Aziza Brahim’s Mawja named Best Album by Transglobal World Music Chart

The TWMC comprises a network of world music specialists, including journalists, critics, writers and DJs. Covering the period from September 2023 to August 2024, the TWMC also recognized Glitterbeat Records, the label behind Mawja, as the Best Label of the Season.

Aziza Brahim, a product of Sahrawi refugee camps due to Morocco’s 1975 invasion, infuses her music with her Western Saharan heritage and the strength forged through her adversities.

Mawja also topped the April 2024 World Music Charts Europe.

Speaking to Afropean months ago about why themes of activism and social consciousness are prominent in her music, she said: “I know a song cannot change the world or society. But I am aware of art having been used to express social and political critique. I need to sing about my personal circumstances and this in itself is political. My family and I are refugees like the other 100 million + refugees and displaced people in the world. We have the right to make art and tell our stories too.”

Meanwhile, Malian act Idrissa Soumaoro’s album Diré won the Best of Sub-Saharan Africa category and was featured at No 5 in the Top 100 albums list.

Other prominent African entries in the top 100 include Bombino’s Sahel from Niger at No 13, Bab L’ Bluz’s Swaken from Morocco at No 16, Sahra Halgan’s Hiddo Dhawr from Somaliland at No 17, Mokoomba’s Tusona from Zimbabwe at No 19, Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko’s Djudjon from Mali at No 29, Tinariwen’s Amatssou from Mali at No 31, and Les Amazones d’Afrique’s Musow Dance from Mali at No 40.

Below is the full list of TWMC's Best Albums and Labels of the Season:

Best 100 Albums

1. Aziza Brahim · Mawja · Glitterbeat
2. Batsükh Dorj · Ögbelerim: Music for My Ancestors · Buda Musique
3. Lina · Fado Camões · Galileo Music Communication
4. Luzmila Carpio · Inti Watana / El Retorno del Sol · ZZK
5. Idrissa Soumaoro · Diré · Mieruba
6. Bixiga 70 · Vapor · Glitterbeat
7. Mari Kalkun · Stoonia Lood / Stories of Stonia · Real World
8. Ali Doğan Gönültaş · Keyeyî · Mapamundi Música
9. Aynur · Rabe · Dreyer Gaido
10. Shakti · This Moment · Abstract Logix

11. Catrin Finch & Aoife Ní Bhriain · Double You · Bendigedig
12. Koum Tara · Baraaim El-Louz · Odradek
13. Bombino · Sahel · Partisan
14. Dudu Tassa & Jonny Greenwood · Jarak Qaribak · World Circuit
15. Maria Mazzotta · Onde · Zero Nove Nove
16. Bab L’ Bluz · Swaken · Real World
17. Sahra Halgan · Hiddo Dhawr · Danaya Music
18. V.A. · Lost In Tajikistan · Riverboat / World Music Network
19. Mokoomba · Tusona: Tracings in The Sand · Outhere
20. Sam Lee · Songdreaming · Cooking Vinyl

21. Mari Boine & Bugge Wesseltoft · Amame · By Norse Music
22. Aga Khan Master Musicians · Nowruz · Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
23. The Zawose Queens · Maisha · Real World
24. Kayhan Kalhor and Toumani Diabaté · The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere · Real World
25. Leon Keïta · Leon Keïta · Analog Africa
26. Les Mamans du Congo & Rrobin · Ya Mizolé · Jarring Effects
27. Ary Lobo · Ary Lobo 1958–1966 · Analog Africa
28. Asmaa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou · L’Bnat · Ajabu!
29. Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko · Djudjon, l’Oiseau de Garana · One World
30. V.A. · Congo Funk! Sound Madness from the Shores of the Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa / Brazzaville 1969–1982) · Analog Africa

31. Tinariwen · Amatssou · Wedge
32. Ana Carla Maza · Caribe · Persona Editorial
33. Tarek Abdallah & Adel Shams El Din · Ousoul · Buda Musique
34. Ana Lua Caiano · Vou Ficar Neste Quadrado · Glitterbeat
35. Yungchen Lhamo · One Drop Of Kindness · Real World
36. Petroloukas Halkias & Vasilis Kostas · The Soul of Epirus Vol. II · Artway / Technotropon
37. Ayfer Düzdaş · Kilomên Arxawûnê · Ayfer Düzdaş
38. Huun-Huur-Tu, Carmen Rizzo & Dhani Harrison · Dreamers in the Field · Dark Horse / BMG
39. Kiran Ahluwalia · Comfort Food · Six Degrees

40. Les Amazones d’Afrique · Musow Dance · Real World
41. Mama Sissoko · Live · Mieruba
42. Nancy Vieira · Gente · Galileo Music Communication
43. Mohammad Motamedi & Rembrandt Trio · Intizar · Just Listen
44. Olcay Bayir · Tu Gulî · ARC Music
45. Almir Mešković & Daniel Lazar · Family beyond blood · ALDA
46. Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars · Chronika · Borscht Beat
47. Natascha Rogers · Onaida · Nø Førmat!
48. Hysterrae · Hysterrae · Linfa
49. Mo’ Horizons · Mango · Agogo
50. Jembaa Groove · Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves · Agogo

51. Otava Yo · Loud and Clear · ARC Music
52. Emilia Lajunen · Vainaan Perua: Satavuotinen Sakka · Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup
53. Matthieu Saglio · Voices · ACT
54. Miranda · Uma Mulher na Cidade · Jaro Medien
55. Genticorum · Au Coeur de l’Aube · Genticorum
56. Quintet Bumbac · Héritages · Collectif Çok Malko
57. Yīn Yīn · Mount Matsu · Glitterbeat
58. Dobet Gnahoré · Zouzou · Cumbancha
59. La Sève · Chlorophylle · King Tao
60. Gao Hong & Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde · Alondra · ARC Music

61. Yamandu Costa & Domingo El Colorao · De Vida y Vuelta · Bagual Produções
62. Lenhart Tapes · Dens · Glitterbeat
63. Bokanté · History · Real World
64. Omiri · Ribatejo e Estremadura vol.II: Abrantes e Alcobaça · Repasseado
65. Santrofi feat. Omniversal Earkestra · Deep into Highlife: Live in Berlin · Outhere
66. Wilson das Neves · Senzala e Favela · FundiSom
67. Times New Román · Jól Élünk · Times New Román
68. L’Attirail · Honorables Correspondants · CSB Productions
69. Casapalma · Montañesas · Raso Estudio
70. Marjan Vahdat · The Eagle of My Heart · Kirkelig Kulturverksted

71. Avalanche Kaito · Talitakum · Glitterbeat
72. Okan · Okantomi · LulaWorld
73. Maliheh Moradi & Ehsan Matoori · Our Sorrow · ARC Music
74. Carola Ortiz · Cantareras · Segell Microscopi
75. Chango Spasiuk · Eiké! (Entrar en el alma) · Chango Spasiuk
76. Amsterdam Klezmer Band · Bomba Pop · Vetnasj
77. Okavango African Orchestra · Migration · Okavango African Orchestra
78. Sidiki Camara · Return to the Traditions · Global Sonics
79. Bantu · What Is Your Breaking Point? · Soledad Productions
80. Ali Farka Touré · Voyageur · World Circuit

81. Cara de Espelho · Cara de Espelho · Locomotiva Azul
82. Saîdê Goyî · Jinê · Saîdê Goyî
83. Halva · Musafir · Zephyrus
84. Eskorzo · Historias de Amor y Otras Mierdas · Calaverita / Maracuyeah!
85. Suzumeno Tears · Sparrow’s Arrows Fly so High · Doyasa!
86. Alam Khan, Arjun K. Verma, Del Sol Quartet · The Resonance Between · AMMP
87. Oghlan Bakhshi · Journey across the Steppes · Felmay
88. Kavita Shah · Cape Verdean Blues · Folkalist
89. Besh o droM · Hova lesz a séta? · Fonó
90. Tarwa N-Tiniri · Akal · Atty

91. Céu · Novela · Urban Jungle / ONErpm
92. Shono · Kolkhozoy Traktor · CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup
93. Ëda Diaz · Suave Bruta · Airfono
94. Ann O’aro · Bleu · Buda Musique
95. Abdo Buda Marconi · Oltremura · Felmay
96. Newen Afrobeat · Grietas · Lichens Family
97. Sangit · Ooroo · Riverboat / World Music Network
98. Sutari · #kołysankidlaświata · Audio Cave
99. Lass · Passeport · Chapter Two
100. Bilja Krstić & Bistrik Orchestra · Biljur · Jugoton Croatia

Best 20 Labels

1. Glitterbeat Records
2. Real World Records
3. Buda Musique
4. CPL-Musicgroup
5. ARC Music
6. Analog Africa
7. Galileo Music Communication
8. Mieruba
9. World Music Network
10. ZZK Records

11. World Circuit
12. Zero Nove Nove
13. One World Records
14. Outhere Records
15. Mapamundi Música
16. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
17. Abstract Logix
18. Ajabu!
19. Segell Microscopi
20. Dreyer Gaido