Juana Molina - Halo (Crammed Discs)
Bit of a borderline case this 'Halo' by Argentine singer-songwriter Juana Molina, because more than tropical "world music" this is in fact South-American indie pop with a bit of an experimental edge.
Oumou Sangare - Mogoya (No Format)
It had already been eight years since Oumou Sangare, the nightingale of Wassoulou, pleased her fans another with a new album.
Ondatropica - Baile Bucanero (Soundway Records)
For the sequel to their acclaimed self-titled 2012 debut, Will Holland and his host of Colombian musicians this time traveled to Isla de Providencia, an island located between Puerto Rico and Jamaica and these days part of the Colombian Department of Archipelago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina.
Jah Sun - Between The Lines (Sugar Cane Records)
To get straight to the point, we weren't exactly blown away by 'Between The Lines', the fifth album by Humboldt, California-born Jah Sun.
No Finger Nails - Quipu Remix EP (Dub-O-Phonic)
This new release on the Dub-O-Phonic net label may only count four tracks, but there's quite a concept behind the 'Quipu Remix EP'.
Salome Fur - Beyond The Cathouse (Blue Esquire Records)
For Salome Fur, a Munich based band, a number of (former) members of groups like Steamy Dumplings, Jamaram and Benuts joined forces.
Lord Echo - Harmonies (Soundway Records)
Lord Echo, the name may sound like that of a forgotten calypsonian, but in fact it's the alter-ego of New Zealand producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ Mike Fabulous (also guitarist and producer with The Black Seeds).
Mamj Ras Soul - Lettre Du Continent (FONS Records)
The number of projects Senegalese reggae artist Ras Mamj Soul is involved with can't be counted on the fingers of one hand, but since he met Belgians Dirk Delvaux and Greet Vanrijkel 'Koperen Muntjes voor Nianing' ("copper coins for Nianing"), an organization raising money through placing collection jars at different retailers in Louvain and by organizing all kinds of activities and once started with the support of a local basketball team in Nianing , the native village of Mamj, perhaps the most important.
Williams Brutus - Williams Brutus EP (Garvey Drive/Musicast Distribution)
Simultaneously with the release of his 2015 'Général Indigo' album, Pierpoljak also presented his own Garvey Drive label.
BB'87 - Return Of The Ska Originals (Self-published)
From 1987 to 2003, Johan Steevens (guitar and vocals), Iwan de Lang (bass), Marco van Krieken (drummer) and Michel Steevens (keys) built a reputation for themselves in The Netherlands as Beatbusters.
Krak In Dub - Amazonite EP (Universal Egg)
Yours truly got to know Federico Trujillo aka Krak In Dub last year thanks to 'Upgrades', his collaborative effort with Troy Berkley.
Kasai Allstars & Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste - Around Félicité Soundtrack (Crammed Discs)
Even though they were responsible for most of the songs on 'Around Félicité', this actually isn't a new album by Congolese band Kasai Allstars, but rather the soundtrack to 'Felicité', a film by Senegalese director Alain Gomis, who drew on the universe of Kasai Allstars for inspiration.
Uman - Umanist (Umanmusic)
Six years after the release of his previous album, 'Umanity', the Brussels based dancehall-punk (as he describes himself in 'Pas De Justice Pas De Paix') returns with 'Umanist'.
Morgan Heritage - Avrakedabra (CTBC)
After winning the Grammy for Best Reggae Album with 'Strictly Roots', with 'Avrakedabra' Morgan Heritage seam to continue even further down the eclectic (read: commercial) path.
Marcus Gad & Tribe - Chanting (Natural Prod'/Musicast Distribution)
All the way from New Caledonia, a French overseas territory to the northeast of Australia, we received this gem by Marcus Gad & Tribe.
M, Toumani Diabate & Sidiki Diabate - Lamomali (Labo M/Wagram)
With 'Lamomali' singer and composer Matthieu Chedid aka M finally got to realize on of his dream projects.
Inés Pardo - One Sister Showcase (A-Lone Productions)
Roberto Sanchez certainly keeps busy! 'Same Old Story', the new Sanchez-produced album by rocksteady-duo Keith & Tex has only just been released, and the Spanish producer already returns with this 'One Sister Showcase', the long player debut by Inés Pardo, a singer from Santander in Northern Spain.
AMJ Collective - Believe EP (Astar)
April 22nd is this year's date for International Record Store Day, and especially for the occasion AMJ Collective is releasing this new 8 track EP, which will be made available both on vinyl and in digital format.
Piri - Vocês Querem Mate? (Far Out Recordings)
In their series of reissues of releases on the Quartin label, following Victor Assis Brasil's 'Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim' and Jose Mauro's 'Obnoxious' Far Out Recordings now presents 'Vocês Querem Mate?' ("do you want to kill?"), the debut album by Piry Reis, better known as Piri; an album that in its original 1970 vinyl version from has become a true collector's item, easily fetching several hundred Euros on the internet.
Orchestra Baobab - Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng (World Circuit)
We frankly thought that Orchestra Baobab's story had run to an end, but just as was the case with their Beninese colleagues from Le Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, the Senegalese band was mourning the death of one of its key members, and apart from that a number of other band members decided to quit (guitarists Latfi Ben Jelloun and Barthélemy Attisso both left the band).