Fourteen musicians, seven countries, three continents, one band. Världens Band perform folk and roots music from their native countries in a coadunation of cultures in a style which they have branded as ‘transglobal roots fusion’. Swedish melodies meet Scottish reels, English guitar accompanies Indian classical song, Galician pipes play Balkan melodies and the Senegalese kora blends with Mediterranean rhythms. The result is a unique and exciting blend of culture, personality and style...

Transglobal Roots Fusion is the new album from Världens Band. Formed in 2012, Världens Band is made up of; BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners, Newcastle-based band Last Orders, BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award nominees Rura and Swedish Folk Award winners Kolonien; alongside winner of the All India Radio Competition Carnatic Devotional singer Charu Hariharan, rising star of the Senegalese Griot tradition Abdou Cissokho and Mediterranean singer Navah Elbaz.

Världens Band showcases music from all around the world, performed at its best. All experts in their native traditional music, the musicians first joined forces in Stockholm to share the folk music from their separate countries and to create new sounds under the guidance of Swedish folk legend Ale Möller.

In coming together not only do Världens Band create what is probably the definition of world music but they also exhibit how music can unite and create a common understanding across sociopolitical and cultural borders. They are a seemingly impossible group that always had the potential for possible conflict with religious and political differences; by using music as their universal language and common ground, they have blossomed into an explosive orchestra that aims to challenge norms and prejudices.

It's an interesting and impressive project to bring together a group of people that have such different musical styles as well as political and religious differences, united by their love of traditional folk music from their own region of the globe. Mixed together the sound is both unique and beautiful.

The album contains 7 songs (40 min, 46 sec) and with such a diversity of styles here there's bound to be at least a couple of tracks that you'll enjoy from the first play through, the rest will certainly grow on you.

8

Nick Smithson