This exhilarating compilation pushes from K-pop to trance, hardstyle techno, budots and beyond – and is at its best when artists rachet up the intensity

The late, great musician confirms his mastery of the Sufi tradition in a hitherto unheard and surprise-laden cycle that soars with spirituality

The 81-year-old singer’s collaboration with the US jazz bassist reworks past songs in lively and expansive ways, masterfully blending their exciting voices

Powwow singing from Joe Rainey and Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings blends with electronic production on a spirited album that reframes a rich cultural tradition

The latest album by Jiyane, of collective Spaza, wades into darker territory to reflect the reality of poverty in the country

Mercurial and moody soundscapes are infused with wistful romance in one of the Grammy-winning singer and composer’s most spirited records to date

With doom-laden growls and falsetto screams, the Kenyan metaller’s indefatigable vocals cut through a thunderous onslaught of headbanging sound

The latest album in an exciting wave of experimental north Indian classical music enlists Shabaka Hutchings and Leafcutter John in its downtempo quietude

The Brazilian jazz experimentalist draws on the atmosphere of the rainforest and its mythical beings to create his most explosive, explorative LP yet

The shapeshifting LA-based saxophonist and Brazilian guitarist’s LP is a bossa-tinged celebration of their instruments

Saxophonist Omicil builds atmospheres then upends expectations in this free-jazz homage to Haiti’s successful 18th-century slave insurrection

With delicate arrangements, the South African vocalist and pianist conveys everything from longing to ecstasy, as Niño adds light touches of percussion and production

Somewhere between jazz and chamber pop, multi-instrumentalist Hector Tosta pairs a dizzying variety of sound with Mabe Fratti’s strings and vocals

The Angolan producer arrived at his own version of the dance style kuduro after adding layered synths to folk rhythms, and these tracks show his lo-fi ingenuity

Abdelwahed’s second album extends the DJ and producer’s compelling sound world, mixing traditional Arabic genres and instruments with foreboding dancefloor beats

The Ulaanbaatar-born singer shows there is more to her country than throat singing: her dextrous voice sits between jazz improv and ceremonial song

Ali’s self-produced album features his trademark bright, melodic sound, blending Libyan folk, reggae, zokra and synths with striking results

The Radiohead guitarist teams up with the Israeli bandleader and guests from across the region for an uplifting survey of songs from Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and more

The singer-songwriter elevates his reimagining of Xhosa folk music with synth-pop hooks and his melismatic voice

There’s heart-thumping tension and catharsis as the musicians aim to reconnect the Peruvian percussion instrument with its slave roots