This sort of exercise serves to point up one of the problems with broad genres like “world music.” It’s reductive and inaccurate and Western-centric, and you end up with some strange companions. However, I listened to lots of music from around the world in 2020, and wanted to share some of my favorites. At its best, listening to music from other cultures is an education in just how connected we all are, as lots of musicians borrow ideas and sounds from elsewhere. Here are some of my favorites from 2020, in no particular order.
Brooklyn Raga Massive’s In D
This New York raga big band perfectly illustrates the idea of music without borders, incorporating everything from sitars to saxophones in its interpretation of the Indian classical form. This work is an homage to minimalist composter Terry Riley, and it was performed at this year’s online Ragas Live Festival.
Lửa with Phayam’s Amor Mundi
Vietnamese ambient explorer Lửa teams up with Thai musician Phayam on this Bandcamp-only release. Environmental recordings from the rain forest paired with ambient drone and acoustic instruments makes for deeply hypnotic soundscapes. It’s part of a whole library of similar releases from the Cho Oyu label, and it’s been a balm for the soul in a year like 2020.
Tamikrest’s Tamotait
Desert blues plus Malian rock is a good description of Tamikrest’s music. This stupendous track “Anha Achal Wad Namda” from their fifth studio album showcases the brilliant guitar of Ag Mossa and the shimmering bluesly slide of Paul Salvagnac, as well as the band’s explosive rhythm section.
Morgonrode’s Du Milde Verden
This Norwegian supergroup plays a heady blend of Nordic folk, modern jazz and experimental music. “Huldresul,” the album’s opening track, is the most traditional.
Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East
New York based drummer Sunny Jain brings a jazz sensibility to this music that blends Bollywood, surf, folk, and spaghetti western soundtrack. The result reflects his own take on immigrant experience.
Emmi Kujanpää’s Nani
Finnish folk singer, composer, teacher and researcher Emmi Kujanpää explores the intersection of Finnish and Balkan music on Nani. She’s joined by Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares Vocal Academy choir as well as some Finnish guest musicians on a program of original contemporary folk songs in traditional styles, like the title track:
Baba Zula’s Hayvan Gibi
The Anatolian psych dub masters went into the studio to cut this animal-themed record live as part of the Night Dreamer label’s Direct To Disc series. A lot of this material reportedly has been part of their live set for some time, and they really stretch out on tracks like the electric desert blues of the 15-minute opener “Kücük Kurbaga (Froggie)” or the majestic, dub-heavy “Çöl Aslanlari (Desert Lions),” which is the music featured in this teaser video for the album.
Various artists’ Folk & Great Tunes From Russia
This two-CD set of 35 tracks covers a lot of ground in contemporary Russian folk and roots-derived music. The music here ranges from ultra-traditional acts like Vedan Kolod, Beneath the Clouds and Grey-Haired Ural to indie-folk like Gilead and Staritsa to electro-folk from Petersburg (Etnozapil) and Moscow, which is where singer Alyona Minulina is from. Here’s her stunning song “Rusalka,” accompanying herself on looped pan flute and electronic percussion.
Tautumeitas’ Songs from Auleja
This Latvian women’s vocal group – whose name means “folk maidens” – sings stirring polyphonic music like “Aiz Azara,” one of my favorite songs from the album.
Here’s a playlist of my favorite world music tracks from 2020.
