The fact is that most people in this ‘world music’ business can get away with specialising and roping in others to cover areas they are not so interested in. Not so the DJ who needs to play across the board. Charlie’s profound love of music and sonic curiosity stands him in good stead though for the job at hand.

Kicking off with Calexico, Charlie shows his love of Americana — even if it is Americana with a twist. He picks up on those who have made an entrance this year with fresh sounds like Novalima, Dub Colossus and RadioKijada and drops in on one of the pioneers of this approach — after what seems an age — with Up, Bustle & Out’s Turkish adventure.

There are shots from some of the big guns like Oumou Sangaré, Manu Chao and Mariza. And continued musical development by Rokia Traore and Buika.

The second side kicks off with a track by the legendary and dearly missed icon of African music Miriam Makeba, better yet it is one that is new to me at least.

If the overall tone seems a little subdued though (or as we say in these circles, shot through with the aching, nagging, delicious pain of Saudade), Charlie lets it kick up a notch with raucous energy courtesy of Gangbe Brass Band (funny thing colonialism) and a bit more brass on the run from Mostar Sevdah Reunion in a lovely stretch of tracks where Balkan brass gives way to accordion and we take in a few more continents on the way.

Get on the bus.

V/A - Sound of the World Presents: Otro Mundo (Another World) is out on 6 July ‘09 courtesy of Warner Classics and Jazz