***NEW - Around the World: Diversion***
Each week when I make Around the World, there are records that get left out. They just fall off the playlist as I run out of time. I have decided to add this - Around the World : DIVERSION.
Only available on MixCloud, DIVERSION will be published each week. This week music from: Brighde Chaimbeul, Poor Creature, Ward Dhoore, Tempvs Fvgit, Estaca Zero, Ammar 808, Mustafa Said, Ahmed Mukhtar and Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde with Demi Garcia Sabat, Sababa 5, SHIRAN & BAKAL, Bembeya Jazz National, Igor Bozanic, and Holly Holden.
You can listen to the first one on Mixcloud: Diversion 1
This week on Around the World
You can listen to Around the World on Mixcloud
Music from: Algeria, Brazil, Egypt, France, Italy, Lebanon, Macaronesia, Mali, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Wales, and Zimbabwe.
Music by: Abderrahmane Djalti, Abel Selaocoe, Sidiki Dembele & Dudù Kouate, Cat Stevens, Cerys Hafana, Clara Serra Lopez, Empanadas Ilegales, Entre Ilhas, Estaca Zero, Gabriel da Rosa, Gabriel Saglio, Kadialy Kouyate, Lina & Marco Mezquida, Lívia Mattos, Maurice Louca, MËSTIZA, Nasibo Mutize & Zigwiton, Neha!, Ouzo Bazooka, Radio Tutti, Rebecca Roger Cruz, Tania Saleh, The Good Ones, and TRÚ
THIS WEEK’S FEATURED ALBUM
Kasse Mady Diabate & Hawa Kasse Mady Diabaté - TOUMARO
Kasse Mady Diabate - Simbo (Official Video)
When Malian griot legend Kassé Mady Diabaté passed away in 2018, he left behind unfinished recordings — fragments of voice and melody steeped in Manding tradition. His daughter, Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, already acclaimed with Trio Da Kali, took on the task of completing them.
With producer Ibrahim Kaba and a hand‑picked ensemble of Mali’s finest, Hawa shaped Toumaro (“See you soon”) into an 11‑track journey of rhythm, memory, and intergenerational dialogue. Her own title song frames the album as both farewell and promise, weaving her voice with her father’s in a conversation across time.
Released in 2025 on One World Records, Toumaro rose to #1 on the World Music Charts Europe and Transglobal Music Chart, a testament to the enduring power of the Diabaté name and the living heartbeat of the griot tradition.
Both charts are at the end of this newsletter.
Some other Music on Around the World this week
Lina & Marco Mezquida – Lisboa dos Manjericos (Lisboa dos Manjericos – Single) Portuguese fado singer Lina joins Spanish pianist Marco Mezquida for an ode to Lisbon’s summer festival season, where manjerico basil plants scent the streets and saudade hangs in the air.
Radio Tutti – Saca punto (Twang Club)
A riot of Mediterranean brass, Balkan beats, and street‑party energy — Radio Tutti turn traditional dance forms into a modern, horn‑driven carnival.
Gabriel da Rosa – Seu João (Cacofonia) Brazilian singer‑songwriter Gabriel da Rosa blends bossa nova ease with indie‑folk intimacy in this portrait of a neighbourhood character, full of warmth and sly humour.
Neha! – Bre Petrunko (Svetu) A Slovak all‑female vocal sextet formed in 2020, specialising in polyphonic arrangements of traditional songs from Slovakia, Eastern Europe, and beyond. Svetu is their 2025 debut — 10 traditional songs reimagined with harp, beatbox, percussion, and cello.
Cerys Hafana – Helynt Ryfeddol (Angel) She is a Welsh triple‑harpist and composer who – in her own words - “mangles, mutates, and transforms” traditional music.
Angel is to be her second album and will be on Glitterbeat at the end of the month.
TRU – Norah (Norah – Single) A singalong in waltztime, this tune from the south Down (Northern Ireland) trio will keep you company all week as an earworm!
Rebecca Roger Cruz – Sol de Luna Llena (Río Abajo)
Born in Caracas, the Venezuelan artist Rebecca Roger Cruz’s work weaves Venezuelan folk music, flamenco, jazz, baroque musique and improvisation.
With Río Abajo, Cruz unveils a debut solo album, revealing the delta of everything that makes her up. Birdsong, poetic incantations, baroque orchestrations, magnetic textures, percussive trance. [Bandcamp]
Rebecca tells me that the musicians she has been working with are from France, Switzerland and Venezuela.
MËSTIZA – España Cañí (Quëreles) The Spanish DJ‑producer duo rework the iconic pasodoble into a club‑ready, flamenco‑flavoured electronic storm.
Tania Saleh – Marajeeh (Fragile) Lebanese singer‑songwriter Tania Saleh crafts a poetic, jazz‑tinged reflection on resilience and fragility in turbulent times. Her new album is Fragile and is likely to be next week’s featured album.
The Good Ones – You Were Given a Dowry, But Abandoned Me (Rwanda Sings With Strings) Rwandan farmers‑turned‑musicians sing a raw, heartfelt lament, their harmonies accompanied by acoustic guitar in a style born from post‑genocide healing.
Estaca Zero – Molhar Os Pés / Bolas De Berlim Na Praia (As Aventuras Do Guitarrinho No País Das Possibilidades) Portuguese surf‑pop that smells of sea spray and pastry sugar — a soundtrack for barefoot afternoons.
Gabriel Saglio – Clin d’œil à la Méliès (De l’infini) French chanson meets West African rhythms in a tribute to cinema pioneer Georges Méliès.
Abel Selaocoe plays Tsohle Tsohle (Live at Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg)
Abel Selaocoe, Manchester Collective et al. – Tsohle Tsohle (Hymns of Bantu) South African cellist Abel Selaocoe leads a genre‑defying ensemble in a piece that fuses classical virtuosity with pan‑African grooves and call‑and‑response vocals.
Abderrahmane Djalti – Ala Bladi Nebki (Sweet Rebels – The Golden Era of Algerian Pop‑Raï) The record label We Want Sounds – specialises in finding old forgotten music from all corners of the planet – Their most recent release is Sweet Rebels – The Golden Era of Algerian Pop‑Raï – Raï is an Algerian folk-influenced pop music genre.
It’s a compilation of 1990’s recordings – most of which would have started out as cassettes. Among the singers is Albeer-Amman Djaltee who started out in 1985 and is still playing and recording - That song was Ala Bee-leddy Neb-key released in 1991
Lívia Mattos - História de uma cabeça
Lívia Mattos – História de uma Cabeça (Verve) Brazilian accordionist and songwriter has a background in Circus performance influencing her surreal, theatrical approach and cabaret flair. She is a Brazilian accordionist and former circus performer. Her new album Verve (2025) completes a trilogy begun with Vinha da Ida released in 2017 and Apneia in 2022.
She also has some very silly videos.
The Charts
WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE - The first 10
1 TOUMARO Hawa & Kasse Mady Diabaté • Mali • One World
2 FRAGILE Tania Saleh • Lebanon • Tantune
3 SUNWISE Brighde Chaimbeul • UK (Scotland) • Glitterbeat
4 SVETU Neha! • Slovakia • Zvukopriestor
5 MEDITERRANIMA Stefano Saletti • Italy • Materiali Sonori
6 YORUKLUK Elena Baklava • North Macedonia • CPL-Music
7 XXX Söndörgö • Hungary • Ground Up
8 ŽEGA Igor Božanić • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Pop Depresija
9 LIVE AT LEVON HELM STUDIOS Mandé Sila • Mali/Senegal/Ivory Coast • Contre-Jour
10 RWANDA SINGS WITH STRINGS The Good Ones • Rwanda • Glitterbeat
Find 11 - 20 here at the WMCE website
TRANSGLOBAL MUSIC CHART
1. Hawa & Kassé Mady Diabaté · Toumaro · One World [2]
2. Mustafa Said & Asil Ensemble · Maqam Pilgrims · Mapamundi Música [1]
3. Mahotella Queens · Buya Buya: Come Back · Umsakazo [11]
4. Africa Express · Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá · World Circuit [-]
5. Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian, Benedicte Maurseth, Patrick Graham · Nordic Lights in Persian Sky · Glossa [8]
6. Mandé Sila · Live @ Levon Helm · Contre-Jour [6]
7. Kanazoé Orkestra · Balabeatz · Antipodes Music [9]
8. Mádé Kuti · Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From? · LegacyPlus Records [-]
9. Värttinä · Kyly · Rockadillo [3]
10. Kaabi Kouyaté · Tribute to Kandia · Buda Musique [7]
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:
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
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)