World music

World music opens us up to a sonic mosaic that spans continents and cultures. It carries us from the enchanting rhythms of Africa to the poignant melodies of Portuguese fado, from Balkan polyphonies to Andean flutes, from Afro-Cuban percussion to traditional Asian chants.

Each record is an invitation to travel, an encounter with living traditions that tell the story of peoples and their deep connection to dance, celebration, spirituality, or nature.

Listened to on our turntable, these albums are not just recordings: they fill the room with colors, distant scents, and universal emotions, offering us a listening experience that combines discovery, immersion, and authentic pleasure.

Explorer les sous-genres de World music : Afro-Cuban , Dances (Tango, Salsa, Flamenco, Fado...) , Klezmer , World Africa , World North Africa / Middle East , Central/Latin American World , North America , Asia / Oceania World , World Europe East/West , Andean music , Celtic Music , World Fusion

World Music Vinyl Records: Africa, Cuba, Celtic and World Fusion

What's in the world music section?

This collection of world music vinyl records brings together albums from Africa, Latin America, the Arab world and the Celtic nations, with subcollections for world fusion, Afro-Cuban, Celtic music, klezmer and Andean music. Artists here include Mercedes Sosa, Cesaria Evora, Farid El Atrache, Dhafer Youssef, Etran Finatawa, Capercaillie and Choc Quib Town. The "world music" label itself was adopted in 1987 in London by independent labels looking for a record store bin for these albums: reductive, but handy for exploring.

Vinyl played a central role in spreading this music. In West Africa as in Cuba, much of what was recorded in the 1960s and 1970s first came out on LPs and 45s, before being rediscovered decades later through reissues that brought it to a global audience for the first time.

Original, reissue or bootleg: buying world music on vinyl

Original African and Latin American pressings are scarce and often worn: climate, storage and years of play have taken their toll. For most listeners, reissues are the best way in, as long as they're official. Labels such as Analog Africa, Strut, Soundway, Habibi Funk and Awesome Tapes From Africa work with the artists or their estates and include detailed liner notes. World Circuit, the label behind "Buena Vista Social Club", has also reissued part of its catalog on vinyl.

  • a clear mention of an official, licensed reissue
  • a booklet or liner notes
  • the stated condition of an original pressing
  • the original label and country of pressing

Key world music artists and albums

From Africa, Fela Kuti's "Zombie" (1976) sums up Afrobeat, and "Talking Timbuktu" by Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder (1994) took Malian blues far beyond Mali. From Cape Verde, Cesaria Evora's "Miss Perfumado" (1992) carried morna around the world, while "Buena Vista Social Club" (1997) put the classic Cuban son sound and its veteran musicians back in the spotlight.

In South America, Mercedes Sosa remains the great voice of Argentine folk. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan brought Pakistani qawwali to Western ears, The Chieftains and Capercaillie did the same for Celtic music, and The Klezmatics for klezmer. World fusion blends these traditions with jazz, electronic music or rock, as Dhafer Youssef does by pairing the oud with jazz.

Subgenres and compilations to explore

Narrow things down with the subcollections: world fusion, Afro-Cuban, Celtic music, klezmer and Andean music. World music compilations, often the best way to discover a whole scene or country, are gathered in the compilations section. Each record page compares offers from several partner stores, which helps with reissues that are often pressed in limited runs and can disappear quickly.

Explore World music styles