This week's world music CDs reviewed

VARIOUS
Princes Amongst Men: Journeys with Gypsy Musicians Asphalt Tango****

Garth Cartwright's book of the same name is an enthralling odyssey among the most marginalised people in Europe, following their magical musical trail through the Balkans. Here is the soundtrack to that journey. Passionate voices, frenetic rhythms, twisting accordions, skittering tambal, and punchy brass are all present. So are the big names (Boban Markovic, Saban Bajramovic, Taraf de Haidouks), as well as many others. The collection is well-paced, from the wailing clarinet of Sudahan and the brassy pneumatic bounce of Fanfare Ciocarlia to the extraordinary voice of the grievous angel of Romanian music, Romica Puceanu. There are no Balkan Beats here, just real passion, true virtuosity and a wild joie de vivre, emerging from some of the grittiest, harshest lives on the continent. www.asphalt-tango.de NIGEL WOOD

Download tracks: Kan Marau La, Unde O-Fie Puiul De Aseara, Godzila