Dubkasm - Brixton Rec (Bristol Archive Records)
Dubkasm - Digistep and DJ Stryda - has been a fixture in the UK dub scene for years now.
Easy Star All-Stars - Easy Star’s Thrillah (Easy Star Records)
After 'First Light', their previous album containing their own work, Easy Star All-Stars return to the format that propelled them to fame: giving a reggae makeover to a well-known album from rock and pop history.
Bob Marley & The Wailers - In Dub Vol. 1 (Island Records/Universal)
'In Dub Vol.
U Roy - Pray Fi Di People (Soulbeats Records/M’A Publishing)
With 'Pray Fi Di People' deejay-daddy U Roy is playing it safe; for each track he invited a guest vocalist and a lot of the tracks on the album are covers of classics from reggae history ('Ebony Eyes' with a beautiful Winsome Benjamin, 'Got A Date' feat.
Anthony John - Step In The Future (Flyroots Productions)
Anthony John is undoubtedly one of the better voices of his generation, but for some reason the singer remains undervalued.
Leah Rosier - High Paw (Likkle Green Records)
Our first live-introduction to Dutch reggae promise Leah Rosier (at the Reggaefer festival earlier this year) didn't immediately leave us with a lasting impression, but on this debut album produced by Marlon Asher, Rosier manages to convince us of her skills, although one can't help but notice Leah's voice still has some maturing to do ('Sunny Days').
Broussaï - Kingston Town (Soulbeats Records/M'A Publishing)
Mâcon based band Broussaï have built themselves a serious reputation in their home country France over the past decade.
Professor - Throw Down Your Arms (Soulbeats Records/Discograph/M'A Publishing)
With the release of this second album, Professor, Groundation's Harrison Stafford's solo project, proves to be more than a whim of its bandleader.
The Souljazz Orchestra - Solidarity (Strut Records)
Canadian band The Souljazz Orchestra continues to lighten our spirits by regularly turning out albums that are always of a high level.
Skip & Die - Riots In The Jungle (Crammed Discs)
"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
Narasirato - Warato'o (Smash Records)
Creative with bamboo, that's how you could summarize the music of Narasarito, a band representing the traditional music of the Are'are in the Solomon Islands (an island nation in the Pacific), because, apart from a drum set, all their instruments - a range of pan pipes and percussion instruments - are made from the stems of this plant.
Bunny Rugs - Time (Raw Edge Productions/VPal)
Bunny Rugs has been the fantastic voice of Third World for decades now, but every so often he also likes to turn out a solo effort.
Staff Benda Bilili - Bouger Le Monde (Crammed Discs)
Many will have eagerly looked forward to the release of this second album by Staff Benda Bilili.
Zvuloon Dub System - Freedom Time (Medtone Records)
'Freedom Time' is the album debut of Israeli roots reggae formation Zvuloon Dub System, founded by brothers Ilan (guitar) and Asaf Smilan (drums and percussion) and named after Zebulon, one of the twelve tribes of Israel (Zebulon was the sixth son of Jacob and Leah).
Carlinhos Brown - Mixturada Brasileira (Candyall Music/Satélite K)
Remember the time you could still count on a Friday night Brazilian party at the Sfinks festival? It was there that yours truly got acquainted with the sound of Carlinhos Brown, then still an innovator of Brazilian music and the inventor of samba reggae.
Omar Khorshid - Guitar El Chark (Sublime Frequencies)
Sublime Frequencies, the American label that already introduced us to Omar Souleyman, this time dusted off the work of Omar Khorshid.
Morgan Heritage - The Return EP (VP Records)
Morgan Heritage is back! For a full album we'll still have to be patient, but to still the hunger of their fans somewhat, the Morgan siblings are releasing the aptly titled EP 'The Return' (although that title is somewhat misleading as the song on the EP is not so much about the return of Morgan Heritage as such, but rather about the return to a music and a society in which real values still matter).
Ras Batch - Know Thyself (I Grade Records)
'Know Thyself' may already be Ras Batch's seventh long player, yours truly is convinced this album recorded for I Grade Records will for many be their first introduction to this artist from Saint Croix.
Antibalas - Antibalas (Daptone Records)
Surprisingly enough this self-titled fifth album by Antibalas (Spanish for "bulletproof") was yours truly's first acquaintance with this Brooklyn, New York based afrobeat collective.
Muyayo Rif - P'Alante! (Kasba Music)
No idea how they're keeping it up, but Kasba Music keeps releasing mestizo albums as if it were hamburgers at an unnamed fast food chain and Muyayo Rif's 'P'Alante!' is just about the catchiest Kasba-disc that ended up on our test bench this year.