Bongo White - Souvenez-vous (Self-published/Angel Sweet Records)
Bongo White is a project around the Toulouse based singer-songwriter of the same name, who, after a first Guadeloupe-recorded EP in 2010 and his 2016 debut album 'Pourquoi Le Monde Tourne Carré', now presents this successor.
Lee 'Scratch' Perry - The Black Album (Upsetter)
Four years after the acclaimed 'Back On The Controls', English producer Daniel Boyle and the enfant terrible of reggae Lee 'Scratch' Perry took back to the studio for what would become 'The Black Album'.
Princess Kazayah & BriZion - Princess Kazayah meets BriZion Inna Dub Stylee EP (D.O.V.E. Muzik)
Introducing: Princess Kazayah, an American of Jamaican descent from Evanston near Chicago, with 'Princess Kazayah meets BriZion Inna Dub Stylee' presenting her debut EP.
Jean-Philippe Rykiel & Lansiné Kouyaté - Kangaba-Paris (Buda Musique)
At first glance 'Kangaba-Paris' may sound like a simple instrumental album on which piano and balafon effortlessly enter into a dialogue, but that result should be attributed to the virtuosity of French pianist Jean-Philippe Rykiel and Malian balafon player Lansiné Kouyaté.
Marockin' Brass - Beats & Pieces (Music & Words/A-Shams/Met-X)
'Beats & Pieces', the new long-player by Brussels based gnawa and jazz brass band Marockin' Brass, is also the going-away present of Met-X founder Luc Mishalle.
Foshan Roots - The Wing Chun Album (Dub-O-Phonic)
The fact last year Dub-O-Phonic decided to release 'Sky Warrior Dub', the unreleased debut album by London duo Foshan Roots, also resulted in Brad Turner and Tom Dewey deciding to revive the project that had been dormant for five years.
Fanna-Fi-Allah - Muraqaba (Buda Musique)
Since in 1997 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the king of the qawwali exchanged the temporary for the eternal in 1997, the Islamic Sufi music tradition slowly but surely disappeared from the world stage. Fanna-Fi-Allah, an American band around Nova Scotia-born harmonium player and vocalist Tahir Hussain Faridi has been trying to change this for some time now, and with 'Muraqaba' for the first time releases an album that's also distributed in Europe.
Taj Weekes & Adowa - To All My Relations (Jatta Records/VPal)
American reggae artist of Saint Lucian descent Taj Weekes describes 'To All My Relations' as: "...a socio-political journey of self-discovery.", and we couldn't agree more.
Natty Jean - Imagine (Baco Records)
Yours truly has been an unconditional fan of Danakil vocalist Natty Jean since the release of 'Santa Yalla', his 2012 solo debut. And with this successor he was effortlessly able to blow us away yet again!
Forelock & Arawak - To The Foundation (La Tempesta Dischi)
For the successor of the 2015s 'Zero', the Sardinians of Forelock & Arawak got their inspiration from the crown prince of reggae, Dennis Brown.
Vivalda Dula - Dula (Self-published)
Houston, Texas based Vivalda Dula is hailed as the new diva of Angolan world music and with 'Dula' she's now presenting her second album.
Dub Spencer & Trance Hill - Christmas In Dub (Echo Beach)
Still looking for the ideal soundtrack to get through Christmas? Swiss project Dub Spencer & Trance Hill is happy to help out with 'Christmas In Dub'!
Stranger Cole & The SteadyTones - More Life EP (Liquidator Music)
In 2009 Jamaican veteran Stranger Cole was invited to be the voice over for the documentary 'Rocksteady: The Roots Of Reggae', but his last musical achievement, the 'Morning Train', produced by Jah Shaka, already dates back to 2006. Together with German band The SteadyTones, Stranger now presents this 6 track 'More Life' EP.
The Nile Project - Tana (Zambaleta)
Just like with their previous releases, 'Aswan' and 'Jinja', this new album by international ensemble The Nile Project focuses on an iconic spot along Africa's longest river. This time it's Ethiopia's Lake Tana, the highest lake in Africa and the source of the Blue Nile.
Lollypop Lory - Ural Station (Self-published)
Even though Jamaican genres like ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub are beginning to take hold in the former Eastern bloc, Mother Russia is still lagging behind. Lollypop Lorry, an eight-piece band from Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the the Ural Federal District, was founded in 2008 and with this aptly titled 'Ural Station' presents a new long player.
Sarazino - Mama Funny Day (Cumbancha)
Has it really already been six years, since we last heard from Ecuador-based Algerian globetrotter Sarazino?
Onesty - My World (Ajang Music)
With her long-awaited debut album 'My World', Tina Sureda aka Onesty also gives closure to a musical period in her life.
Omar Sosa & Yilian Cañizares - Aguas (MDC/Ota Records)
After 'Transparent Water', his 2017 collaboration with Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa once again sought inspiration in water, in which Oshun, the orisha or deity of the river and fresh water, and beauty and love in the Lucumi or Santeria religion takes a central role.
Bokanté + Metropole Orkest - What Heat (Real World Records)
'What Heat', a collaboration between Bokanté, an eight-piece company around Canadian-Guadeloupian vocalist Malika Tirolien and founder of New York fusion band Snarky Puppy, Michael League, and the Dutch Metropole Orkest immediately reminded yours truly of the somewhat similar experiment in which World Circuit Records linked Malian Trio Da Kali with American string quartet Kronos Quartet.
Dub Riots & Indamouse feat. Bluez - Creation EP (Dub-O-Phonic)
Still looking for some dub to fill the dark autumn days? Then this 'Creation' EP, with matching autumn leave on the cover, might be something for you!