The energy is evident on Altin Gün’s upcoming album Aşk (out on March 31 via Glitterbeat Records) which sees the band back in the studio together for the first time post-pandemic, following the release of 2021’s home-produced records Âlem and Yol. Use of vintage equipment and recording techniques nods to...
If I were asked to describe Ezra Collective’s London show in one word, I would probably say “joy”. The show was technically sold out twice: originally planned at the O2 Academy Brixton, it eventually took place 24 February at Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. The show opens with trumpet player Ife...
Sarathy Korwar’s album KALAK, released in November 2022 via The Leaf Label, is a cohesive collection of rhythm-driven soundscapes that set in motion travel towards a past-informed, as-yet unformed future. Cyclical beats and hypnotic melodies lay solid ground for transcendence by trance. Song titles tell us The Past is Not...
Rasha Nahas has felt the complexities and challenges of meeting the stereotype of Arab women in Europe. And her newly released album Amrat meaning ‘Sometimes’ reflects on this. As a Palestinian composer living in Berlin, she became heartfelt about singing in Arabic for this LP. This adds a nostalgic sentiment. Diving...
If you’d like to know more about, understand and deep dive into the last two decades of the London grassroots scene, you can’t help but reach out to Adir Tov. The Hackney-based singer/songwriter, guitarist, band-leader, producer and event organiser, better known as Planetman, is one of the most representative characters...
Live music, mass gatherings and the unadulterated palate of the natural world combined have become the perfect antidote for many more people due to the effects of cabin fever since the Covid-19 global pandemic. Without a doubt, this year’s footfall far exceeded pre-lockdown levels, perhaps due to its late summer...
It is the first time for me at Cafe Oto after a long time. I get a beer and I sit down, waiting for the concert to start. After a little while, [SOMETHING’S HAPPENING] takes the stage. The music of this sound and text duo – composed by poet and...
One of the world’s most eclectic parties returns post covid with a re-launched ethos, providing a party more popular than ever. We are all familiar with the conceptual storyline that follows each year of Boomtown, this time focusing on the idea of coming together and ‘gathering’ after a great time apart,...
Alostmen, a percussive four-piece from Ghana, made their UK debut at Womad this year following a 2021 Songlines Newcomer of the Year award win. Stevo Atambire, charismatic band leader with a knot of hair coiled across his forehead, belts out the vocals and attacks his kologo. The skin-covered gourd with...