Joel Dwek & Danny Wiser
USA: Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
One of the most iconic records of all time, the multi-talented Wonder manages to pack complex and poetic lyricism alongside intricate and...
DISCOVEr CULTURE through music
Joel Dwek & Danny Wiser
- Apr 18
- 8 min
UK: Abbey Road - The Beatles
After two years of honouring musical delights from across the globe, we don't have to search hard in our home nation to find a gem of our...
Joel Dwek
- Feb 28
- 5 min
ZAMBIA: The Return - Sampa The Great
This behemoth rap record masterfully combines a whole range of genres into hip-hop, while retaining a firm worldview Events, dear boy....
Danny Wiser
- Feb 15
- 4 min
GEORGIA: In Vino Veritas - Mgzavrebi
This hope-infused record is not to be ignored as it uses styles of the past whilst mainting a current and modern feel On the border of...
Joel Dwek
- Jan 31
- 6 min
JAMAICA: Funky Kingston - Toots and the Maytals
Taking reggae and blending it with blues, R&B, and rock'n'roll, the Jamaican icons are at their best on this resplendent album I have...
Danny Wiser
- Jan 17
- 4 min
YEMEN: Akher El Akhbar - Ahmad Fathi
Master of the oud demonstrates skill not only in his musicianship but also in his production of the record Around November 2020, having...
Joel Dwek
- Jan 3
- 4 min
PHILIPPINES: Diwa - Juan Karlos
Containing a variety of rock genres within, Juan Karlos' debut album shatters the child star image of its lead singer and songwriter with...
Danny Wiser
- Nov 22, 2021
- 7 min
NAMIBIA: Black Colonialists - Black Vulcanite
A whirlwind ride through many important themes, the hip-hop collective create innovative rhythms whilst always speaking truth to power...
Joel Dwek
- Nov 9, 2021
- 4 min
MOZAMBIQUE: Eparaka - Deltino Guerreiro
Mozambican traditional sounds meet the modern world in this vibrant and wonderfully ambitious debut album Usually, the albums I pick as...
Danny Wiser
- Oct 25, 2021
- 8 min
FRANCE/ARMENIA: La Bohème - Charles Aznavour
A unique record with the capacity to provoke a sense of rather deep and beautiful self-reflection about dreams, desires and direction I...
Joel Dwek
- Oct 11, 2021
- 4 min
SWITZERLAND: Aliento - Danit
Looking across the Atlantic for inspiration, the Swiss musician entrances her listeners with soft instrumentation and her beguiling voice...
Danny Wiser
- Sep 27, 2021
- 4 min
LEBANON: Ibn El Leil - Mashrou' Leila
Defiance is the order of the day, as the techinically gifted Lebanese outfit produce an album that is as enjoyable as it is powerful In...
Joel Dwek
- Sep 17, 2021
- 4 min
CUBA: Beautiful - Cándido
Latin jazz with some infectious drumbeats, percussionist Cándido shows off his immense talent and flair for fusion music When I first...
Danny Wiser
- Aug 30, 2021
- 5 min
ZIMBABWE: Ammartia - Ammara Brown
Informally labelled as Zimbabwe's "Queen of Pop", Brown earns her crown on this magnificent debut attempt In my first forays into...
Joel Dwek
- Aug 16, 2021
- 4 min
IVORY COAST: Djekpa La You - Dobet Gnahoré
An unorthodox musical education and a fiery natural talent make for an album that mixes a wide range of African styles within a modern...
Danny Wiser
- Aug 2, 2021
- 6 min
ARGENTINA: Clics Modernos - Charly García
Finding the right adjective to sum-up an album is not always an easy task, but the word 'revolutionary' is obvious in the case of...
Joel Dwek
- Jul 20, 2021
- 4 min
SUDAN: Ya Dunya - Sharhabil Ahmed
The beloved Sudanese icon gives a masterclass in musical expression with an album that combines soulful vocals and musical fusion Known...
Danny Wiser
- Jul 5, 2021
- 5 min
ESWATINI: Swazi Soul - Bholoja
A beautiful and powerful first incarnation of what can be labelled as Bholoja's somewhat unique genre Nowadays when people ask me what...
Joel Dwek
- Jun 20, 2021
- 3 min
GUATEMALA: Mil Palabras Con Sus Dientes - Bohemia Suburbana
Subgenres of rock galore - Bohemia Suburbana demonstrate their supreme talent It has become a cliché among myself and Danny that whenever...
Danny Wiser
- Jun 7, 2021
- 5 min
BURKINA FASO: Victor Démé - Victor Démé
Marxist policy often suppresses creative freedom, Démé's distinguished self-titled album proves itself as the exception to this rule Over...
Joel Dwek
- May 24, 2021
- 4 min
IRAN: Enlighten The Night - Mahsa Vahdat
Sensuous vocals and gentle jazz combine with Iranian traditional music in a beautiful confluence of sounds Many, though not all, of the...
Danny Wiser
- May 10, 2021
- 3 min
SIERRA LEONE: Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana - S. E. Rogie
Humorous, uplifting, and endearing - this palm wine record is the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing day in the sun The Beatles’ Abbey...
Joel Dwek
- Apr 26, 2021
- 4 min
MALI: Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux - Les Ambassadeurs
The swansong for one of Mali's finest musical exports, Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux demonstrate exactly why they are still a world...
Danny Wiser
- Apr 12, 2021
- 4 min
UGANDA: Exile - Geoffrey Oryema
Oryema tackles the difficult theme of being exiled from one's homeland using his emotions from his personal hardship to guide him through...
Joel Dwek
- Mar 28, 2021
- 5 min
HAITI: HaitiaNola - Lakou Mizik
Combining their fearsome talents with New Orleans-based musicians, Lakou Mizik aim to highlight cultural links to the US, while also...
Danny Wiser
- Mar 15, 2021
- 4 min
BHUTAN/FRANCE: Rain of Blessings: Vajra Chants - Lama Gyurme & Jean-Philippe Rykiel
Serenity, spirituality and sanctity feature as strands of this phenomenal collaboration between two musical devotees When many in the...
Joel Dwek
- Mar 1, 2021
- 5 min
INDONESIA: Los Skut Leboys - Sore
Their first album after their main songwriter left the band, the remaining members of Indonesian outfit Sore seized the opportunity to...
Danny Wiser
- Feb 14, 2021
- 6 min
ITALY: Oro Incenso & Birra - Zucchero Fornaciari
Fun, raw and multi-talented - Zucchero shows off a fusion style decades ahead of his time in a country that often fails to welcome in...
Joel Dwek
- Feb 1, 2021
- 4 min
DENMARK: Det er Mig der Holder Træerne Sammen - Under Byen
This album full of interesting musical ideas and consummate musicianship certainly succeeds in creating an intellectually and emotionally...
Danny Wiser
- Jan 18, 2021
- 4 min
TURKMENISTAN: Gunesh - Gunesh
State-sponsored bands often are 'middle-of-the-road'; however, this is far from the case for these experimental Turkmen extraordinaires...
Joel Dwek
- Jan 11, 2021
- 4 min
CAMEROON: Get On Board - Emmanuel Pi Djob
The soul man shows off his talent as he crosses the divide of the Anglo-Francophone conflict in his native Cameroon Many musicians from...
Danny Wiser
- Dec 21, 2020
- 6 min
IRELAND: Let The People Sing - The Wolfe Tones
Perhaps the very definition of a problematic favourite, Let The People Sing poses the difficult question of whether an album can be loved...
Joel Dwek
- Dec 7, 2020
- 4 min
CHINA: Black Panther - Hei Bao
The Chinese rockers prove their worth in this blisteringly brilliant debut album that demonstrates their lightness of touch as well as...
Danny Wiser
- Nov 22, 2020
- 5 min
GUINEA: Objectif Perfection - Balla Et Ses Balladins
A bittersweet masterpiece that celebrates liberation from colonialism Whilst on the surface, this might seem a fun album with songs that...
Joel Dwek
- Nov 9, 2020
- 7 min
AUSTRALIA: Gurrumul - Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
A masterpiece of the highest order that evokes plenty of emotion and highlights the importance of preserving Aboriginal culture About two...
Danny Wiser
- Oct 26, 2020
- 4 min
SOUTH SUDAN: The Key - Emmanuel Jal
Jal’s repeated calls to action throughout the entire record cut through the incredibly fun and upbeat tunes All across the world there...
Joel Dwek
- Oct 12, 2020
- 4 min
CAMBODIA: Reatrei Nov Hong Kong, Vol. 58 - Sinn Sisamouth
The work of Sinn Sisamouth reveals a fascinating lost world of Cambodian music, and the tragic circumstances that surrounded its downfall...
Danny Wiser
- Sep 27, 2020
- 5 min
THE NETHERLANDS: Moontan - Golden Earring
If Golden Earring were from the UK or the US they would reach legendary status and this album would be seen as one of the great rock...
Joel Dwek
- Sep 14, 2020
- 3 min
BRAZIL/USA: Sammy Davis, Jr Sings, Laurindo Almeida Plays - Sammy Davis, Jr & Laurindo Almeida
Beautiful singing and gorgeous acoustic guitar playing - what more do you need? What do we mean when we pick an album as album of the...
Danny Wiser
- Sep 7, 2020
- 5 min
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Sanza Soul - Laetitia Zonzambé
Is Bangui Africa’s very own Detroit? Zonzambé puts forward a convincing case… The last time I was tasked with writing an Album of the...
Joel Dwek
- Aug 24, 2020
- 4 min
ISRAEL: Badeshe Etzel Avigdor - Arik Einstein & Miki Gavrielov
The Voice of Israel provides a wonderful soft rock album filled to the brim with beautiful melodies and soothing sounds The music of...
Danny Wiser
- Aug 17, 2020
- 5 min
CANADA: You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen
There is not a blurb that could do justice to this album. Listen to it ASAP. On Around The World In 200 Albums we typically review albums...
Joel Dwek
- Aug 10, 2020
- 5 min
PAKISTAN: Mustt Mustt - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
In his first Western album, the King of Qawwali shows off his immense vocal talent in an album that straddles the line between tradition...
Danny Wiser
- Aug 3, 2020
- 3 min
SPAIN: El Momento - Nacha Pop
An album full of hits that celebrates the freedom of the post-dictatorship era When I first listened to Nacha Pop’s El Momento, I thought...
Joel Dwek
- Jul 27, 2020
- 4 min
AUSTRALIA: Flow State - Tash Sultana
Exciting and fresh, Sultana reinvigorates alternative rock by infusing it with a wide range of styles and genres At the age of 13 I...
Danny Wiser
- Jul 19, 2020
- 4 min
SENEGAL: Immigrés - Youssou N'Dour
The King of mbalax proves why he is arguably Africa’s greatest living musical export For those who want to explore African music, Youssou...
Joel Dwek
- Jul 13, 2020
- 6 min
SOUTH AFRICA: When You Come Back - Vusi Mahlasela
Joyous and melancholy, hopeful and cautious, Mahlasela's masterful lyrical and musical ability make for an especially wonderful album...
Danny Wiser
- Jul 6, 2020
- 5 min
ICELAND: Ágætis Byrjun - Sigur Rós
An artistic masterpiece that at moments transcends reality with its truly unique sound. Labelling something as ‘art’ does not bother me,...
Joel Dwek
- Jun 29, 2020
- 4 min
AUSTRIA: The Princess Pts 1 & 2 - Parov Stelar
Despite being an album in two parts with distinct styles, Parov Stelar’s The Princess is an exceptionally consistent, coherent and...
Danny Wiser
- Jun 4, 2020
- 5 min
CAPE VERDE: Miss Perfumado - Cesária Évora
The Barefoot Diva takes us on a musical journey as we are challenged to reflect on the eternal beauty of home, loved ones from our past,...