Browsing Tag

World Music

Daron Vande – Waste Time: Sun-Soaked Afro Beats

Posted on 10 January 2020
https://soundcloud.com/daronvande/waste-time

“Waste Time” may not be great advice, but it is the sensational standout single from up and coming World Music artist Daron Vande.

The high-vibe track offers Afro-Beats with sun-soaked Reggae rhythm with one of the smoothest flows we’ve heard in a long time. The Brooklyn-based artist notably excelled in creating an arrestive mid-tempo single with plenty of melodic hooks.

The radio-ready mix is immersive from the first hit. Which is why so many Afro-Beat fans didn’t hesitate in playlisting this vibrant, polished soundscape which comes with plenty of sunny escapism. Waste Time is a track which stays true to its roots, but that’s not to say it doesn’t drip with commercial potential.

You can check out Waste Time for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Soto – Rootstrings: Frenetically Rhythmic World Music

Posted on 10 January 2020

“Rootstrings” is the quite literally hair-raising world music debut from up and coming artist Soto. If they keep creating soundscapes with such sensory appeal, I dare say that they won’t be up and coming for long.

You don’t need the ‘golden ear’ to perceive the ingenuity in Rootstrings. Ut’s perceptible through the way you can’t really tell what’s in control, the rhythm, or the artist. Expect exotic intricate organic beats to frenetically offer warmth and soul – even in the absence of lyrics.

Within the eclectic instrumental arrangement, you’ll pick up on virtuosic fingerpicked guitar progressions, tribal drum beats, classical strings, playful ukulele melodies and plenty more. It’s a seven-minute invitation to a higher plateau. I’d take it if I were you.

You can check out Rootstrings for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Daniele Montagner (Ensemble Voyagers) – Kaos : Experimental Ritual World Music

Posted on 10 December 2019

You should be open to experimental world music in order to endure this song -let alone truly enjoy it. If acts like the experimental fusion group Goat from Sweden excite you, then you have to keep reading.

The song that we will be putting under our microscope today is “Kaos” and there’s quite a lot going on. During its first seconds the song brings to mind a shamanistic ritual; shortly after we can hear a tambourine and a drum kit, both playing simultaneously yet on different tempos. Although slightly disharmonic, this does not create any confusion, while in various points female ethereal vocals alternate with ritualistic chanting; the percussion will not stop until the end of the song. It ends with a dramatic finale.

Interesting sound, blending sounds that although the average urban listener might not be too familiar with, it will be a pleasant listen for the curious listener. If you’re intrigued enough to visit Daniele Montagner Facebook page, you will see that a photo of three roosters adorns his header photo, which I find perfectly aligned to the weirdness of his music.

If you consider yourself a curious listener, click here

Review by Nektarios Oikonomakis

Nikitaa – Majesty: World Music R&B

Posted on 10 December 2019

Nikitaa just released a song that has the potential to fill up that world music R&B void for you.

“Majesty” has an interesting intro, there’s a Disney-like distorted flute. As the first verse kicks in, the world music percussion is very warming while the flute goes a bit in the background in order to re-appear during the chorus. The vocals are satisfying, but in any case, I do not feel like this is a suitable track for Nikitaa to showcase her vocal range, however she works her magic on the track and we look forward to future releases. This is a highly danceable R&B tune which one could only hope to find its spot among all the other dance floor hits this year.

It is apparent that Nikitaa’s music draws influence from many artists across the globe. We should also say that the song’s lyrics are anything but mindless; she has released a lyric video for “Majesty”, watch it here

Review by Nektarios Oikonomakis

Entrancingly Rhythmic World Music Meets Contemporary Pop in Ayaz Ismail’s single “Let Us Pretend”

Posted on 30 November 2019

“Let Us Pretend” is just one of the standout releases by breaking Pop artist Ayaz Ismail. In recent years they have found plenty of acclaim through their ability to fuse together Western Pop with Bollywood and World music to create masterfully concordant Future Pop soundscapes.

It’s safe to say finding more entrancing rhythms from an up and coming Pop artist would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. With Let Us Pretend, the uniquely distinctive artist has left us hooked on their radio-ready sound which is all too easy to sink into and forget that there are millions of other love songs on the airwaves. Their soft harmonic vocal talent is only matched by their ability to construct an immersive nuanced instrumental arrangement.

You can check out the official music video to Let Us Pretend for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MOWILLE – Help Me ft. Bella: Entrancingly Rhythmic World Music

Posted on 19 November 2019

If your soul doesn’t feel a little lighter after you’ve listened to MOWILLE’s recently released single “Help Me”, you can presume it’s a little bit broken.

As soon as you hit play on Help Me, MOWILLE’s infectious sunny disposition draws you into the rhythmically flawless feat of World music where you’ll be able to appreciate the acoustic woody instrumentals fed into a vibrant high-vibe mix.

With their vocals constantly switching between Reggae Hip Hop bars to soulful crooning and the addition of Bella’s resoundingly powerful Ballad-style vocals, there’s a smorgasbord of soul to be found in the constantly progressive track.

You can check out MOWILLE’s single along with the rest of their EP by heading over to Apple Music now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surreal Satori set to release brand new single ‘Sometimes’

Posted on 12 September 2019
https://youtu.be/6-7pZ56A98s

Indian nuances and World Music vibes are what portray Surreal Satori’s latest single ‘Sometimes’.

A sitar intro that repeats itself throughout the song and an overdub of acoustic instruments create a gentle ground for Surreal Satori’s candid and pure voice – an expression of her cultural background while she tells about all of those special moments in life you live with someone, moments that make you simply smile, and love.

Originally from Shimla, India, currently based in Canada, singer-songwriter, composer and poet Surreal Satori makes her worldwide debut in July 2019 with her first single ‘Something In Everything’, proposing a mixture of the different cultures she’s been in contact with and basing all of her music on the expression of emotions. 

Review By Jim Esposito

Anthony Russell & Veretski Pass – “Rosie” : A New Eclectic Blend Of Styles

Posted on 31 August 2018

Sometimes you just come across a piece of music that leaves you mesmerized, intently observing all the sounds and sonic space that you are experiencing, literally getting lost in the colors and textures the music has to offer. “Rosie,” from the project “Convergence” is one of those songs, and Anthony Russell together with Veretski Pass know just how to deliver this by fusing extremely contrasting styles into one outstandingly authentic sound.

“Convergence” is a project which aims at creating a new musical idiom through the unprecedented combination of African American spirituals and the music of Jewish Eastern Europe. And indeed it has succeeded to do so, showcasing a vast array of inspiration from around the world. It has elements of Contemporary Classical singing, sharp percussive sonorities and a hauntingly etherial arrangement of strings, accordion and piano.

“Rosie.” is simply something that you just don’t want to skip listening to. It is brilliantly creative and convincing with an authentic artistic vision. Go ahead and check it out now on Soundcloud.

Sarah Marie Bugeja

Tania Ilyashova -A gentle sound clash of genres

Posted on 3 January 2018

Like all the best music, it is hard to pigeonhole Pull Me Closer in terms of genre and style. It may be easy to identify certain core musical building blocks, soul, ambient piano, R&B sophistication, emotive world vibes, pop balladry, but they are so deftly wound through each other, so well spliced that the result is a natural, new and unique style. Tania Ilyashova is an expert at taking existing sounds and bending them to her musical will and the result is just gorgeous.

As a calling card for her recent e.p. Travelling Light, this track is like a beacon to guide discerning music fans through the dangerously hard to navigate waters that modern pop and R&B has become, a reassurance that there is a rewarding and safe place to head for. Here they will find music which has an understanding of the musical roots of such genres, which is blended seamlessly in a new and sublime fashion and then serves these musical traditions and creative threads for a whole new audience. Ambient yet groovesome at the same time, and in Tania’s hands it feels effortless.

Martin And John And Jono And Mama Yeva

Posted on 9 November 2017
9 Pilgrims by Jono Bono Heyes

World music is an odd term, normally used for music which is identified with or at least influenced by the musical traditions of one particular place or culture. But surely it is a term which should be used for music which is the blending of music from across the planet, a sort of trans-global amalgam, a patch work quilt of sonic influences. If that was indeed the definition then  Jono Heyes would be its leading light.

Here joined by Mama Yeva’s striking vocals he makes music which is wonderfully rootless, crosses borders when and where it likes and truly is a pan-global musical blend. West African folk vibes join jazz motifs for a sultry, late night dance and haunting tribal voices fly alongside soaring vocals and the result is deliciously dark, fantastically unique and wonderfully oblivious to  genre or generation.