Songlines (160), August/September 2020

This issue’s cover star is the Kurdish singer Aynur, who talks about living in exile and her former life in Turkey. Other features this issue include Celebrating Festivals – where contributors and musicians share their favourite festival memories in response to the pandemic’s postponement and cancellation of music events; an interview with Niger’s Alhousseini Anivolla and Ethiopia’s Girum Mezmur about their Afropentatonism project; a report on refugee musicians in detention in Australia; a Spotlight on Groupe RTD, known as the Dancing Devils of Djibouti; a Beginner’s Guide to the Malagasy valiha player Rajery, plus all the latest news, online streamed concert listings, CD, book and world cinema reviews. The Top of the World album this issue includes Shirley Collins, Bab L’ Bluz, Yilian Cañizares and Transglobal Underground, plus an exclusive playlist by Rough Guides’ founder Mark Ellingham, featuring music by Robert Wyatt, Mulatu Astatke, Franco & OK Jazz and others.