Various Artists - Linval presents Encounters Pac-Man (Greensleeves)
If 1981's 'Linval presents Space Invaders' was still a tribute to Tomohiro Nishikado's 'Space Invaders', then with 1982's 'Linval presents Encounters Pac-Man' Linval Thompson put the spotlight on Toru Iwanati's iconic computer game from 1980.
I Kong - Pass It On (Fruits Records)
I Kong might have to start thinking about getting another nickname, as just about a year after the release of his comeback album 'A Little Walk' on Fruits Records, "the forgotten man" now presents successor 'Pass It On' on that same label.
Melingo - Anda (World Village/Harmonia Mundi)
On 'Anda', Argentine enfant terrible Melingo takes on his linyera alter ego for the second time now.
Osama Abdulrasol Quintet - Jedid (Homerecords.be)
Together with Philippe Thuriot (accordion), Lode Vercampt (cello), François Taillefer (percussion) and Helena Schoeters (vocals), Iraqi qanûn-master (the qanûn is a type of large zither with a thin trapezoidal soundboard and stems from the Middle-East) Osama Abdulrasol Abdulrasol formed the Osama Abdulrasol Quintet.
The Beat feat. Ranking Roger - Bounce (DMF Music)
After last year's 'Subculture' by The Selecter, DMF Music now also presents a new long player by The Beat, and as the first new album of this Brummie band in nearly three decades, the release of 'Bounce' is quite the event.
Ialma - Camiño (Homerecords.be)
Ialma are Veronica Codesal (who some of you may still remember as a member of Urban Trad), Magali Menendez, Natalia Codesal and Marisol Palomo, 4 Brussels vocalists of Galician descent, who for over 15 years now, have been putting their own twist on Galician folk (because of the region's Celtic past, closely related to its Scottish and Irish counterparts, among other things illustrated by the frequent use of the bagpipes, see for example 'Novo Alen').
Resonators - Imaginary People (Wah Wah 45s)
Yours truly got to know Resonators back in 2014 thanks to the release of the deluxe edition of 'The Constant', the band's sophomore album.
Pat Thomas - Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afro beat Classics 1967-1981 (Strut Records)
Just as after the release of 'Love And Death', Strut Records released the Ebo Taylor retrospective 'Life Stories: Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1973-1980', the label is now doing the same for "The Golden Voice of Africa": Pat Thomas.
José Mauro - Obnoxious (Far Out Recordings)
Far Out Recordings will now also be reissuing the back catalog of Roberto Quartin's Quartin label, starting with 'Obnoxious', a forgotten gem from Brazilian music history by José Mauro.
Ogun Afrobeat - Koko Iroyin (Self-published)
Ogun Afrobeat is a Spanish afrobeat project around Nigerian drummer Akindimeji Onasanya. The band's name refers to the Yoruba god or orisha of war and metals.
Max Romeo - Horror Zone (Nu-Roots Records)
'Horror Zone', the new long player by reggae veteran Max Romeo, is in more than one respect the logical sequel to his legendary 1976 'War Ina Babylon' album.
Various Artists - They Will Have To Kill Us First: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Transgressive Records/Pias)
'They Will Have To Kill Us First' is the soundtrack to the 2015 documentary of the same name by Johanna Schwartz about the impact the raids by the jihadist fundamentalists of Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda had on the musical life in Mali.
Noura Mint Seymali - Arbina (Glitterbeat Records)
For 'Arbina', her second international album, Mauritanian iggawen (griot) Noura Mint Seymali once again took to Studio G in Brooklyn, where she'd recorded part of predecessor 'Tzenni' as well.
Alpha & Omega meets Ras Tinny - No Beginning No End (Steppas Records)
Good news for fans of English duo Alpha & Omega, because Christine Woodbridge and John Sprosen took to the studio again for 'No Beginning No End'.
Zion Train - Versions (Universal Egg)
Once every so often Neil Perch calls on some of his colleagues to rework some of his productions (see also 'Original Sounds Of The Zion Remixed' or 'Live As One - Remixed').
The Ukrainians - Evolutsiya! 40 Best And Rarest 1991-2016 (Eastblok Music)
The Ukrainians celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary in style with the release of this 'Evolutsiya! 40 Best And Rarest 1991-2016'.
Speed Caravan - Big Blue Desert (World Village/Harmonia Mundi)
Eight (!) years after 'Kalashnik Love', Algerian oud-master Mehdi Haddab finally returns with a successor.
Damakase - Gunfan Yellem! (Captain Pouch Records)
For Damakase, Ethiopian masenqo player Endris Hassen (The Ex, Ethiocolor, The Nile Project.
Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra - Del Ebro Al Danubio (Satélite K)
Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra is dead; long live Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra! Not that there's that makes of a difference: apart from clarinet player Robindro Nikolic, the line-up of the band has remained unchanged, even though for 'Del Ebro Al Danubio' the remaining band members could also count on the musical support of David Pastor (trumpet), Yannis Papaioanou (oud), Dani Carbonell (clarinet) and Ivan Ilic (guitar).
Massy The Creator - Future Roots (Self-published)
Beat maker, producer, song writer, director and graphic designer Michael DaCosta certainly earned his stage name Massy The Creator.