Various Artists - You'll Never Know: 18 Caribou Ska Selection (Drum & Bass Records)
Yours truly learned the history of the Caribou label thanks to the 'Soundman Shots, The Caribou & Downbeat 78's Story' compilation and with its latest release 'You'll Never Know: 18 Caribou Ska Selection' the Japanese Drum & Bass label now also focuses on the productions of pioneer Dada Tewari.
Various Artists - The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk-thung, Jazz & Molam In Thailand, 1964 - 1975 (Soundway Records)
The Soundway Records label continues to amaze; after Nigeria, Ghana and Colombia, they're now exploring the colorful musical past of Thailand, back then still known as Siam.
Roger Robin - Justice (Joe Fraser/VP Records)
With 'Justice', sweet-voiced Bristol crooner Roger Robin adds a fine sequel to 'Take It Slow' from 2006.
Super 11 - Super Onze (Two Speakers Records)
Horst Timmers (MPS Pilot) is a busy bee as in addition to his activities with Future Takamba, he also produced this 'Super Onze' album by the eponymous band from Gao in the East of Mali.
Various Artists - Balkan Fever London: Mind The Brass (Green Queen Music)
We honestly had no clue it existed, but apparently London also has its own small Balkan scene and where on the European continent it's mostly deejays playing and promoting the genre (Shantel, Gaetano Fabri, Merdan Taplak.
Axel Krygier - Pesebre (Crammed Discs)
'Pesebre' is the first international release of Argentine boy wonder Axel Krygier.
Kel Assouf - Tin Hanane (Igloo Records)
Year after year the desert keeps extending its reach and now, even a piece of Brussels seems to be silting up! Don't let that be bad news though because with Kel Assouf Belgium now counts its first Tuareg band.
Apple Gabriel - Teach Them Right (Heartbeat Europe/Rounder)
More than ten years after the release of 'Another Moses', a meanwhile beardless Apple Gabriel finally reappears on the music scene.
Various Artists - The Roots Of Chicha 1 & 2 (Crammed Discs/Barbès Records)
With the compilation series 'The Roots Of Chicha', Chicha Libre's Olivier Conan returns to the roots of this Peruvian music genre.
Duane Stephenson - Black Gold (VP Records)
A smash like 'August Town' Duane Stephenson will not easily produce again, but with 'Black Gold' (a title that instills somewhat high expectations) he delivers a worthy successor to his debut effort 'From August Town'.
Ebo Taylor - Love And Death (Stut Records)
Guitarist/composer Ebo Taylor has been a key figure in the Ghanaian highlife and afrobeat scene for several decades now.
Boban I Marko Markovic Orkestar - Hayde! (Makasound)
Boban and Marko Markovic' new album is called 'Hayde!' ("finally!"), although new might be a slight overstatement as 'Hayde!' is more of a 'Best Of' compilation with work from their five previous albums and compiled especially for the French market.
Afrocubism - Afrocubism (World Circuit)
With Afrocubism, the World Circuit label finally realizes Ry Cooder's dream project of bringing together Cuban and African musicians, called off several times in the past because of practical and organizational difficulties.
Smiley - Lively Road EP (Love & Unity Music)
On October 10, 2010, Curaçao and Saint Martin took a step towards independence and the Dutch Antilles were officially dissolved, something that will certainly not have left Smiley, originating from Aruba, indifferent, but the man had other things to celebrate.
Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra - Feel The Riddim! (Megalith Records)
Yours truly got to know Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra with 'Return Of The Pannonians' and on its successor 'Feel The Riddim!', the "Hungarian Skatalites" once again juggle with styles and time periods.
Dubmatix - System Shakedown (Echo Beach)
'System Shakedown' sounds a lot like a heavy UK dub session and vocal guests like Brother Culture, Tippa Irie or Dennis Alcapone (the great 'Struggle') only reinforce that feeling.
Chupalibre - De Grote Kick (Self-published)
Chupalibre's 'De Grote Kick' ("the big kick") is not an easy one to categorize; is this still world music or rather Dutch pop? Jan Vanlaet (ex-Mama's Jasje) has suffused his songs with a world music sauce; one that one moment can be salsa-like ('Maan'), the next something from the Balkans ('De Grote Kick', 'Hypo') and for 'Eva Lucy' (read "evolution") he went for a dubby reggae rhythm.
Tuff Lion - Utterance... A Testament (Outpost Music Workshop) + Ten Strings (I Grade Records)
Tuff Lion may live in Hampton, Virginia, the guitarist/singer-songwriter is one of the most important musicians in the music scene of the US Virgin Islands.
Harry Mo - Back To Africa (Yellow Hill Music)
Even though Harry Mo is no born Virgin Islander (Mo hails from Dominica), he settled in Saint Croix a few years ago and on his debut album 'Back To Africa' he also brings homage to the city in the up-tempo 'St.
Iba - Matsahyel (Outpost Music Workshop/Negus I Records)
Until further notice Midnite remains the most important exponent of so-called Virgin Island roots, but Iba is definitely catching up! Iba's greatest asset is the fact his music is more accessible than Midnite's.