Like Mashed Potatoes: Mike Marshall & Darol Anger with Väsen performing "Misch Masch"

Some American folk musicians mingle with Swedish folk musicians to create today's random tune, Misch Masch. Väsen is a Swedish folk music ensemble formed officially in 1990 for a music gathering in Norway. Väsen plays traditional instruments such as the nyckelharpa but it was adding a guitar that gave the band a unique sound. They play on this song with American mandolin player Mike Marshall, a leader in the New Acoustic Music movement that blends folk, bluegrass, jazz and world music. Also featured on the song is Marshall's longtime collaborator Darol Anger, an American violinist with an extensive background in jazz, folk and classical music. Misch Masch can be found on the 2007 album Mike Marshall & Darol Anger with Väsen.

A Truth Self Evident: Maher Zain and "Freedom (Acoustic Version)"

Today's random tune is by Maher Zain, a 34 year old Swedish-Muslim R&B singer of Lebanese origin whose Wikipedia page claims that he has more Facebook fans than any other Muslim musician. His family emigrated to Sweden when he was eight and studied aeronautical engineering in college. He started his music career when he teamed up with Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne and followed him to New York where he produced US artists such as Kat DeLuna. He eventually returned home to Sweden and re-engaged with his Islamic faith, which led him to move out of producing and into a career as a singer/songwriter of R&B songs with a strong Muslim/religious theme. He sings mainly in English, but has also released some of his most popular songs in other languages. He maintains a strong following in Malaysia and Indonesia. This song, Freedom (Acoustic Version), is a single that he released in 2011.

What a Name: Smadj and "Inspiré Par Une Ile"

Today's tune is an interesting , modern sounding mashup of traditional music and exotic vocals over modern, electronic beats. The artist, Jeanne-Pierre Smadja (whose stage name is Smadj) is a Tunisian born, Parisian musician who takes inspiration from Asian, Brazilian, funk, soul and folk music. He started studying music at age 15 with a focus on the guitar, and he became known for turning traditional jazz into eclectic sounds. He gained a degree in sound engineering and became a recording and sound engineer for classical and folk musicians. He released his first solo album in 1994, and eventually became recognized for his blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. He was a co-founder of the famous acoustical group DuOud. He also has worked with a number of famous Turkish musicians, such as Burhan Öçal, Savas Zurnaci and Orhan Osman. You can find this song, Inspiré Par Une Ile, on the compilation CD Istanbul Calling, Vol. 2: Ethnic Electronic (2007).

A Little Piz-Zaz: Zaz and "Port Coton"

Port Coton is the title of the random song of today. It is sung by French singer-songwriter Isabelle Geffroy, known by her stage name as Zaz. Mixing jazzy style, French variety, soul and acoustic genres, she became famous on the strength of her first album, the eponymously named Zaz (2010). After a childhood steeped in music education she started her musical career in 2001 singing in musical groups and as a backup singer. She released Zaz in 2010 to great acclaim, especially her single Je Veux, and has since won awards and has toured. She has released two more albums since, Recto Verso and Paris. Port Coton can be found on her debut album Zaz, and was written by French pop singer Raphaël Haroche.