Anyone who’s visited a record store or a HMV in their lifetime can likely relate to the bizarre experience of discovering the ‘world music’ section – how can Indian ragas, Gregorian chanting, Latin music, and countless more indigenous traditions all be dumped into the same back-row crate of records? The so-called ‘genre’ feels lifted straight out of Edward Said’s Orientalism, seeking to paint anything that deviates from narrowly defined Anglo-American pop sounds with the same exoticising brush.

Over the past year, however, Instagram-page-turned-global music platform Troave (a portmanteau of ‘trove’ and ‘roam’) has started to make the case for a revival of the label – this time led by global artists on their own terms. 

“The term ‘world music’ was a way for the Western canon to organise what it didn’t know,” Troave tells Dazed, whose trio of co-founders are almost as diverse as the musicians they cover – spanning Burmese-Irish head of content, Koko, Filipino-British collaborations, programming and outreach lead Kimi, and Austrian-raised Nigerian producer Manny. “The phrase was coined, of course, before the Internet. We aren’t ethnomusicologists, but the increased visibility of artists from non-western countries makes us feel like it’s about time we aimed for a more positive way to talk about these artists, to subvert the connotations of ‘World’ as othering and instead as one, whole and human.” For Troave, this is encapsulated in the term ‘contemporary world music’.

Listen to Troave’s “diverse, forward-thinking and apologetic” contemporary world music playlist above, and learn more about their unique concept in the Q&A below. 

How did you three first meet and where did the idea for Troave come from?

Troave: We met in 2023 after being recruited by a group of investors trying to start a lifestyle magazine. We were brought on because we had experience working in publishing – whether in music, art or fashion. We realised that those behind the project had little understanding of the culture they were trying to monetise. As with many such cases, these individuals were carelessly co-opting youth culture from a distance, taking advantage of passionate and talented young people. 

The experience had no benefit, except for the fact that towards the end of that strange and unpleasant summer we had formed such a strong friendship through our similar interests and beliefs that we realised we should start our own thing as a trio.

Do you think the internet has changed the way that new sounds and scenes take form?

Troave: Absolutely. We are hyperconnected. Not so long ago, music scenes were more localised, you could track genres like grime down to a street. Our relationship to scenes has changed so much in just a decade. Pre-internet, one’s access to music was determined by either radio or physical movement, such as gigs or the exchange of physical media. 

The convenience of the internet not only opened up exposure to international subcultures, but also means that kids now have access to tutorials and technology that make it possible to become incredibly fluent in making. You can teach yourself how to produce your own music, edit your own videos, design your own cover art, and build your own visual identity pretty easily. That combination has made a really interesting, borderless and hybridised output.

Why do you prefer the term ‘contemporary world music’ to mentioning specific genres or regions?

Troave: The global context of our coverage is more important than pigeon-holing genres and assuming the taste of our audience - which is super international. We have as many followers from Chile as we do from Seoul. It’s cool that we can encourage people to listen to Chilean indie in the same playlist as Korean electroclash.

How do you discover new music? Are there any particular tricks or things you look out for?

Koko: SoundCloud. It is by far the best music streaming platform ever created. The social element of it is insane. I love that you can go through people’s likes and reposts. Such an interesting way to see what a defined and organic community looks like. The radio feature is also incredible. The YouTube algorithm is also pretty amazing, I love YouTube.

Manny: I love bandcamp as well. There are so many talented artists just creating for fun. You can find the most experimental and unique stuff there. It’s a world of innovation and discovery for those who are ready to dig around.

Kimi: Online, it’s NTS. I listen to the radio so much. But when I first started going to gigs as a teenager, I’d go to the Windmill and Café Oto to seek out bands. That habit continued as I travelled more. I’m an indie girl at heart. We’ve been to clubs in Seoul and Tokyo, met some amazing artists and discovered some crazy shit. My taste diversifies with experience.

The UK is producing some of the most forward-thinking pop talent in the world right now

There’s a huge range of artists and regions on this playlist. Are there any particular scenes that you think people should keep their eyes on?

Troave: There are genuinely so many. Within the Latin underground scene, a lot of the best producers and artists have insanely deep knowledge of music. Their taste is really diverse too; Koko was speaking with Neva Pray from Chile when we were in New York about their shared love for artists like Elysia Crampton, as well as artists like Yuri Online. Loads of really cool pan-Latin collectives, such as VRITNI, are coming up.

The German scene has been on fire for a while. They’re able to appeal to a really mainstream audience without watering down or compromising their swag, which is really cool. Definitely tap into artists like Zackavelli, Nana le Vrai, c4rl, Ceren, and Bast. Nigeria’s been going crazy as well, this new scene is flourishing with artists such as Zaylevelten, Indi, Luwa.mp4, Egertton, Paxslim and Txmmyily. Tap into Pax’s Africa Only radio on NTS.

We obviously have so much love for the UK scene too. The UK pop resurgence is like a global movement, with artists like PinkPantheress and Olivia Dean proving that the UK is producing some of the most forward-thinking pop talent in the world right now. But when you look at the new generation coming up, like Dexter in the Newsagent, Moses Ideka, and so many others, it really feels like this wave is just the beginning of something way bigger.

Are there any songs on this playlist that you’d like to tell us more about?

Manny: ‘Over My Shoulder’ by Sinqo. It’s soulful and full of personal meaning. The track has this beautiful, trance-like ability to make you daydream – whether that’s reminiscing about moments from the past or imagining experiences still to come. Additionally, ‘fallback’ by ballad soldier is great example of exciting electronic dance music. There’s something raw and authentic about the production that feels incredibly fresh, and I genuinely think he’s destined for greatness if he continues on this path.

Koko: I love every single song on this playlist. I’m going to highlight one that I haven’t talked about on Troave yet though. ‘Mystory’ by katai is fucking crazy. That whole Maoricore movement that he and Kurai started is dope and I think that they are pioneers that nobody talks about.

Kimi: ‘i like u around’ by Amil Raja. Amil’s music and aesthetic make such a fun take on what it means to be British Asian right now. The songs are a little outlandish, giving Bluetooth classics mixed with EDM grandeur and bedroom electronic. The world-building is introspective but also swaggy. I also love everything from Quiet Light, and her ethereal new track ‘You Say I Love You’ is at once freeing and detailed. It evokes the same kind of feeling as when bands like The 1975 and The XX started out. But way better, to be honest.

Listen to Troave’s guide to contemporary world music playlist above.