Tony Allen - Secret Agent (World Circuit)

"Without Tony Allen, there'd be no afrobeat.

The Idan Raichel Project - Within My Walls (Cumbancha)

The fact the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the longest-running and most poignant conflicts on this globe, needs no argument, but yours truly finds it truly annoying that just about every Israeli music project presents itself as yet another dove of peace.

Ersatzmusika - Songs Unrecantable (Asphalt Tango Records)

Not easily digestible this 'Songs Unrecantable' by Berlin based Russian migrants of Ersatzmusika.

Linval Thompson - Ghetto Living (Makasound)

You have to hand it to Makasound, after they convinced him to redo some of his greatest hits for an Inna De Yard album a few years back, this time they managed to lure Linval Thompson into the studio for what is his first full album in about twenty years! 'Ghetto Living' was definitely worth the wait as this album is a true roots gem.

Sizzla - Ghetto Youth-Ology (Greensleeves)

Sizzla's latest is entitled 'Ghetto Youth-Ology' and it stands to reason youths are the subject of different songs ('Ghetto Utes Dem Ah Suffer', 'Hey Youths').

Glen Washington - Destiny (VP Records)

Glen Washington's career is one with many turns and twists.

Various Artists - Evolution Of Dub Volume 1: The Origin Of The Species (Greensleeves)

In the category "releases we'd love to add to our collection", 'Evolution Of Dub Volume 1: The Origin Of The Species', the latest dub collection on the Greensleeves label, rates very high.

Franziska - Action (Venus Distribuzione/Rough Trade)

The name Franziska might ring a bell for some of you, as two years ago this band from Milan was the winner of the Rototom European Reggae Contest.

Various Artists - Once Upon A Time At King Tubby's (Pressure Sounds)

This new Pressure Sounds release focuses on a nice anecdote from reggae history.

Various Artists - Songs For Reggae Lovers 2 (Greensleeves)

Every year we pass that date in February declared by cunning salesmen as the day of love.

Wahwahsda - Shiva Regal (Kwantakosta/Self-published)

It’s always nice when we can give local talent a little boost and for a quality auto-production like 'Shiva Regal', we even take our hat off.

Merger - Exiles In A Babylon (Makasound)

With Merger's 'Exiles In A Babylon' Makasound signs for one of the most interesting rereleases of 2009.

Niominka Bi and N’Diaxas Band - Shalom, Salam (Makasound)

'Shalom, Salam', the new album by Niominka Bi and N'Diaxas Band, takes a somewhat false start: title track 'Shalom' seems to be a carbon copy of Alpha Blondy's 'Jerusalem' and 'Fisherman', a version of The Congos' 'Fisherman' is a complete stinker.

Jah Verity - Président Boulanger (Nocturne/Fakoly Production)

Tiken Jah Fakoly is a busybody; after the release of a biography and the live CD/DVD 'Live À Paris' last year, he is now producing work in his H.

Mikey Spice - Walk A Mile (VP Records)

MIKEY SPICE IS BACK! With that message, the most important thing surrounding this Mikey Spice release is said.

Otros Aires - Vivo En Otros Aires (Galileo Music Communication)

With Otros Aires, a Spanish project led by Argentinian Miguel Di Genova, we find ourselves in the same waters as Gotan Project: neo-tango (electronic music meets classic tango).

Alemayehu Eshete - The Best Of (AIT Records)

Alemayehu Eshete is sometimes called the Ethiopian Elvis, a nickname he owes to 'Tikur Gissila' ("Black Panther") an Ethiopian rock-'n-roll song from 1961 and Eshete's first big hit.

Daby Toure & Skip McDonald - Call My Name EP (Real World Records)

'Call My Name', the latest release on the Real World label is yet another East meets West project with American blues blending with its African counterpart (also see Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure or, more recently, Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara).

Radiokijada - Nuevos Sonidos Afro Peruanos (Wrasse Records)

One of the world music trends for 2009 is definitely the popularization of Afro-Peruvian music.

Blick Bassy - Léman (World Connection)

Introducing Blick Bassy: singer-songwriter and rising afro-pop star.