Chris Wheatley

Portas is Marisa Monte’s first solo album in more than ten years. It’s a sunny, breezy delight that showcases, alongside Monte’s honeyed voice, equally talented musicians including Seu Jorge. It’s a strong album that should garner her more fans and well-deserved accolades.

Reaching from ancient traditions, BLK JKS’ ‘Abantu’ stops at every notable point in popular music history; a rock ‘n roll spirit is here, a 60s soul feel, a post-punk vitality and a post-rock ambition. It’s as strong and enervating a set as you could wish for.

In an era strangely bereft of socially and politically conscious music, it’s a pleasure to hear Sean Taylor at work, and a great reminder of how vital art can be in pursuit of a better, fairer society. Lockdown is a terrific album which deserves to be heard.

Described as Finnish folk-bluegrass, Paula Wolksi’s “Lato” is a wonderful album, diverse and stirring, bound up in joy, love and first-class musicianship.

Zan is a great and worthy achievement, undertaken by musicians who were quite literally taking a risk …simultaneously dizzying and dazzling…one of the best albums I have heard this year.

Taken as a whole, La Locura De Machuca amounts to another astounding entry in the Analog Africa catalogue. The artistic statements rendered here are joyous, enticing and a boon for the soul.