You can always listen to the most recent show on Mixcloud
News: Congratulations to Best City Radio (Belfast) which broadcasts Around the World on Saturdays at 3:00 pm and Wednesdays at 10:00 pm. On 4 July the station began broadcasting to Belfast and Lisburn on DAB. Congratulations to Alan Mcateer.
This Week:
Music from: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Corsica, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Ghana, Greece, India, Italy, Lithuania, Malawi, Nigeria, Portugal, and Senegal.
Music by: Alicia Edelweiss, Amamere, Andrew Gurruwiwi Ban Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Charles Maimarosia, Duo Ruut, Faraualla, Femi Kuti, Glass Beams, , Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Kanazoé Orkestra, Lina & Jules Maxwell, Madalitso Band, Mari Kalkun & National Male Choir of Estonia, Marta Pereira da Costa, Māsas Dimantas, Nidia Góngora, Päivi Hirvonen, Roman Tovmasyan, Shkodra Elektronike, Sofia Leão, Tempvs Fvgit, Thanos Stavridis, Tondini & Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Värttinä, and Zar Electrik.
Also: Farther down, you cansee this month’s World Music Charts Europe and Transglobal World Music Chart as well as where to hear Around the World.
This week’s Featured Album: Grecia Albán - Nubes Selva
Grecia Albán - VIRGEN Y VOLCÁN
Grecia Albán was born María Grecia Albán Campaña in Latacunga on March 28, 1986, to parents Amilcar Albán and Maru Campaña. She spent her early years between the highlands of Cotopaxi and the Amazon region of Napo before settling in Guayaquil where she now lives.
Her music channels the meeting of Sierra, Oriente and Costa, blending each landscape’s music art, and cultures.
“Nubes Selva” is intended to evoke the image of jungle canopies and drifting clouds she witnessed as a child, floating on the river while holding her mother’s feet.
That simple act becomes a metaphor for immersion and lightness, the guiding premise of a record designed to open doors from everyday life into ancestral worlds.
I want in my music to detect the variety of landscapes, the mixture of cultures and that everything dialogues with the sounds that I like and inspire both from Ecuador and Latin America.
Albán fuses tradition and modernity in her music. Sanjuanito, (the Ecuadorian folk music and dance, associated with the Andean region), and huayno rhythm, (a core element of Andean music), are entwined with jazz harmonies and electronic layers. Acoustic guitars, traditional wind instruments and percussion are used with synthesizers and samples.
Albán studied cello at Ecuador’s Conservatorio Nacional de Música, earned a bachelor’s in Contemporary Music and Singing from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, pursued musical pedagogy at Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), and completed a master’s in Cultural Management and Cultural Policies at Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar.
Before her solo work, she composed scores for feature films including La Tola Box (2014), Tan distintos los dos (2015) and Objetos Rebeldes (2019), bringing her poetic sensibility and natural-world inspirations to the cinematic realm.
Her voice, which alternates between Spanish and Quechua, is shaped by the mountains and jungle she grew up in, and by her ceaseless curiosity for global sonic landscapes.
Nubes Selva was released on13 June 2025 via Folkalist Records, a New York-based label focusing on jazz and world traditions.
Buy it on Bandcamp:
Sources:
https://ancecuador.com/grecia-alban/ https://revistamundodiners.com/entrevistas/grecia-alban-nubes-selva/
https://www.folkalistrecords.com/artists/grecia-alban
Madalitso Band - Anafera Chiboda (Glastonbury 2025)
Formed in Lilongwe, Malawi in 2002 during the country’s famine, Madalitso Band is a duo of Yobu Maligwa (babatoni, a one-string slide bass) and Yosefe Kalekeni (four-string guitar and foot-drum).
The pair spent ten years performing on Lilongwe’s streets and in local markets before producer Emmanuel recognised their raw talent and unique homemade instruments. He invited them into the studio, producing their debut album Fungo La Nyemba and becoming their long-term manager and creative partner.
Their first international appearance at Zanzibar’s Sauti za Busara festival in 2017, hailed as their “breakthrough” moment. I saw them entrace a crowd of people who are not easily impressed at a showcase at WOMEX 2024. They have also had extensive tours across Africa, Europe and the United States, and a live, televised set for BBC’s Glastonbury Festival coverage in June.
Roman Tovmasyan - Armenian Funk
This just blew me away. Roman Tovmasyan is an Armenian singer-songwriter and composer who blends traditional Armenian motifs with funk rhythms and contemporary pop sensibilities. His arrangements often feature brass sections, clarinet, and traditional percussion alongside modern bass and guitar lines, showcasing a rich fusion of folk and funk influences. There is a hit (or more than a hint?) of Zappa there, too.
On “Armenian Funk,” Tovmasyan teamed up with a core group of session players—Babken Nazaryan on drums, Edgar Avetisyan on bass, Artur Baliyan on percussion, Rafael Sahakyan on clarinet, Artur Israelyan, Marat Hakobyan and Hayk Ghazaryan on brass, and Gevorg Ghazaryan on guitar. This lineup underscores his collaborative ethos and commitment to live instrumentation in the studio.
It is his 12th single. There is no album, yet. But you can find more on YouTube.
WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE
July 2025
Compiled by Milan Tesař on behalf of the World Music Workshop of the European Broadcasting Union, based on playlists submitted by 44 radio producers from 25 European countries.
1 KYLY prev month: 9
Värttinä • Finland • Rockadillo Records
2 VIÉ KAZ prev month: ---
Votia • France (Réunion) • Ajabu!
3 GNAWA WORLD BLUES prev month: ---
Majid Bekkas, Nguyen Le, Hamid Drake • Morocco/France/USA • ACT
4 IN BETWEEN prev month: 24
Elana Sasson • USA/Iran/Kurdish • PKMusik
5 SUNWISE prev month: ---
Brighde Chaimbeul • UK (Scotland) • Glitterbeat
6 MAR prev month: ---
Sofia Leao • Portugal • Uguru
7 CLUB TOUNSI prev month: 2
Ammar 808 • Tunisia • Glitterbeat
8 BRAHMS, BALKANS & BAGELS prev month: ---
Oktopus • Canada • self released
9 INSPIRAR prev month: ---
Danças Ocultas • Portugal • Galileo
10 LIVE AT LEVON HELM STUDIOS prev month: ---
Mandé Sila • Mali/Senegal/Ivory Coast • Contre-Jour
11 CANCIONERA prev month: 17
Natalia Lafourcade • Mexico • Sony
12 NUBES SELVA prev month: ---
Grecia Albán • Ecuador • Folkalist
13 O RAPAZ DA MONTANHA prev month: 4
Rodrigo Leao • Portugal • Galileo
14 KIND OF FOLK VOL. 5 POLAND prev month: ---
Groupa • Sweden/Norway/Poland • All Ice Records
15 TERRA MAE prev month: ---
Lina_ & Jules Maxwell • Portugal/UK • Atlantic Curve
16 THE GARDEN OF OTAVA prev month: 7
Barbora Xu • Czech Republic • Nordic Notes
17 SO KONO prev month: 26
Salif Keita • Mali • No Format
18 TONA prev month: ---
Kadialy Kouyaté • Senegal • ARC Music
19 AL ALBA prev month: 3
Matthieu Saglio & Camille Saglio • France • ACT
20 DUUN/VOICES prev month: ---
Urna Chahar-Tugchi • China – Inner Mongolia • self released
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some notable albums below the official Top 20:
22 THE LEGEND OF CARAU prev month: ---
Rebekah Wolkstein & Payadora • Canada • self released
24 ESTUARIUM prev month: ---
Oriol Mares & Talal Fayad Quartet • Spain/Syria • Estuarium Records
25 RITUAL prev month: 119
Rita Donde • Cuba/Mexico • Ansonia Records
27 KOYO prev month: 156
Zar Elektrik • France • Jarring Effects
28 RISE prev month: 84
Alpha Blondy • Ivory Coast • Alphalliance
29 JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE prev month: 34
Femi Kuti • Nigeria • Partisan Records
31 ZULU GUITAR BLUES prev month: ---
various artists • South Africa • Matsuli Music Limited
32 VII prev month: ---
The Budos Band • USA • Diamong West
34 INDÉPENDANCE prev month: 97
Mario Lucio • Cape Verde • Maremusica
35 MIGRATING prev month: 27
Maija Kauhanen & Johannes Geworkian Hellman • Finland/Sweden • Gammalthea
36 IT WAS ALL HEART prev month: ---
Ward Dhoore • Belgium • Trad Records
40 ROOTS ROCKING ZIMBABWE – THE MODERN SOUND OF HARARE TOWNSHIPS 1975–1980 prev month: 43
various artists • Zimbabwe • Analog Africa
TRANSGLOBAL WORLD MUSIC CHART
Transglobal World Music Chart (TWMC) is a network of journalists, critics, writers, DJs... from all continents specialized in world music, that produces a monthly chart and also an annual one, according to quality criteria, selecting the best recent world music albums from all over the world.
July 2025
1. Värttinä · Kyly · Rockadillo [4]
2. Adrian Raso & Fanfare Ciocărlia · The Devil Rides Again · Asphalt Tango [1]
3. Ammar 808 · Club Tounsi · Glitterbeat [6]
4. Savina Yannatou, Primavera en Salonico and Lamia Bedioui · Watersong · ECM [3]
5. Hawa & Kassé Mady Diabaté · Toumaro · One World [-]
6. Madalitso Band · Ma Gitala · Bongo Joe [11]
7. Anouar Brahem · After the Last Sky · ECM [13]
8. Famo Mountain · For Those Left Behind · Glitterbeat [20]
9. Mari Kalkun · Stoonia Lood Live / Stories of Stonia Live · Real World [-]
10. Francis Bebey · Trésor Magnétique · Africa Seven [29]
11. Kankou Kouyate · N’Darila · One World [10]
12. Kaabi Kouyaté · Tribute to Kandia · Buda Musique [-]
13. Sami Galbi · Ylh Bye Bye · Bongo Joe [31]
14. Votia · Vié Kaz · Ajabu! [15]
15. Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian, Benedicte Maurseth, Patrick Graham · Nordic Lights in Persian Sky · Glossa [-]
16. Stefano Saletti · Mediterranima · Materiali Sonori [-]
17. Matthieu Saglio & Camille Saglio · Al Alba · ACT Music [12]
18. Elana Sasson · In Between · PKMusik [18]
19. Songhoy Blues · Héritage · Transgressive / Remote [2]
20. Mehmet Polat Quartet · Roots in Motion · AudioMaze [16]
21. Alune Wade · New African Orleans · Enja / Yellowbird [30]
22. Mustafa Said & Asil Ensemble · Maqam Pilgrims · Mapamundi Musica [-]
23. Trio Da Kali · Bagola · One World [7]
24. Nidia Góngora · Pacífico Maravilla · Positivo [5]
25. Aleksand Saya x Sarera – Fikira – Kayamba [-]
26. Aïta Mon Amour · Abda · Shouka [9]
27. Los Pirañas · Una Oportunidad Más de Triunfar en la Vida · Glitterbeat [24]
28. Mara Aranda · Sefarad en el Corazón de Bulgaria · Mara Aranda [8]
29. Brìghde Chaimbeul · Sunwise · Tak:til / Glitterbeat [-]
30. Neba Solo · Tuma Duma · Blanc Manioc [-]
31. Charles Maimarosia · Hote’ Hote’ · Wantok Musik [21]
32. Majid Bekkas, Nguyên Lê, Hamid Drake · Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XVII: Gnawa World Blues · ACT Music [-]
33. Park Jiha · All Living Things · Tak:til / Glitterbeat [14]
34. Boubacar Traoré & Vincent Boucher & Jeremie Diarra · Live! · Boubacar Traoré [17]
35. Lina & Jules Maxwell · Terra Mãe · Atlantic Curve / Schubert Music Europe [-]
36. Luizga & iZem · Yemamaya · Elis [-]
37. Zingarua · Serotonina · Maninalto! [-]
38. Vesevo · Tien’ a ment’ · Liburia [-]
39. Kin’Gongolo Kiniata · Kiniata · Hélico [22]
40. Evoéh Q-Art · Músicas semilla · Segell Microscopi [-]
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) 11:00 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)