Psych/Garage Rock charts

Review: Brooklyn-born, New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist Gitkin delivers a rich fusion of global sounds on Golden Age, his latest ten-track album. Known for his guitar-driven style, Gitkin blends the rhythms of cumbia, North African, and Middle Eastern music, creating a sonic journey that feels both expansive and deeply rooted. As the frontman of The Pimps of Joytime, a staple in the festival circuit, his influence on the soul-funk scene is undeniable. From Bonnaroo to Electric Forest, Gitkin has built a reputation for electrifying live performances. Beyond his own projects, he's produced for artists like Corey Henry, Bernard Purdie and Cedric Burnside, whose Benton County Relic earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. With Golden Age, Gitkin further explores the intersections of global music traditions, weaving his soulful guitar into a captivating tapestry that speaks to his wide-ranging influences.

Review: Yemenite music in Israel is a uniquely Middle-Eastern style born from the immigration of Yemenite Jews to Israel. Initially religious and ceremonial, the music featured separate male and female songs accompanied by drumming on olive oil tin cans. Aharon Amram, born in Sana'a, Yemen, immigrated to Israel as a child and became a central figure in this genre. From the 1960s onward, he released numerous records on Sounds of Yemen in which he blended traditional religious songs with his own secular compositions, Western electric instruments and modern arrangements. This double LP showcases Amram's diverse catalogue and undying influence on contemporary Mizrahi.

Review: This Kurdish/Syrian singer and bouzouki player began his music career in 1980 while studying nursing. After earning his degree in 1983, he moved to Raqqa, Syria, and formed The Al-Rabie Band, with whom he performed Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish and Western songs. In 2011, the Syrian war forced his family to flee after his son was killed by ISIS so he resettled in Ireland, where he used music to connect with the local community, performing at various events and collaborating with Irish artists. His album I Am Kurdish blends Middle Eastern and North African music and he says is a way of spreading joy, love and happiness.