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Andy Bell • pinball wanderer

Sonic Cathedral • released 2025-02-28

Absorbing the dubbiest elements of the classic Manchester grooves of the late '80s, this Welsh musician makes the timespan contained within feel like the blink of an eye, even with an 8+ minute banger in 7/4 in the middle of it all.

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Star Feminine Band &bull; <i>Star Feminine Band</i>

Star Feminine Band • Star Feminine Band

Pure unbridled joy bursts forth from the moment these young Beninese women begin doing their thing. Even if liquid song structures and single-voiced group singing aren’t normally your thing, you should give it a taste.

Femi Kuti &bull; <i>Stop the Hate</i>

Femi Kuti • Stop the Hate

Afrobeat continues to be a family business for the Kutis, and business is booming. Now representing the middle generation in this dynasty, Femi expertly delivers the expected stuttering beats and political dissent we have come to expect from the brand.

Tony Allen &bull; <i>There Is No End</i>

Tony Allen • There Is No End

This is an ominous title for a posthumous release, but Allen’s stuttering drum work will no doubt stand the test of time, and this melding of his work with more modern non-Afrobeat collaborators is a glimpse of a fascinating future.

The Budos Band &bull; <i>Long in the Tooth</i>

The Budos Band • Long in the Tooth

The Budos Band have a distinctive sound that blends afrobeat, funk, and a herd of thundering elephants that could also be one of the most aggressive brass sections around.