viennese trio wh/m and a remix released by Lenhart Tapes. Half an hour that flies by and invites you to press repeat.

Enji - Sonor (Squama 2025.)

Enkhjargal Erkhembayar, known as Enji, impressed me with her last album "Ulaan", on which she combined the vocal style of Mongolian Urtiin duu - long, drawn-out songs traditionally performed at special ceremonies - with an improvisational jazz approach. Now she has released her new album "Sonor", which simply picks up where Ulaan left off. Enji is emerging as one of the most interesting vocalists blending jazz with traditional music.

Ganavya - Nilam (Leiter 2025.)

The American-Indian musician Ganavya has been very active in recent years. Last year she released two albums, but that wasn't enough for her - just a few days ago she released another album entitled "Nilam". This album is a sequel of sorts to "Daughter Of A Temple", and again Ganavya explores Indian music and blends it with jazz and ambient sounds, masterfully arranged by the album’s producer, Nils Frahm. It's easy to fall into a meditative state while listening to "Nilam", especially during the beautiful track "Nine Jeweled Prayer".

Hawa & Kassé Mady Diabaté - Toumaro (One World 2025.)

Kassé Mady Diabaté was one of the most important Mandinka musicians, and for those who may not know him, suffice it to say that his name is rightly mentioned alongside that of Salif Keita. Diabaté passed away in 2018, and his musical and griot legacy is being carried on by his daughter Hawa Kasse Mady Diabaté. She is a member of the group Trio Da Kali and has completed an album for the occasion that her father never finished due to his sudden death. Toumaro is a beautiful, emotional album and the most sincere tribute that could have been paid to this Malian music legend.

Lido Pimienta - La Belleza (Anti- 2025.)

"La Belleza" is the fourth studio album by Colombian-Canadian musician Lido Pimienta. Once again, she draws inspiration from the indigenous cultures of South America, blending them with various other influences to create a completely new soundscape. Her work has long been recognised and appreciated as a powerful example of reinterpreting traditional culture and merging different influences into a cohesive story. On "La Belleza", Pimienta also draws on the tradition of 16th century Italian castrati singers, Gregorian chants and compositions by Czech composer Luboš Fišer. Although this may sound like an overwhelming mix, Pimienta has delivered another fascinating and exciting musical work. It’s not an album that will become a favourite on first listen, but with each subsequent play, it becomes harder and harder to part with.

Maurice Louca - Barĩy (Fera) برٌِي (Simsara 2025.)

Egyptian guitarist Maurice Louca is known for exploring different styles – from electronic and experimental music to hints of post-rock – but he has always incorporated elements of traditional music into his work. On the album "Barĩy", the traditional elements are strongly present, and Louca has surrounded himself with excellent musicians, most notably violinist Ayman Asfour. On his custom-made microtonal guitar, Louca leads us through breathtaking musical landscapes.

Oriol Mares & Talal Fayad Quartet - Estuarium (AudioMaze 2025.)

What happens when a Catalan clarinettist, a Syrian oud master, an Andalusian percussionist and a Greek double bassist come together? You get "Estuarium", a brilliant album on which this quartet, as they say themselves, 'intertwines Arabic modal traditions, jazz improvisation and Latin American polyrhythms in an organic conversation'. "Estuarium" unexpectedly found its way into my music player - and refuses to leave it again.

Radio Tutti - Twang Club (Lamastrock 2025.)

Galician polyphonic singing, seductive Italian pizzica, a bit of French folk - all tied together with electronics. That’s how you could describe Radio Tutti, and I understand that it’s easy to shy away from music with such a description because it sounds like an inappropriate mix. But for some reason, it all works surprisingly well together. "Twang Club" has been playing from my speakers for much longer than I originally expected...

Semblanzas del Río Guapi - Lindo E' (Discos Pacífico 2025.)

Cumbia del Río Guapi, a musical style originating from the Colombian Pacific coast, has something magical about it, and Semblanzas del Río Guapi is another group that proves it. The young, multi-member ensemble led by the Cortez sisters has released its second album, which once again offers a brilliant blend of vocal harmonies and percussion — especially the marimba. The modern production of the album occasionally ventures into dub and even Afrobeat realms, but overall it remains a classic cumbia album.

Stefano Saletti - Mediterranima (Materiali Sonori 2025.)

Stefano Saletti is a tireless Italian multi-instrumentalist who impresses with every new album. This time he pays tribute to the nomadic Sabir people, who are believed to have originated in Siberia and lived in the Mediterranean region. On this album, Saletti assembles an almost All-Star lineup of musicians (not only) from Italy, including Elena Ledda, Eleonora Bordonaro, Riccardo Tesi and Yasemin Sannino. This is one of the best releases of the year.

The Budos Band - VII (Diamond West 2025.)

The only thing that has changed about The Budos Band's seventh album is that it has been released by Diamond West rather than Daptone Records. Everything else has stayed the same – once again we have a fierce, hard-hitting instrumental afrobeat/funk album, just like The Budos Band have been delivering for 20 years.

Votia - Vié Kaz (ajabu! 2025.)

Votia is a family band from La Réunion, centred around the great singer Marie-Claude Lambert-Philéas. The band also includes her husband, brother, cousin and children. It is no coincidence that music is at the centre of this family - Marie-Claude is the daughter of the legendary maloya musician Gramoun Lélé. "Vié Kaz" is their new album, on which Marie-Claude pays tribute to her father and her whole family, who started music rehearsals every evening at 6pm and sometimes played all night. "Vié Kaz" offers a fantastic insight into the music of Réunion - full of percussion, vocal harmonies and Marie-Claude's unique, powerful voice.

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