If you’re looking to groove to something a little different, check out Ishumar from the band Toumast. Part of the Real World Records stable of artists, Toumast is Moussa Ag Kenya and Aminatou Goumar, who are Touaregs, a nomadic people who live in the North African desert. The band’s bluesy-rock musical style is a fascinating contrast with their traditional dress. Ishumar is full of foot-tapping tracks; anyone who loves Ali Farka Touré will find a kindred spirit here.

To see Toumast in action, roll the video below.  The audio isn’t great, but you’ll understand what the band is all about.

The talented group of artists on this new Real World Records album has created a village that’s populated with traditional English folk music, with a river of modern flavor running through it. The album is chock-full of replayable, story-telling songs that are sure to pique the interest of any Anglo-American curious about where she came from.

The first half of the album is inhabited by dark songs of dead men, lost loves, and bad weather. Poor “John Barleycorn” is ground between two stones on track 1, and on track 3, a fair maiden trades one night of passion with the Grim Reaper for more time on Earth. Eww.

The sitar on track 4, “Cold Haily Rainy Night,” makes it a standout, setting the stage for an intricate and fascinating song. Track 5, “The Welcome Sailor,” features the haunting voice of Sheila Chandra. The slow melody and the tale of lost love are reminiscent of Loreena McKennitt.

Further on, things pick up—some of the lyrics are still depressing, but at least the tunes are upbeat!

Close your eyes as you listen to track 7, “Pilsdon Pen.” You’ll be transported to a meadow where flowers bloom, the sun shines, and birds sing. Lay out a blanket and have a picnic.

In these tough economic days, track 8, “Hard Times of Old England Retold,” may make you want to drink your troubles away with a few pints. But the rich voices and lush instrumentation create a sense of camaraderie, a reminder that we’ll get through this together.

Track 9, “Kit Whites I & II,” is lively enough to make you want to grab some of your best friends and do some old-fashioned stomping on the tables at your favorite local pub. A few electric guitar riffs at the end help us modern folks feel at home. This upbeat vibe roles right into “Sloe on the Uptake,” track 10.

Track 11, “‘Ouses, ‘Ouses, ‘Ouses,” is not one of TravelTracks favorites, but it is an ear-opening lament for days gone by and the importance of preserving musical traditions—which makes it the perfect closing note for an album that finds intriguing ways of marrying the old and the new.

Buy The Imagined Village on Amazon.com.

Big Blue Ball, a new compilation album from Real World Records, is a doozie, packed full of diverse world music treats.

It’s the result of week-long musical collaborations in Wiltshire, England, over three summers—with performers gathered from all over our big blue ball. The result is a cream-of-the-world-crop collection. Here are a few (of many) highlights:

 —Real World founder Peter Gabriel provides vocals on a few tracks, most memorably so on the first one, “Whole Thing”. An assertive drum beat grounds the track, providing a sense of urgency and a solid base for Gabriel’s compelling voice.
—One of TravelTracks favorite vocalists, Natacha Atlas, is paired with the incomparable Hossam Ramzy and his Egyptian Ensemble on track two, “Habibe”. Her sensuous voice slips and slides over an orchestral arrangement of strings and drums.
—“altus silva,” track four, seems to define international collaboration: American and Irish singers, Frenchmen on the piano, a little Irish flute—all laid over a conga rhythm. The song starts small and grows, adding layers of complexity as it moves along.
—Senegalese percussionist Arona N’diaye gets the juices flowing on the ethereal eighth track, “Forest.” The track is amorphous but fast-moving, like zipping through a rain forest’s misty canopy on a magic carpet.
—Hungarian singer Marta Sebestyen’s voice is captivating on track nine, “Rivers.” The song’s instrumentation is peaceful and still, creating a frame for the vocal centerpiece.