World Music Network

The Independent: ‘Rough Guide records are as popular as Rough Guide books and, with 120 titles, cover a comparably vast terrain. Just as the original travel books surprised everyone with their success, so did the CDs…an ultra-hip outfit.’

Max Reinhardt, Late Junction - BBC 3: 'World Music Network who produce the rough guide series of compilation albums never seem to stop releasing albums - how do they do that in this day and age? Let's just thank the gods of music for the fact that they do.' 

The Guardian: ‘stick to the reliable Rough Guide series’

Songlines: ‘Over the past few years the Rough Guide CDs, with their stylish covers, have distinguished themselves as approachable and well-chosen introductions to the music of the countries concerned. They have been consistently well-reviewed and, like the guidebooks themselves, stand out as an obvious first choice for journeys in world music.’

fRoots:‘It’s difficult to top the Rough Guide formula: material brilliantly chosen and broadly representative, with smart documentation and superb production’

www.amazon.com: ‘The Rough Guide compilation CDs offer an excellent entrée in to the tremendous variety of musical traditions – as richly diverse as the biosphere itself – around the globe’

Jazziz: ‘If you need an introduction to a musical genre, the Rough Guides are the place to start’

Australian Financial Review: ‘The Riverboat label – part of the World Music Network stable which includes the Rough Guide albums and books – is one of the more interesting world music catalogues, noted for interesting collaborations of genuine substance, and sometimes…breakthrough[s] in musical terms’

Rough Guides

RGNET1272 The Rough Guide to New Orleans

New City Music, Chicago: 'a great showcase of the funky sounds currently made in Crescent City'.

RGNET1270 The Rough Guide to Psychedelic Africa

The Guardian, UK, 3*** stars: 'A classy compilation'.

Froots, UK: 'a seductive selection'.

RGNET1268 The Rough Guide to Charley Patton

BBC Website, UK: 'a winning celebration not just of our musical ancestry, but of the larger-than-life personality'.

RGNET1267 The Rough Guide to Bluegrass

The Morning Star, UK: 'a great starting point for exploring a genre that in its melancholic, frenetic and hard-driving glory gives a powerful voice to the voiceless'.

RGNET1214 The Rough Guide to Russian Gypsies

Weekend Australian, 4****stars out of 5: ‘[a] musical degustation menu from the Rough Guide crew’.

Songlines, 3***stars out of 5: ‘From full-bodied emoting to canteen kitsch... plenty of agile playing and yearning, romantic singing’

Riverboat Records

TUGCD1065 Greekadelia

Guardian, UK 4****stars: 'A highly original, compelling set'.

TUG1058 Sambasunda Quintet: Java

Froots, UK: '... a superb album of an under-represented music ... and comes highly recommended'.

TUG1056 Paban Das Baul: Music Of The Honey Gatherers

Financial Times, UK: ‘transcendence hovers’

Guardian, UK: ‘an electrifying performer’

The Evening Standard, UK: ‘some of the most ecstatic and beguiling music in the world’

The Scotsman, 4****stars: ‘remarkable’

The Independent, UK: ‘Paban's voice has a ringing sweetness’

TUG1055 Etran Finatawa: Tarkat Tajje/Let’s Go!

The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 4****stars out of 5: ‘driving, gloriously repetitive, traditional music mixed with some of the slickest and most beautiful electric guitar imaginable... not a dud track’

Time Out Chicago, USA: ‘intoxicating’

Songlines, UK, 4****star: ‘unlike anything we’ve heard from other ‘desert blues’ bands before’

TUG1054 Samba Touré: Crocodile Blues

Worls Music Central: 'this heartfelt homage has ample amounts of originality, raw beauty and yes, the sort of pure feeling that’s the African blues through and through

TUG1053 Debashish Bhattacharya: O Shakuntala!

Guardian, UK 4****stars: ‘another reminder that Debashish Bhattacharya is one of the most inventive classically influenced musicians working in India... A subtle, hypnotic set’

TUG1050 Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo 

Evening Standard, UK, 4****stars: ‘glorious... a reminder of the great musicianship in the musical powerhouse that is Congo’ 

Limelight Magazine, Australia, 4.5****stars: ‘galloping rhythms entwined with lyrical guitars and sweet vocals... tremendous'. 

Introducing

INTRO115 Introducing Amadou Diagne

Culture & Society Around The World, Blog: 'another thumbs up for the World Music Network'.

INTRO114 Introducing Mamane Barka 

The Independent, UK: ‘a rich, dark timbre... creates a unique ambience’.

The Daily Telegraph, UK: ‘Mysterious and mythic... featuring trance-inducing traditional percussion, this could be one of those unlikely revelations for which WOMAD is legendary’.

INTRO110 Introducing Spam All Stars

CMJ New Music Report, USA:  ‘unforgettable sound’

Global Groove Connection, USA: ‘funky little gem of an album…If you haven’t fallen under the spell of Spam, now is the time.’