Around the World - Show Notes
12 June 2026
You can listen to Around the World on Mixcloud
Music by: Altın Gün, Amsterdam Klezmer Band, Angélique Kidjo, Nile Rodgers & IZA, Carol Kim & Saigon Supersound, Eliza Carthy & The Restitution, Lila Downs, Mexican Institute of Sound & Meridian Brothers, Minyo Crusaders & Saya Asakura, MJ Pérez, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Nalbandian L’Ethiopien, NEW ERA QUARTET, Nick Drake, Officina Zoe, Okra Playground, SAHAD, Saigon Soul Revival, Sofia Rei, Souad Massi, Spok, The Klezmatics, Trèvol and Warmoes
This Week’s Featured Album: Massa by Fatoumata Diawara
Fatoumata Diawara - Massa (Official Video)
Fatoumata Diawara was born in Ivory Coast to Malian parents in 1982, she was raised in Bamako before moving to France as a young woman to pursue acting. She appeared in films such as Genesis (1999), Sia, The Dream of the Python (2001) and later Timbuktu (2014), before turning decisively towards music, teaching herself guitar and writing songs rooted in Wassoulou traditions while drawing on folk, blues, pop and global influences.
Her collaborative reach is wide. She has recorded or performed with Cheick Tidiane Seck, Oumou Sangaré, AfroCubism, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Orchestre Poly‑Rythmo de Cotonou, and has been a central figure in Damon Albarn’s Africa Express, performing alongside Paul McCartney and later duetting with Albarn on Gorillaz’s “Désolé”. These encounters have shaped her sound: a blend of Mandinka melodic lines, electric guitar, jazz, Afrobeat, pop and electronic textures, always anchored by her griot‑influenced voice.
Massa, her fourth solo album and her first for the Paris label NØ FØRMAT!, marks a new chapter. Written in her forties, it reflects on motherhood, homesickness, solitude, betrayal, grief and faith — a personal reckoning delivered with emotional clarity. She describes it as “a résumé of my life today”. The album arrives after years of touring and cross‑continental collaborations, and its sound carries the imprint of those experiences: shifting rhythms, bright electric guitar, Bambara‑sung lyrics addressing both intimate and political themes, and a production approach that balances euphoria with depth.
Diawara’s live performances — including her upcoming Massa tour — highlight her signature Epiphone guitar and her commitment to emotional connection. She speaks of wanting audiences to “see a free woman”, someone who can hold heavy subjects while radiating joy and possibility.
Massa stands as both a continuation and a distillation of her journey: a confident, personal, globally attuned record from one of Africa’s most distinctive contemporary voices.
Sources: Wikipedia - Fatoumata Diawara - Songlines
ALSO ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW
Okra Playground – “Valheiden vanki” – Valheiden vanki – Single
Finnish electro‑folk collective blending traditional runo‑song vocals with contemporary synths and driving percussion. The song features the band’s trademark triple‑vocal frontline, drawing on Karelian and Ingrian singing traditions.
Saigon Soul Revival – “Khúc Tình – Yên Vui” – Chốn Ta Về
Part of the band’s mission to revive 1960s–70s Vietnamese bolero, soul and psychedelic rock for a new generation. “Khúc Tình – Yên Vui” pairs vintage Saigon romance with a modern, fuller band sound recorded in Ho Chi Minh City.
From Chốn Ta Về, their debut album, produced with the Hanoi‑based label Nhac Xua, known for archival restoration.
Carol Kim & Saigon Supersound - Sài Gòn - Saigon Supersound, Vol. 2
Carol Kim was one of the most powerful and versatile voices of pre‑1975 South Vietnam, known for her commanding stage presence and her ability to move between soul, funk, bolero and psychedelic pop. She became a key figure in the Saigon nightclub and cabaret scene, performing with electric bands influenced by American GIs stationed in Vietnam — a major factor in the city’s hybrid soul‑rock sound. Her recordings appear on the Saigon Supersound archival compilations, which document the explosive mix of Western instrumentation and Vietnamese melodic phrasing that defined the city’s late‑60s/early‑70s music culture.
Trèvol – “Lo Pardal” – Lo Pardal – Single
Catalan trio blending Occitan folk, Mediterranean rhythms and contemporary acoustic arrangements. “Lo Pardal” (“The Sparrow”) draws on regional storytelling traditions, delivered with close‑harmony vocals. Features traditional instruments such as gralla and hand percussion alongside modern guitar textures.
Lila Downs – “El Beso” – Cambias Mi Mundo
One of Mexico’s most distinctive voices, fusing Oaxacan Indigenous traditions with cumbia, bolero and pop. Downs’s multilingual approach (Spanish, Mixtec, Zapotec) shapes the album’s broader cultural palette.
SAHAD – “Ya Bon” (feat. Pat Kalla) – African West Station
Senegalese artist Sahad blends Afro‑folk, mbalax, jazz and Sahelian grooves with a pan‑African outlook. “Ya Bon” features French‑Cameroonian singer Pat Kalla, adding a retro‑Afro‑soul flavour to the track. From African West Station, an album celebrating cross‑border musical exchange across the Francophone world.
The Klezmatics – “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee)” (feat. Sofía Rei) – We Were Made For These Times
The Klezmatics revisit Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee”, continuing their long‑standing engagement with Guthrie’s archive. Argentine vocalist Sofía Rei adds a Latin‑American vocal colour that underlines the song’s migrant‑rights theme. The Klezmatics’ connection to Woody Guthrie runs deep: they were invited into his archive to set unpublished Guthrie lyrics to new klezmer‑infused music, resulting in the Grammy‑winning Wonder Wheel and the Hanukkah‑themed companion album. Their ongoing reinterpretations — including “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos” — keep Guthrie’s migrant‑rights message alive by placing his words in fresh cultural and political contexts.
Sofía Rei – “Peter Pánico” – Antónima
A playful, rhythmically intricate track drawing on Andean vocal technique, Latin‑American folklore and experimental pop. Rei’s background in jazz, contemporary composition and South American traditions shapes the track’s hybrid sound.
NEW ERA QUARTET – “MOJ DILBERE” – Bridge to Sevdah
Bosnian‑led quartet reinterpreting sevdah, the urban song tradition of Sarajevo, through a modern jazz lens. Bridge to Sevdah positions the quartet as part of a new wave of Balkan‑jazz fusion ensembles. Bridge to Sevdah was produced by Dragi Šestić, the founder of Snail Records and a legendary figure in the Balkan world music scene (famous for his work with Mostar Sevdah Reunion). The recording location was the legendary Pavarotti Music Center in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minyo Crusaders & Saya Asakura – “Shigesa Bushi” – From Japan With Love
A re‑imagining of a traditional min’yō work song, driven by Afro‑Latin percussion and brass. Saya Asakura’s vocals keep the folk phrasing intact while the band expands the groove into cumbia‑meets‑min’yō territory. Minyo Crusaders are known for pairing Japanese regional folk with global dance‑floor styles. Saya Asakura is a folk singer, specifically a Japanese folk‑influenced singer rooted in min’yō (traditional Japanese folk music). She is described as a two‑time national min’yō champion and a singer‑songwriter who blends traditional folk singing, regional dialect, and contemporary production.
Nick Drake - Pink Moon - Pink Moon
Nick Drake was an English singer‑songwriter whose delicate guitar work and introspective songwriting made him one of the most influential figures in modern folk music. Pink Moon (1972) is his stark, intimate final album, recorded with just voice and acoustic guitar, and though it sold poorly on release, it is now regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 1970s.
Altın Gün – “Suçum Nedir” – Garip
Dutch‑Turkish psych‑folk band reworking Anatolian rock traditions with synths, saz and driving basslines. “Suçum Nedir” (“What Is My Crime?”) draws on Turkish folk repertoire, delivered with their signature 1970s‑influenced groove.
From Garip, an album that leans further into psychedelic textures and deep‑cut Anatolian sources.
Angélique Kidjo, Nile Rodgers & IZA – “Oyaya” – HOPE!!
A cross‑generational, cross‑continental collaboration linking Benin, the US and Brazil, built around a bright, dance‑floor‑leaning groove. Nile Rodgers brings his signature Chic‑style guitar lines, giving the track its tight, disco‑funk backbone. Brazilian pop star IZA adds a Portuguese‑language vocal layer that amplifies the song’s celebratory, pan‑African spirit.
Officina Zoè – “Lasciami qui” – Lasciami qui – Single
A leading group in the revival of pizzica and Salento folk traditions from southern Italy. “Lasciami qui” (“Leave Me Here”) blends traditional tamburello rhythms with a more atmospheric, contemporary arrangement. Features the band’s trademark interplay of accordion, violin and trance‑like vocal phrasing.
Spok – “Ouvirás” – Raízes
Pernambuco saxophonist Spok draws on frevo, jazz and Brazilian big‑band traditions. “Ouvirás” showcases his horn‑driven arrangements, with tight rhythmic writing typical of Recife’s carnival sound. Raízes (“Roots”) is an album that reconnects Spok with the musical foundations of northeastern Brazil.
Last week’s featured album - more information here
Amsterdam Klezmer Band – “Mitzve Tentzl” – Diaspora
A high‑energy reworking of a traditional mitzvah dance, delivered with the band’s brass‑forward, street‑band aesthetic. Part of Diaspora, an album exploring Jewish musical routes through Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
Highlights the group’s 25‑plus years of blending tradition with contemporary urban influences.
MJ Pérez – “BINGO!” – Je tiens bon
Galician singer‑songwriter mixing pop, folk and electronic textures with lyrics rooted in personal resilience. Je tiens bon (“I Hold On”) reflects her bilingual identity, moving between Galician, Spanish and French.
Mexican Institute of Sound & Meridian Brothers – “Ritmo Babilonia” (feat. Beck) – Ruido Tovar
A playful collision of cumbia futurism, psychedelic tropicalia and MIS’s sample‑driven production style. Colombian experimentalists Meridian Brothers add their trademark off‑kilter rhythms and surreal melodic lines. Beck’s cameo is subtle but distinctive, folding his alternative‑pop sensibility into the track’s layered groove.
Souad Massi – “Ana Inssan” – Zagate
A standout track from Zagate, Massi’s 2026 album blending Algerian folk, chanson and contemporary acoustic pop. “Ana Inssan” (“I Am Human”) centres on dignity, empathy and the right to be seen — themes central to her writing. Produced by Justin Adams, whose long experience with North African music shapes the album’s spacious sound.
Eliza Carthy & The Restitution – “SpaceGirl” – Queen of the Whirl
“SpaceGirl” is Carthy’s re‑imagining of a 1960s satirical sci‑fi folk song, delivered with her trademark mix of wit, grit and theatricality. Queen of the Whirl marks a celebratory moment in Carthy’s 30‑year career, blending traditional English folk roots with rock, cabaret and experimental edges.
The album reflects Carthy’s role as a central figure in modern English folk, carrying forward the Waterson–Carthy legacy while pushing the tradition into bold, contemporary territory.
Warmoes – “De Zandman” – De Binnenbuiten
Dutch indie‑folk outfit blending acoustic textures with gentle electronic touches.
From De Binnenbuiten, a record exploring interiority, memory and small‑scale storytelling.
Ethiopiques 32: Nalbandian L’Ethiopien – “The Ethiopian” – EYEYE
A rare archival release spotlighting Nerses Nalbandian, the Armenian‑Ethiopian composer who shaped Addis’s big‑band sound in the 1950s–60s. “The Ethiopian” showcases his blend of Ethiopian modal scales with Western orchestration and jazz harmony. Part of the long‑running Éthiopiques series documenting Ethiopia’s golden musical eras.
Where and when to hear Around the World
Friday:
Akaroa World Radio New Zealand - 2:00 pm local time
NAR-GROUP Germany – 2:00 pm local time
Mosel Radio Germany – 2:00 pm local time
NAR-Alf Germany – 2:00 pm local time
Waterwaves Radio England - 9:00 pm local time
Essential Radio Scotland - 10:00 midnight
Saturday:
Best City Radio (Belfast, Northern Ireland) - 6:00 am local time
Power 101FM Malawi - 11:00 local time
Flirt FM (Galway’s Community of Interest & Student Station) 101.3 - 10:45 am local time Ireland
Stirling Community Radio - 2:00 pm local time Scotland
RCFM (Radio City FM) Duisburg, Germany - 3:00 local time
World FM New Zealand - 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time
Sunday:
Power 101FM Malawi - 12:00 local time
NFRS Osaka Japan - 12:00 noon local time
973FM in Singapore - 11:00 pm local time
Circl8 Chester England - 12:00 noon local time
DCRFM (Dover Community Radio England - 7:00pm local time
Prodigal Sun Radio - 8:00 pm local time
Slice Audio Northern Ireland - 10:00 pm local time
Holywood Radio - Northern Ireland - Various times
Monday:
Armagh City Radio - 12:00 midnight local time (01:00 pm CET)
SparkFlame Radio - 00:00 am GMT (01:00 CET)
Circl8 Chester England - 12:00 noon local time
Stirling Community Radio Scotland - 10:00 pm local time
Waterwaves Radio England - 9:00 pm local time
BR2 Pure Gold Radio – Costa Blanca, Spain - 10:00 pm local time
World FM New Zealand - 10:00 am local time
Akaroa World Radio New Zealand - 10:00 pm local time
Tuesday:
Waterwaves Radio England - 9:00 pm local time
Wednesday:
World FM New Zealand - 4:00 am local time
Slice Audio Northern Ireland - 4:00 am local time
Best City Radio Northern Ireland - 10:00 pm local time
Radio Skye Scotland - 10:00 pm local time
Thursday:
Waterwaves Radio England - 9:00 pm local time