Maraad’s new album, “BUFF”, is a strange and beautiful paradox, an object forged in the very fire it’s meant to protect you from. Each track is presented as a "buff," a bit of protective magic for the spirit, but the energy humming underneath feels less like a polished shield and more like the faint, determined glow around a figure in a centuries-old altarpiece—somehow both...

The album title of Baba Kuboye's most recent record is "Cultural Canvas," and it's an extravagant blend of songs and stories that honour his rich African history. The picture in question is concealed away deep inside the album's rhythmic heart. There is no refuting Baba's abilities because he was born into a singing family. His parents, jazz greats Fran and Tunde Kuboye, and his uncle,...