This year has seen a plethora of world music breakthroughs that redefine genre boundaries. Mongolian singer Enji’s debut collaboration with German jazz drummer Simon Popp is a masterclass in vocal range and control, showcasing intricate vocalisations and melodic drum textures.
Meanwhile, DJ Love from the Philippines brings his unique lo-fi dance sound to Budots World (Reloaded), combining signature bouncing rhythms with intense melodies. Indian classical vocalist Ganavya has had a breakthrough year, releasing two albums that showcase her emotive capacity, while South African trombonist Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O swaps tenderness for darkness in his album True Story.
Grammy-winning singer Arooj Aftab shifts away from quiet intensity to produce moody soundscapes on her fifth album, Night Reign. Native American singer Joe Rainey’s latest project blends tradition and electronic intensity with fellow Indigenous singer Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings. Kenyan metalhead Martin Kanja’s debut solo album, The Adept, welds trap rhythms to industrial techno, sludge metal, and doom.
The Room, a tender duet record by Los Angeles saxophonist Sam Gendel and Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento, showcases technical complexity and moving impact. At 82 years old, Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento’s debut album with jazz composer Esperanza Spalding is a testament to the enduring power of the mature voice. Finally, a posthumous release by Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his band Party subverts expectations, showcasing full-throated command of the qawwali tradition.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/dec/11/10-best-global-albums-of-2024