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WELCOME Editor-in-chief Simon Broughton Publisher & Managing Director Paul Geoghegan Editor Russ Slater Johnson Assistant Editor Emma Rycroft Sub Editor & Online Content Writer Spencer Grady Art Director Juliet Boucher Design Louise Wood & Jo Craig Advertisement Manager James Anderson-Hanney Online Content Editor James McCarthy Reviews Editor Alexandra Petropoulos Listings Editor Tatiana Rucinska Marketing Manager John Barnett Marketing Assistant Oscar Faulkner Cover Image Dave Peabody Contributing Editors Jane Cornwell, Mark Ellingham & Nigel Williamson Subscriptions Director Sally Boettcher Editorial Director Martin Cullingford CEO Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: 0800 137 201 Overseas: +44 (0)1722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7501 6683 Ringing the changes It’s only my second issue and I’ve already changed my name. Don’t you dare call me flighž. Marriage innit? (to use my adopted Nottingham parlance). I no longer have the name I was born with. I have changed. But I’m not alone. Music is in constant flux. Just ask Polobi, the elusive focus of one of our features, who has found the music that he grew up with in Guadeloupe, that he sings on a weekly basis with simple drum accompaniment, to have had a sudden sonic makeover. Suddenly his voice has been detached from the root, shimmering from leƒ-to-right, forward-to-back, given new textures to breathe off, new environs. The wonders of modern music, Polobi has been contemporised. Polobi is, of course, on board with the whole project, but you can certainly imagine him scratching his head on first listen. A similar observation could be made of Baaba Maal, whose music has gone from acoustic guitar and kora accompaniment on his early records to surely some of the boldest Afrofuturist productions you’re likely to hear anywhere – a very willing parž in this evolution, it’s hard to think of too many artists who continue to take such risks at this point in their career. On the other hand we have a project like Hack-Poets Guild, built on the foundations of vocal harmonies, guitar and percussion, and who have found in 15th-century broadside ballads stories and verse that could have come from today’s most uncompromising rappers. The vocabulary may have shiƒed but the sentiment remains, and this is the part that matters. If you can retain the soul, a nugget of truth or elicit an emotional response through a melody or harmony then you can do whatever you want musically. Just don’t stop evolving. I mean, even Hack-Poets Guild have been firing up the AutoTune of late. Russ Slater Johnson, editor CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE INCLUDE “Do whatever you want musically… Just don’t stop evolving” Part of www.markallengroup.com Songlines is published by MA Music Leisure & Travel Ltd St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Rd, London, SE24 0PB, UK +44 (0)20 7738 5454 info@songlines.co.uk www.songlines.co.uk © MA Music Leisure & Travel Ltd, 2023. All rights reserved. No part of Songlines may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishing director. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editor or Songlines advertisements in the journal do not imply endorsement of the products or services advertised. Please read our privacy policy, by visiting privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data. ISSN 1464-8113. Printed by: Pensord Press Ltd, Blackwood, NP12 2A Record trade distribution Songlines 020 7738 5454 Newstrade distribution Marketforce 020 3787 9101 Cláudio Silva A political analyst, writer and entrepreneur, Cláudio was born in Angola and educated in the US, before moving back to Luanda in 2013, from where he reports this issue on the death of singer Nagrelha (p74). Alexandra Petropoulos Although no longer our editor, Alexandra is still very much part of Songlines. This issue she speaks to Lisa O’Neill (p17) and Tom Cox (p66), as well as editing our reviews. We don’t know how she finds the time. Julian May A BBC producer on programmes oƒen related to folk and world music, Julian speaks to the members of Hack-Poets Guild (p26) to find out how they are bringing 15th-century broadside ballads back to life. Songlines was launched in 1999 and is the definitive magazine for world music – music that has its roots in all parts of the globe, from Mali to Mexico, India to Iraq. Whether this music is defined as traditional, contemporary, folk or fusion, Songlines is the only magazine to truly represent and embrace it. However, Songlines is not just about music, but about how the music fits into the landscape; it’s about politics, history and identiž. Delivered in both print and digital formats, Songlines, through its extensive articles and reviews, is your essential and independent guide to a world of music and culture, whether you are starting on your journey of discovery or are already a seasoned fan. @SonglinesMag facebook.com/songlines instagram.com/songlinesmag www.songlines.co.uk PRIL 2023 › SONGLINES 03

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WELCOME

Editor-in-chief Simon Broughton Publisher & Managing Director Paul Geoghegan Editor Russ Slater Johnson Assistant Editor Emma Rycroft Sub Editor & Online Content Writer Spencer Grady Art Director Juliet Boucher Design Louise Wood & Jo Craig Advertisement Manager James Anderson-Hanney Online Content Editor James McCarthy Reviews Editor Alexandra Petropoulos Listings Editor Tatiana Rucinska Marketing Manager John Barnett Marketing Assistant Oscar Faulkner Cover Image Dave Peabody Contributing Editors Jane Cornwell, Mark Ellingham & Nigel Williamson Subscriptions Director Sally Boettcher Editorial Director Martin Cullingford CEO Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: 0800 137 201 Overseas: +44 (0)1722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7501 6683

Ringing the changes

It’s only my second issue and I’ve already changed my name. Don’t you dare call me flighž. Marriage innit? (to use my adopted Nottingham parlance). I no longer have the name I was born with. I have changed. But I’m not alone.

Music is in constant flux. Just ask Polobi, the elusive focus of one of our features, who has found the music that he grew up with in Guadeloupe, that he sings on a weekly basis with simple drum accompaniment, to have had a sudden sonic makeover. Suddenly his voice has been detached from the root, shimmering from leƒ-to-right, forward-to-back, given new textures to breathe off, new environs. The wonders of modern music, Polobi has been contemporised. Polobi is, of course, on board with the whole project, but you can certainly imagine him scratching his head on first listen. A similar observation could be made of Baaba Maal, whose music has gone from acoustic guitar and kora accompaniment on his early records to surely some of the boldest Afrofuturist productions you’re likely to hear anywhere – a very willing parž in this evolution, it’s hard to think of too many artists who continue to take such risks at this point in their career.

On the other hand we have a project like Hack-Poets Guild, built on the foundations of vocal harmonies, guitar and percussion, and who have found in 15th-century broadside ballads stories and verse that could have come from today’s most uncompromising rappers. The vocabulary may have shiƒed but the sentiment remains, and this is the part that matters. If you can retain the soul, a nugget of truth or elicit an emotional response through a melody or harmony then you can do whatever you want musically. Just don’t stop evolving. I mean, even Hack-Poets Guild have been firing up the AutoTune of late.

Russ Slater Johnson, editor

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE INCLUDE

“Do whatever you want musically… Just don’t stop evolving”

Part of www.markallengroup.com

Songlines is published by MA Music Leisure & Travel Ltd St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Rd, London, SE24 0PB, UK +44 (0)20 7738 5454 info@songlines.co.uk www.songlines.co.uk

© MA Music Leisure & Travel Ltd, 2023. All rights reserved. No part of Songlines may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishing director. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editor or Songlines advertisements in the journal do not imply endorsement of the products or services advertised. Please read our privacy policy, by visiting privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data. ISSN 1464-8113. Printed by: Pensord Press Ltd, Blackwood, NP12 2A Record trade distribution Songlines 020 7738 5454 Newstrade distribution Marketforce 020 3787 9101

Cláudio Silva A political analyst, writer and entrepreneur, Cláudio was born in Angola and educated in the US, before moving back to Luanda in 2013, from where he reports this issue on the death of singer Nagrelha (p74).

Alexandra Petropoulos Although no longer our editor, Alexandra is still very much part of Songlines. This issue she speaks to Lisa O’Neill (p17) and Tom Cox (p66), as well as editing our reviews. We don’t know how she finds the time.

Julian May A BBC producer on programmes oƒen related to folk and world music, Julian speaks to the members of Hack-Poets Guild

(p26) to find out how they are bringing 15th-century broadside ballads back to life.

Songlines was launched in 1999 and is the definitive magazine for world music – music that has its roots in all parts of the globe, from Mali to Mexico, India to Iraq. Whether this music is defined as traditional, contemporary, folk or fusion, Songlines is the only magazine to truly represent and embrace it. However, Songlines is not just about music, but about how the music fits into the landscape; it’s about politics, history and identiž. Delivered in both print and digital formats, Songlines, through its extensive articles and reviews, is your essential and independent guide to a world of music and culture, whether you are starting on your journey of discovery or are already a seasoned fan.

@SonglinesMag facebook.com/songlines instagram.com/songlinesmag www.songlines.co.uk

PRIL 2023 › SONGLINES 03

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