International charts

Review: Originally released in 1969, Exciting Drums African Rock Party is the first album from Akira Ishikawa under his Count Buffalo alias. It's a wide-ranging affair which includes covers of contemporary standards such as 'You Keep Me Hanging On', 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' and 'Soul Limbo', all given a bold and brassy jazz revision by Ishikawa's band, which included Hiromasa Suzuki on piano, Masaoki Terakawa on bass and Takeru Muraoka on tenor sax. This is the first time it's been repressed since its release, so you can expect all Japanese jazz aficionados to be jumping on this one quickly.

Review: Spain's Zanja Records is a new label dedicated to the promotion of Cuban music and culture. Its inaugural EP The Zanja All Stars: Cuban Jam Session Vol 1 features singers El Indio, Maria Victoria, El Nene, and Ondy, under the musical direction of Julito Padron. All are top Cuban talents who perform "Descargas, Montunos, Instrumental Jazz, and Son" with authenticity and great charm. These percussive, shuffling grooves are alive with wandering basslines and expressive vocals that take you to the heart of the country in an instant. Big horns and jazzy keys, orchestral grandeur and street-wise realness all make them brilliantly irresistible.

Review: Up next in the gamut of Coil-adjacent reissued gems is this 3xLP vinyl version of The Threshold Houseboys Choir's Amulet. Having gone down in whispered legend as the ultra-secret limited-quantity direct mail-order (we could go on) holy grail that flaunted Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson's then latest semi-secret solo guise, Amulet was an exemplar of Marshall McLuhan's definitive aphorism, "the medium is the message," coming housed in a hand-assembled 4xCDr mini-set enclosed in an original, circular Thai Amulet case. The second and final release of this short-lived and much coveted moniker, Amulet, now hearing the vinyl reissue it deserves, is a rough collection of obsessive ritualistic diamonds in the rough, stylistically drawing on dub, drone, power electronics and East Asian music, and brought together by Christopherson's trademark digitally generated choir - whose verbalisations are wilfully incomprehensible, with the intent to sound uncanny, dreamlike - and which he often reverses and timestretches to unsettling effect.

Review: Indian fusion band Shakti were formed all the way back in 1974, and after a disbanding and long hiatus in the fallout, they made a comeback in 2020 with This Moment. Despite the time passed, the original lineup of John McLaughlin (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla), L. Shankar (violin), and T.H. Vinayakram (ghatam), came together once more after a whopping 40 years. The album, now reissued by Abstract Logix, provides the most modern take yet on their craft, blending elements of experimental, jazz, rock, classical, and Indian music into a unique and mesmerizing sound.

Review: In the mid-80s, Svitlana Okhrimenko, Oleksandr Kohanovs'kyi, and Tamila Mazur, students at the Reinhold Glier Kyiv Academy of Music, formed the foundation of Cukor Bila Smert. Their blend of music and camaraderie led to the addition of Eugene Taran, who further helped shape the band's vision. Dubbed Sugar - White Death, their ironic moniker challenged media sensationalism and amidst endless musical exploration, they crafted two albums in 1988 and 1989. The band's unique "sugar calypso sound" emerged, a blend of Kohanovs'kyi's music and lyrics by Okhrimenko and Taran. A significant studio session in 1990 yielded tracks featured on the Mannered Music compilation which sparked international interest. Their journey concluded in 1993 with the release of "Selo" by Koka Records, and now some of the best bits make it onto this new collection.

Review: Juan Gabriel's latest studio album, 'Mexico con Escalas en Mi Corazon (Ciudades)', marks a poignant return for the iconic Mexican superstar and prolific songwriter, and marks a first posthumous release since his passing in 2016. Featuring original and previously unreleased songs, the album is a testament to his profound love for Mexico and is one that will captivate and astonish fans in equal measure. All tracks, which were penned by Don Alberto Aguilera Valadez, were recorded between 2014 and 2016 and produced by Rodrigo Cardenas. Presented as a double vinyl set, this release commemorates Juan Gabriel's enduring legacy and celebrates his ability to craft heartfelt compositions.

Review: Amghar: The Godfather Of Tuareg Music Vol 1 by Abdallah Oumbadougou is a superb trip into the heart of the ever fascinating sound of Tuareg music. Oumbadougou, revered as the godfather of this rich musical tradition, delivers a spellbinding collection of tracks that showcase his mastery of desert blues. Each composition is a testament to the deep cultural heritage and spiritual resonance of Tuareg music. They blend hypnotic rhythms, intricate guitar work and haunting vocals all with a melancholic and seductive feel from the soul-stirring chants of 'Afrikya' to the infectious energy of 'Tabsiq Dalet'. This album transports listeners to the vast landscapes of the Sahara, evoking a profound sense of wanderlust and timeless beauty as it does so.

Review: Marisa Monte's influence remains unwavering, and her 2021 return with Portas reaffirmed her legendary status despite a decade-long hiatus. Her first album since O Que Voce Quer Saber de Verdade in 2011 effortlessly blends romantic pop with occasional forays into samba, as heard in 'Elegante Amanhecer.' Standout tracks include the wonderful 'Calma,' the beautifully arranged 'Espaconaves,' and the bright 'Sal.' 'Vagalumes' is a highlight, merging Spanish flamenco chords with Modernist Brazilian poetry. Monte's voice, soothing and natural, brings tranquility amid Brazil's ongoing challenges. Collaborators like Arnaldo Antunes, Nando Reis and newcomers like Silva contribute to the album's excellence. Monte's daughter Flor de Maria and samba-rock artist Seu Jorge join her on the hopeful 'Pra Melhorar.' Portas exudes grace, offering an almost escapist positivity. It's an album for both the pandemic era and a hopeful future, showcasing Monte's timeless appeal and elegant self-assurance.

Review: The third and most especial edition in the latest selection of versions of the reissued LP by Alonso Toro, Paul Desenne, and Pedro Vasquez - Alzheimer. Coming hot on the heels of an original, as-it-was reissue as well as a gemmy Ricardo Villalobos rerub, this deluxe edition comes in a beautiful yellow and lilac LP box, and features the latter's two remixes as well as an exclusive Wetsuit Je Me Souviens version. A curio of the Venezuelan vanguard, the album was recorded between January 1997-99, and hears the fabled trio of musicians "forget everything" that came before, enlisting the recorded help of every member of the animal kingdom - from mammals to insects - and shooting squarely for a whole new sound-world-order in the process. Sonically flowing between heritage Latin music and minimal electronica, the purpose is to confuse and the effect is indeed confounding, though no less dazzling.