Music has the power to completely transcend language and this is why I have spent the last few years trying to listen to much more world music than I had previously. Simply because we don’t understand the lyrics to a certain song or artist doesn’t mean that we can’t still get some value out of listening to them. In fact I have discovered some amazing music from around the world which occupies many of my playlists. If you want to start listening to some more world music then here are some of the artists which I would recommend.
Ali Ata
Ali Ata is a fantastic artist who sings in Arabic and he creates easy listening music which I generally like to listen to on a Sunday afternoon when I am cleaning up the house. Ali broke onto the scene in 2017 with his album A?k, featuring the big hit from that album of the same name. That record found good levels of success and in 2018 he released the EP Delikanl?, a slightly more melodic collection of songs from his first album and this year he followed that up with the single Sevmez Olayd?m as a precursor to an album which he’ll be releasing at the end of this year. Easy listening, great melodies and a wonderful voice.
Babasonicos
The Argentinean rock scene in the late 80s and early 90s was packed with some absolutely brilliant bands such as Soda Stereo and my favorite the Babasonicos. This band plays indie rock with a bit of twist, focussing heavily on guitar anthems such as ‘La Putita’ and ‘Irrresponasables’. The group are still touring and have just released their 9th studio album ‘Jessico’. The best album to get started with is called Infame, this will give you a great introduction as to what this band are all about.
Sigur Ros
Icelandic band Sigur Ros create some of the most beautiful music which you are ever likely to hear. The band is made up of 14 members and they often utilize a large orchestra for their pieces. The best way to describe this music is Scandinavian, filled with weird instruments and haunting vocals. This band has reached critical acclaim and have captured many awards for their incredible albums. If you want to see what the band is all about then check out their album Takk, a true masterpiece.
Tinariwen
This band from Mali has been going for a long time and they came to prominence in the last couple of decades thanks to their features on primetime music shows. The band’s style is guitar driven but what I love most about the band is that they present those amazing African rhythms with their vocal arrangements. The band sing in a number of dialects and they combine north and south African musical styles. Check out the album Amassakoul for the perfect introduction to this brilliant band.
Why not give these bands a try and open up your mind to different styles of music?