Globe Trekker Volume 1
While not world music per se,Globe Trekker, the soundtrack to  the TV series of the same name, is definitely global in its outlook. Ambient  composer-producers like Ian Richie  (Laurie Anderson) and  Nina Miles (Lenny  Kravitz) are among those who create lush soundscapes that feature ethnic  samples. Ritchie's "Old Man of Crete," for example, uses a traditional folk song  by an island native as a springboard to a rich Mediterranean-flavored piece,  while Daniel Pemberton builds a sample from Rio's Carnivale into an uplifting  dance track. In some ways it seems as though the entire world is here--from the  American South ("Don Strings") to Thailand ("Lahu"), Canada ("Smithsonian"), and  Madagascar ("Valiha")--all filtered through an electronic prism. At times it can  seem a little comfortable. But this is music made for the show, and in that  light it does push the envelope a bit while keeping a strong, graceful  integrity.--Chris Nickson