This week’s show was first broadcast earlier this year
But I’m back, I’m home, and a brand new show is coming next week.
Music From:Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Senegal, South Africa, Syria, Taiwan, Uganda, and western Kenya.
Music By: Ado 阿洛, Adrian Raso & Fanfare Ciocarlia, Anoushka Shankar, Cassie and Maggie, Cheikh Ibra Fam, Dubioza Kolektiv, Estrellas de Buena Vista, Kankou Kouyate, Kasiva Mutua, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening, Kazdoura, Lajkó Félix, Mo Laudi & Fatoumata Diawara, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Natalia Lafourcade, Päivi Hirvonen, Piers Faccini & Ballaké Sissoko, Quartetto Areasud, Sauljaljui, Seu Jorge & Wilson das Neves, Vimma, Winyo & Fancy Fingers, and Yo Maps Yo.
This week’s featured album is Niepraudzivaya by Hajda Banda
Niepraudzivaya kalina - Hajda Banda / Гайда Банда
Hajda Banda (Гайда Банда) is a Polish-Belarusian folk music ensemble that emerged in the autumn of 2021. Founded by violinist Daria Butskaya, the band is dedicated to preserving and reimagining the traditional music of the Podlasie region in eastern Poland, western Belarus, and Polesye, a borderland area shared by Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus.
The group is celebrated for its authentic acoustic sound, using traditional instruments such as violin, hammered dulcimer, three-row Polish accordion, and frame drum. Their music is a vibrant blend of rural melodies, including polkas, waltzes, and traditional dances, which they perform with a modern twist while staying true to their roots.
Hajda Banda's album Niepraudzivaya [translates to "untrue" or "false" in English] was released on March 8, 2025. This is their second album, following their debut Hajda!. The album explores themes of daily struggles, such as family and romantic relationships, substance abuse, war, and violence, while also celebrating moments of joy through traditional dances, communal singing, and cultural exchanges1. It features 15 tracks and continues the band's tradition of blending acoustic sounds
The ensemble's members bring a wealth of experience from various folk music projects, enriching their performances with a depth of musical expertise. Since their inception, Hajda Banda has performed over 90 concerts, to audiences at prestigious festivals and intimate village gatherings.
Dubioza Kolektiv - Rakija y Ron feat. Adrià Salas (Video oficial)
Dubioza Kolektiv are heading out on a long European tour and I’m hoping to see them at least once (in Brno) maybe twice (when they come to Belfast). I first saw them play live at Balkan Most in Veszprém, Hungary in September 2023. They were tremendous! Details of their tour are below.
Dubioza Kolektiv is a dynamic and politically charged band from Bosnia and Herzegovina, formed in 2003. Known for their eclectic mix of musical styles, they blend elements of ska, punk, reggae, dub, hip-hop, and Balkan folk music. Their lyrics often tackle social and political issues, making them a voice for change and resistance in the region. Their music often addresses themes like corruption, nationalism, and social justice, resonating with audiences across Europe and beyond.
Over the years, they have gained a reputation for their high-energy performances and multilingual songs, which are performed in Bosnian, English, and other languages.
The video for Rakija Y Ron features Adrià Salas, a Spanish musician and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Catalan rumba and ska band La Pegatina. His band gained international recognition and was even nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2018 for their album Now or Never.
The band are still on tour: These are some of the remaining dates - Check their website for updates and additions.
10 Sep2025 - LAV - Lisboa Ao VivoLisboa (Portugal)
11 Sep2025 - Revenidas S.c.Vilagarcía De Arousa (Spain)
12 Sep2025 - Sala La RivieraMadrid (Spain)
13 Sep2025 - Sala ApoloBarcelona (Spain)
04 Oct2025 - Exeter PhoenixExeter (United Kingdom)
05 Oct2025 - The FleeceBristol (United Kingdom)
08 Oct2025 - Electric BallroomCamden (United Kingdom)
09 Oct2025 - GorillaManchester (United Kingdom)
10 Oct2025 - The WarehouseLeeds (United Kingdom)
12 Oct2025 - Northumbria University Newcastle, City CampusNewcastle (United Kingdom)
13 Oct2025 - The Classic GrandGlasgow (United Kingdom)
15 Oct2025 - Belfast Empire Music HallBelfast (United Kingdom)
16 Oct2025 - The Button FactoryDublin (Ireland)
06 Nov2025 - PustervikGöteborg (Sweden)
19 Dec2025 - GasometerWien (Austria)
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Cheikh Ibra Fam - Xam Xam (Official Music Video)
"Xam Xam" is the first single from Cheikh Ibra Fam’s upcoming album "Adouna." Infused with Caribbean zouk and Angolan kizomba, the song is a call to embrace knowledge as the most valuable treasure of all. With "Xam Xam", Cheikh Ibra Fam sets the stage for Adouna, an album that explores themes of migration, love, faith, and the universal human search for purpose. Over the next year, he will embark on a global tour, bringing his message of music, memory, and movement to audiences worldwide.
Currently based on Reunion Island, Cheikh Ibra Fam was born Cheikh Ibrahima Ousmane Fame, is a Senegalese musician celebrated for his unique blend of Afropop, funk, jazz, soul, and roots music. Growing up in Dakar, Senegal, he was immersed in the Baye Fall spiritual tradition and Afro-Cuban rhythms, which shaped his musical identity. His early influences included Otis Redding and Orchestra Baobab, where he performed for six years before launching his solo career.
Where and when to hear Around the World
Thursday:
LIVE DRN1 Perth Western Australia - 9:00 p.m. local time (2:00 pm CET)
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
Best City Radio (Belfast) 3:00 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
Websound Radio (Larne) 10:00 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:
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)