Bargain on the River

Gearing up to enter their 18th year in existence, World Music Network imprint Riverboat Records recently released Rhythms of the River, a collection of 17 tracks covering the history of the label. Like the albums they release, this is an excellent compilation featuring some of the best singles in their catalog. Senegal's Nuru Kane, Indian slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya, Cuban percussionist Pancho Quinto and Japanese electronica wizards Ryuyku Underground show a bit of the diversity Riverboat represents. Bonus tracks from WMN's Introducing label, including Etran Finatawa and Daby Balde, round out the disc fittingly. A gorgeous example of David Darling's cello pioneering with regional Taiwanese choral groups and a sneak peek at Radio Tarifa vocalist Benjamin Escoriza's upcoming solo debut album are highlights. But the real bright spot? The price: $2.98 on Amazon.