Best of 2022 - my top albums - Around the World
Hear the Christmas and New Year shows in advance.
Over the holidays I’ll be playing tracks from many of my favourite albums of the year. From January to the beginning of December - when I compiled the lists - I played around 1350 tracks from more than 500 artists and bands. No wonder it takes two shows to cover just the best.
Listen to the whole 25 December show in advance here.
And the first show of 2023 is here (part 1) and here (part 2).
Hear the shows on the web on Christmas Night and New Year’s evening at 10:00 pm to midnight:
Slice Audio,
Ferry FM,
Radio Larne, and
Armagh City Radio .
And on the following Tuesdays at 7:00 pm on the radio and web
Bangor FM 107.9: http://radio.garden/listen/bangor-fm-107-9/IycUhUbT
Lisburn’s 98FM: http://radio.garden/listen/facebook/ASeqAEl8
FM105 Down Community Radio: http://radio.garden/listen/fm-105-down-community-radio/K8lBDGFf
Hear last week’s programme here on davysims.com
Part 1 is here on Mixcloud
Part 2 is here on Mixcloud
Here’s my top 10
10 - Perrate - Tres golpes
Perrate - Tres golpes (feat. Raül Refree)
A challenging album for the un-tutored ear, as my ear was. It took a while to adjust to and worth the effort. Light, barely perceptible production by Raül Refree adds considerable to the overall sound made by Andalusian Flamenco singer Tomás de Perrate, band and guests.
9 - Niteworks - A’ Ghrian
Niteworks — Teannaibh Dlùth (feat. Sian)
From the Isle of Skye, Niteworks are one of several Scottish bands who could have been on the “best of 2022” list. Merging electronic, dance, traditional, Celtic and excellent musicianship Niteworks stands head and shoulders above the others and turn a new page in Scottish music.
8 - Silvana Estrada - Marchita
Silvana Estrada - Marchita
Over-looked and under played. Sorry. This excellent album simply escaped being listed and played as often as it should have been. Simple and delicate, subtle, and elegant. This is the Mexican singer’s third album, and she is joined by Americans guitarist Charlie Hunter and drummer Carter McLean.
7 - Antonis Antoniou - Throisma
Antonis Antoniou - Throisma (Official Video)
Greek-Cypriot, Antonis Antoniou is a founder and creative force behind the award-winning bands Monsieur Doumani and Trio Tekke. This is his second album and like the first Kkismettin pushes traditional Cypriot music to the edge mixing electronic, hard edge rhythms, urban, and industrial soundscapes with more gentle melodic songs
6 - Inni-K Iníon
Inni-K | Éamonn an Chnoic
As-gaeilge, traditional, jazz, spare, understated, powerful; just some words I can use to describe this pure-voiced Irish singer’s performance on her third studio album. So, I’ll take note from her website “Over nine tracks, Inni-K searches out the beauty, tradition and ancient pathos of sean-nós in a contemporary, vital and unique reimagining. She is a singer both reaching back into a deeply held tradition, while simultaneously pressing out against its very edges.”
5 -Noori & His Dorpa Band - Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass from Sudan's Red Sea Coast
Noori & His Dorpa Band — Saagama
It has such a groove! All the way through. Enormous style, sophisticated melodies. Time just slips away as you listen.
4 Solju - Uvjamuohta
3 Solju - Válddi Fámut
Utsjoki is the most northerly municipality in Finland. It is the home of mother and daughter music duo Solju; Ulla Pirttijärvi (who has more dots and umlauts in her name than I am used to seeing at any time) and her daughter Hildá Länsman. And both perform with other combos. Ulla is a member of the trio Áššu with Harald Skullerud (Percussion, Calimba, Calabas, Harmonium) and Olav Torget (Baryton guitar, Oilcan guitar, African Konting). Hilda is also with accordionist Viivi Maria Saarenkylä in Vildá .
Their music is based on a traditional joik or yoik a traditional form of song in Sámi music performed by the Sámi people of Sapmi in Northern Europe. Joik shares some of the qualities of some Native American cultures and (I suppose more logically) of Siberia. Solju takes some of those rhythms of nature and over lays electronica, other electronic strings, modernistic understanding of the bass phrasing with a line in from modern European rock and roll rhythms. [More here]
3 - Congadar - Chora N’Goma
CONGADAR - Chora N'goma
This may be the only chart of the year featuring this amazing album from Congadar. I recognise there are many albums this year that I have overlooked, under played or missed altogether. But others have overlooked or ignored this band who fuse Congado (a traditional folkloric from Brazil) with the rock with strong link with cultural identity of Africa’s black culture.
"Traditional march in Congado from Minas Gerais, the song shows the importance of the Congado boxes (name given to the drums) and their relationship with its members. It is through them and the touches of this leather that the congadeiros demonstrate their faith and spirituality."
2 Alessia Tondo - Sita
Alessia Tondo - ARIA
I have been a fan of Alessia Tondo for several years. I first heard and saw her sing on a video of Concertone de La Notte della Taranta 2011- she couldn’t have been much more than 19 at the time. She appeared in several other concerts as a solo singer anbd part of the Orchestra Popolare La Notte Della Taranta. She then went on to sing with Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino. Now as a solo artis at the very beginnin of her solo career, this much under-rated album is my second favourite of 2002. But it was a close-run race with the actual number 1.
1 - Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee BAMANAN
Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee - Bambougou N'tji (live at Flow)
Ireland meets Mali in the most distinctive and enjoyable album of the year. Every song a winner and every mix pitch perfect, often subtle, always moving. Jacknife (Garret) Lee began his music career in 1998 with garage band Compulsion going on the produce and/or mix some of the leading names in popular music including Snow Patrol, R.E.M., Taylor Swift.
Rokia Koné, aka the Rose of Bamako, was born in 1984, in Dioro near Ségou, about 250 km from Bamako. It was the cradle of the Bamana Empire of the 18th and 19th century. In Bamako she became a backing singer for Alia Coulibaly, one of Mali’s biggest stars, then quickly earned top billing as a solo artist in her own right. In 2016 she caught the attention of Valérie Malot, founder of renowned French booking agency 3D Family, who invited her to join feminist supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique and make her debut on an international stage.
From its release in February, this has been my favourite album of the year.
And the rest …
I’ll be playing the rest of my favourites this and next week. On the show this week:
Adrian Quesada - Psicodélicos
Alenti - Jasmine
Al-Qasar - Who Are We?
Ana Alcaide - Ritual
Béla Fleck - My Bluegrass Heart
Björk - Fossora
Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita - Echo
Céu Um - Gosto de Sol
Divanhana - Zavrzlama
DLÙ - Moch
DongYan Gozupa - KYUL
Erol Josué - Pelerinaj
Etran de L'AÏr - Agadez
Lass - Bumayé
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Crooked Tree
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder - Get On Board
Tone Of Voice Orchestra - Tone of Voice Orchestra
Vieux Farka Touré - Les Racines
Wesli - Tradisyon
And the following week (from 1st January 2023)
Auld Gods, Babra & Megitza, Black Mango, Bonga & Camélia Jordana, C. Tangana, Hoven Droven, Ibrahim Maalouf & Angelique Kidjo, Imarhan, Julian Bel-Bachir, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Kateřina Göttlichová, Khiyo, Khoomei Beat, Magalí Sare, Maria Mazzotta & Pulcinella, Misia, Oumou Sangaré, Raf Vilar, ROSALÍA & The Weeknd, Souad Massi, Susana Baca, the 2:19, The Movers, Tuulikki Bartosik, Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin, Wynona Bleach, and Youssou N'Dour.
Have a great Christmas. Speak to you next year.