It's a marketing label adopted in 1987 in London by independent record labels to group non-Anglo-American music in record stores: African, Latin American, Asian and Celtic traditions and their fusions. The term is reductive, since it lumps together unrelated styles, but it is still widely used to file these records.

Which labels reissue African music on vinyl?

Analog Africa, Strut, Soundway and Awesome Tapes From Africa are among the most respected, with well-documented, licensed reissues. Habibi Funk focuses on funk and soul from the Arab world. Their records are often pressed in limited runs, so it pays to compare offers as soon as they're released.

What are the best world music albums to start with on vinyl?

"Buena Vista Social Club", Fela Kuti's "Zombie", "Talking Timbuktu" by Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder, and Cesaria Evora's "Miss Perfumado" make an accessible first trip around the world. Themed compilations from labels like Strut or Analog Africa are also a great way to discover an entire scene.

How do you avoid bootleg reissues?

Stick with labels known for working with artists or their estates, and be wary of records with no license information, credits or notes sold at rock-bottom prices. An official reissue usually lists its source and original label and credits the musicians. When in doubt, compare several editions before buying.

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.

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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.