Achingly subtle, erotic dance and dance-opera experiments, including the first recordings of female participants; with an extensive essay as a PDF, linked to 1930s silent films and photo library.

‘One of the most important Arabic composers of the twentieth century — writing for legends Umm Kalthum, Abdel Halim Hafez, Sabah, Warda, and many others — leading his own Diamond Orchestra, with Omar Khorshid on guitar, Magdi al-Husseini on organ, Samir Sourour on saxophone, and Faruq Salama on accordion. During this decade, Hamdi fully realized an international, hybrid music which incorporated beat-driven Eastern-tinged jazz, theremin-draped orchestral noir, Khorshid’s searing guitar solos, and a buzzing, sitar-based, Indo-Arabic psychedelic exotica… some of the hippest music of the era, anywhere.’

Deep, intrepid, alchemical communion between West African kora and European classical guitar.
‘It’s a remarkable album,’ says Lucy Durán. ‘It’s the furthest away that Ballaké has gone from his own idiom and it’s brilliant. Not world music, it’s in a totally different realm, entering new territory.’

Afro-Funk mixed with traditional Islamic rhythms and Afro-Latin sounds spread by visiting Cuban ensembles — and most of all the Mandingue melodies and guitar techniques of Mali and Guinea.

‘New, cool, melodic, funky pop from Japan. Six irresistible new songs from veteran members of 90s Tokyo underground pop bands like Love Tambourines, Arch and Bridge, with roots in 80s dance music, the funkier elements of post-punk and the Factory Records roster, and groups like Young Marble Giants and Weekend.’

His beautiful voice in fine fettle on this missing link between The Bottle and the Salsoul disco-raps — a foretaste of disco in 1976, but previously released only in Japan, including fine Isaac Hayes and Billy Stewart covers.

A stupendous, exhilarating mix of Afro-Latino roots, out-jazz and rollicking dance rhythms by this top-notch twenty-piece, from 1988. Killer.

Landmark South African jazz from 1974 — spiritual and political, shimmering and surging. Reverbed trad and trap drums, mesmeric bass, soaring flute, rocking sax. Warmly recommended.

Beseeching, heartbreaking, balladeering Thai popular song, with a new, post-war urban polish and sensibility, and measured display of western styles like jazz, tango, and rumba. Lovely stuff.