Rafelrand
Album reviews
New records, reissues and farewells, from Dakar to Dublin. Every review is written by Jan Vranken. How I rate →
All reviews6 reviews
Little Angels
Big Bad & Back (EP)
★★★★
The comeback nobody dared hope for: five songs, no fillers, and the energy of a band half its age.
Orchestra Baobab
Made in Senegal
★★★★½
As good as 'Specialist in All Styles,' and in places better. The old tree is still growing.
Pabllo Vittar
Lost in Lust
★★½
Twenty-nine minutes of slick, forgettable club pop. Over before your dinner arrives.
Alabama Shakes
I Must Be Dreaming
★★★★
A gorgeous comeback with a sound makeover, and Shawn Everett's production is the star.
Kodaline
We Were Only Young
★★★★½
The Dublin band's final album turns a familiar formula into a farewell that sounds like closure.
The Beatles
Rubber Soul (2026 Mix)
★★★★½
Giles Martin's new mix finally sounds like the band that made it.