This week on Around the World
You can listen to Around the World on Mixcloud
The first hour - The second hour
Music from: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, France, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde), Mali, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Senegal, UK, USA, Wales, and Zimbabwe.
Music by: Althea SullyCole, BaianaSystem, Seu Jorge & Antônio Carlos & Jocafi, Benny Moré, DANTCHEV:DOMAIN, Discos Pacífico All Stars & Balimaya Project, Duo Ruut, Eljuri, Entre Ilhas, Gisela João, Gwenifer Raymond, Igor Bozanic, Kanazoé Orkestra, Kasse Mady Diabate & Hawa Kasse Mady Diabaté, Las Panteras, Lina & Marco Mezquida, Mádé Kuti, Matěj Metoděj Štrunc, Molde, Nasibo Mutize & Zigwiton, Sidsel Walstad & Ibou Cissokho, Stefano Salett, Tania Saleh, and TRU.
This week’s featured album - Africa Express Presents... Bahidorá
Africa Express - ‘Mi Lado’ ft. Alansito Vega, Poté & Mare Advertencia
Damon Albarn’s visionary collective Africa Express returns with Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá, a genre-defying celebration of global collaboration. Rooted in the setting of Mexico’s Bahidorá Festival, the album brings together over 30 artists from four continents, weaving African rhythms with Latin American flair, electronic textures, and soulful pop. Albarn, joined by collaborators like Fatoumata Diawara, Moonchild Sanelly, Nick Zinner, and Mexican Institute of Sound, curates a 21-track journey that’s both expansive and intimate.
The album pulses with layered percussion, multilingual vocals (Yoruba, Swahili, Spanish, English), and a rich blend of traditional and futuristic sounds. Standout moments include Luisa Almaguer’s haunting vocals on “Soledad,” the cosmic groove of ONIPA with Diawara, and the fiery barrio soul of Moonchild Sanelly and Mare Advertencia. From psychedelic boleros to dembow-infused anthems, Bahidorá defies borders and genres.
More than a compilation, it’s a testament to Albarn’s belief in music as a universal language—one that connects, celebrates, and transforms.
Here’s a list fo the Artists and their countries:
🌍 Africa
Mali — Abou Diarra, Baba Sissoko
South Africa — Moonchild Sanelly
Ghana — M.anifest
Algeria — Imarhan
Ivory Coast / Burkina Faso — Mélissa Hié & Ophélia Hié
Uganda — Otim Alpha
Pan-African — Onipa (UK-based Ghanaian collective)
🌎 Latin America
Mexico — La Bruja de Texcoco, Mare Advertencia, Luisa Almaguer, Son Rompe Pera, Los Pream, Mexican Institute of Sound
Argentina — Tayhana (DJ/producer, now Mexico-based)
🌍 Europe
United Kingdom — Damon Albarn, Hak Baker, Django Django, Joan As Police Woman (UK/US), Seye Adelekan
France — Tom Excell (via Nubiyan Twist, UK-based but French heritage)
Spain — Some collaborative roots via Al Andaluz Project (not confirmed on this album but relevant to your broader mapping)
🌎 North America
United States — Bonobo, Bootie Brown (The Pharcyde), Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Joan As Police Woman
Puerto Rico — Possible influence via reggaeton/cumbia fusion, though not explicitly credited
🌍 Caribbean & Diaspora
Cape Verde / Portugal — Not directly listed, but Dino d’Santiago has collaborated with Africa Express previously
Jamaica / Afro-Caribbean diaspora — Stylistic influence present, though no direct artist credits on this release
This lineup spans four continents, with deep Afro-Latin rhythmic threads, UK electronic and indie textures, and strong representation from Mexico’s trans, Indigenous, and urban music scenes.
Sources: music.mxdwn.com - www.song-bar.com - tigresounds.com
Matěj Metoděj Štrunc - Okolo Hradišťa
Matěj Metoděj Štrunc (b. 1996, Brno) is a Czech musician, actor, and composer whose work bridges folk tradition and contemporary experimentation. Born into a musical family—his father, Dalibor Štrunc, is a renowned cimbalom player, and his mother, Kateřina Štruncová, a violinist—he grew up immersed in Moravian folk culture. After studying acting at the Brno Conservatory, he performed with the Municipal Theatre in Zlín while simultaneously developing his voice as a multi‑instrumentalist.
In 2022, Štrunc released his debut solo album Lidověk, a striking reimagining of Czech folk songs. The record layers traditional instruments such as cimbalom and violin with synthesizers, percussion, and electronic textures.
Sources: cs.wikipedia.org - www.indies.eu
PRAIA DO FUTURO - BaianaSystem, Seu Jorge, Antonio Carlos & Jocafi (Vídeo Performance em libras)
BaianaSystem have built their reputation on turning Salvador’s carnival energy into a global sound—fusing the wiry riffs of the guitarra baiana with bass‑heavy production, Afro‑Brazilian percussion, and politically charged lyrics. Their 2024 album O Mundo Dá Voltas pushed that vision further, inviting a constellation of collaborators to expand their sonic palette. Among the most striking moments are their partnerships with Brazilian icons Seu Jorge and the legendary duo Antônio Carlos & Jocafi, whose 1970s hits helped define the sound of Bahia’s popular music.
On tracks like Praia do Futuro, BaianaSystem weave Seu Jorge’s baritone with Jocafi’s melodies and Antônio Carlos’s rhythms, creating a dialogue between generations. These collaborations highlight the band’s ethos—honoring Bahia’s musical lineage while refusing to stand still. By bridging classic voices with their restless experimentation, BaianaSystem reaffirm their role as one of Brazil’s most vital cultural conduits, carrying the past into the future with electrifying force.
Sources: YouTube - Rhythm Passport - letras.mus.br
Where and when to hear Around the World
Friday:
Akaroa World Radio 2:00 pm local New Zealand Time (3:00 am GMT 4:00 am CET)
NAR-GROUP Germany – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
Mosel Radio – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
NAR-Alf – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)
Saturday:
Best City Radio (Belfast) 6:00 am
Power 101FM Malawi: 11:00 local time
Flirt FM (Galway’s Community of Interest & Student Station) 101.3 10:45 am - 12 45 pm
RCFM (Radio City FM) Duisburg, Germany 3:00 – 5:00 pm CET
U Radio - Sri Lanka 8:00pm - 10:00 pm local time
World FM 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
Essential Radio Midnight to 2:00 am GMT (1:00 am CET)
Sunday:
West Coast FM Namibia 10:00 pm to 12:00 noon Central Africa Time (2:00 to 4:00 GMT)
Power 101FM Malawi: 12:00 local time
NFRS Osaka Japan: 12:00 noon local time (3:00 am UK time 4:00 am CET)
973FM in Singapore and 11:00 pm local time (3:00 pm/15:00 hours UTC – Universal Time).
Circl8 Chester: 12:00 noon
Best City Radio (Belfast) 3:00 pm
Websound Radio (Larne) 8:00 pm
DCRFM (Dover Community Radio 7:00pm
Slice Audio 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Monday:
Armagh City Radio 00:00 pm local time (01:00 pm CET)
SparkFlame Radio: 00:00 am GMT (01:00 CET)
Circl8 Chester: 12:00 noon
Stirling Community Radio 8:00 pm GMT (9:00 pm CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)
BR2 Pure Gold Radio – Costa Blanca, Spain 10:00 pm local time (CET)
Akaroa World Radio 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
World FM 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
Tuesday:
Shire Extra: 8:00 pm GMT (21:00 CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)
Wednesday:
World FM 4:00 am local New Zealand Time (5:00 pm Tuesday GMT, 6:00 pm CET)
Slice Audio 4:00 am local time GMT (5:00 am CET)
Life Right Radio (London) 7:00 pm
Best City Radio (Belfast) 10:00 pm
Radio Skye (Radio Garden) 10:00 pm GMT (11:00 pm CET)
Thursday:
LIVE DRN1 Perth Western Australia - 9:00 p.m. local time (2:00 pm CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)