New releases this week: International

Review: Celia Cruz is widely known as the Queen of Salsa, and Azucar & Salsa is a perfect celebration of her iconic voice and the unique spirit she brings to her work. The album finds her at her most electrifying and fuses the driving rhythms of salsa with her unmistakable charisma, with the results being a high-energy mix of percussion, horns and powerhouse vocals. Tracks burst with salsa colour and are anchored by Cruz's signature cry of 'iAzucar!'-a joyful call to life and rhythm which you will soon be shouting yourself. Cruz's presence is magnetic here, whether commanding the dancefloor or weaving emotional depth into ballads. Whether you are new to her work or a diehard fan, Azucar & Salsa isa fine tribute and reminder of why her music still moves new generations.

Review: Analog Africa doesn't do anything other than special releases really, but this one tracing the label's origins back to Zimbabwe over 20 years ago is a real standout. A carefully curated collection of 25 tracks with a fine booklet proving plenty of extra context, it captures the birth of the country's modern music scene and brims with the creative sound explosion of the 70s and 80s. Before genres were fully defined, artists blended rock, rumba, soul and traditional rhythms in bold, experimental ways that still stand up and get diggers and dancers excited in 2025. Included are never-before-released tracks from Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and more and they all add up to rich and dynamic snapshot of Zimbabwe's peerless musical evolution during what was a transformative era.