Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2026 Thread (Often African guitar led bands)

Once again - This thread is mainly for polyrhythmic, international sounds that aren't big enough to get threads of their own (and often include use of old-school non-programmed instrumentation like guitars). I lean toward south of the equator sounds here that are sometimes less club-oriented than those of artists highlighted on Afropop, Afrobeats, dancehall, soca, etc. threads. Sometimes, but not always, the artists are older than those on those other threads. More old-school bands too. Often less digital programming but if it includes such playing/programming it is usually less popular, and/or more avante.

2025 thread

Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2025 Thread (Often African guitar led bands)

Thurs. Jan. 8- Mostafa Amar & Disco Misr @ Howard Theatre (Egyptian pop)

Qais Essar & Sonny Singh plus guest tabla-ist Sukhmani 7-9 @ Hill Center ( Afghan & Punjabi stringed rabab & trumpet w/ vocals plus a guest tabla-ist Sukhmani )

Instagram stories I saw of Egyptian pop act Amar and the Egyptian dj dance tunes from Disco Misr looked great. The place looked packed. I attended the Essar & Singh & Sukhmani show and it was a nice blend of tradition rooted sung pieces and instrumentals with jazzy aspects from the horn. Between songs Singh and a few times Essar spoke about Sikh poets and philosophers and expressed their support for those in Congo, Gaza, Minneapolis, DC, and elsewhere

Saw on IG clips of Fela Kuti grandson Made Kuti in NYC at the global music event at Brooklyn Bowl . Made Kuti was playing sax nicely on old school afrobeat songs

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQP1H69jdQh/?igsh=YWd2cjMyaWltdGJ5

Instagram reel of Iranian rock band in Tehran protest.

Saw kora player Ballake Sissoko from Mali with South African guitarist Derek Gripper earlier tonight. Gripper said that Sissoko was only able to do this US tour because he had sped for his visa before the newer cutoff date Trump imposed barring Malians from coming to the US . After spelling out some of South Africa’s history and its current lack of equity , Gripper said the US now is making South Africa look good. He said we have a strict no return policy on Elon Musk.

The music the two made was very nice and often had a kind of classical feel. In the middle part of the set , Gripper left and Sissoko did a song by himself; then Sissoko left and Gripper performed on his own. They then performed more cuts together. Sissoko only spoke to the audience after someone said something from the audience in French. Sissoko then spoke briefly in French to the audience. I liked when Gripper twiddled some controls on a box thing that was connected to his acoustic guitar. It added a bit of noise to a pretty music event. Sissoko’s kora sounded high note heavenly mainly but he made it sound more pop melody wise on one song, and he got noisy and lower in tone at times. Sissoko is the main star of this duo for me.

from Xchucx Eddy's 2025 in review substack post that was posted today

I’m also intrigued by how Derek Walmsley, writing in The Wire’s year-end issue, singled out as one 2025’s high points “music from outside the English-speaking world on the common ground of Bandcamp: QTV Selo, Seloki, TVL Rec, Pakapi, Rata Sorda Rec and others in South America, Presses Précaires in Canada, and over in Europe’s Old World, smaller regions/languages now speak louder than ever: Slovenia (Sploh!), Lithuania (Tapekiosk), the Basque Country (Hegoa, Hazi Esporak!), Greece (Granny, Rekem), Portugal (Sirr, Cipsela, pä), etc.” Those mostly seem to be record labels, many if not most cassette-only. There is just so much out there! As Dave Moore puts it, “Who are these people and where did they come from and what on earth are they doing are questions I now ask on a weekly basis rather than once in a blue moon.”

Noura Mint Seymali's Yenbett made my Pazz & Jop Ripoff Top Ten this year. She's an amazing singer, songwriter, bandleader, and her electric harp filled my guitar needs this time, as her husband's actual guitar did stupendously on my gateway, Tzenni. All the ones I know are on her Bandcamp pages:
https://noura-mint-seymali.bandcamp.com/album/yenbett

Seymali and her husband are great.

I need to listen to their 2025 album again.

Chuck Exdy’s list has an album by Malian Neba Solo that I missed and it sounded great on 2 listens today. I have mentioned him on some threads here for awhile but somehow slept on his latest

Noura Mint Seymali is on ILX poll but alas no one nominated Neba Solo.

From the top of Chuck Eddy's list of his fave 150 albums of 2025 in his substack

Los Thuthanaka Los Thuthanaka (Los Thuthanaka)

Não Estragou Nada (Príncipe Portugal)

Digital Ngoma Vol. 2 (Kayamba Mayotte/Réunion)

DJ Joecel New Tiktok Disco Remix 2025 Vol 1 (DJ Joecel Exclusive Philippines EP)

ALT BLK ERA Rave Immortal (Earache UK)

Melvin Gibbs Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 (Hausu Mountain)

Weed420 Amor De Encava (Deprerreo Spain)

Prolapse I Wonder When They’re Going to Destroy Your Face (Tappet Europe)

Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Let the Spirit Out: Live at ‘Mu’ London (Spiritmuse UK)

Hieroglyphic Being Dance Music 4 Bad People (Smalltown Supersound Norway)

Budots World: 3-Hit Combo! (Eastern Margins UK)

Saint Abdullah/Jason Nazary Wiretaps for Oral (Disciples UK)

Ben LaMar Gay Yowzers (International Anthem Recording Company

DJ K Radio Libertadora! (Nyege Nyege Tapes Uganda)

Panic Shack Panic Shack (Brace Yourself UK)

Kilynn Lunsford Promiscuous Genes (Feel It)

The Ex If Your Mirror Breaks (Ex Netherlands)

Neba Solo Tuma Duma (Blanc Manioc Mali/France)

Francesca Marongiu Still Forms in Air (Umor Rex Mexico)

Jako Maron Mahavélouz (Nyege Nyege Tapes Uganda

Jordan mentioned Jako Maron M on 2025 left field club music thread .

It sounds pretty good to me today. Not sure if got a ilx ilm nomination . Too lazy to check right now

Jako Maron Mahavélouz (Nyege Nyege Tapes Uganda) is also a good one

I meant to say after another additional listening