Yellowman - Reggae Anthology: Young, Gifted & Yellow (VP Records/17 North Parade)
VP Records already dedicated an anthology to Yellowman once before ('Reggae Anthology: Look How Me Sexy', 2001), but that edition pales to 'Young, Gifted & Yellow'.
PieroDread - Real Vibes (Irie Ites)
PieroDread's name will probably not provoke much recognition, but if we add that he was a member of Italian band Franziska (winners of the 2007 edition of the Rototom Reggae European Reggae Contest) a bell might start ringing here and there.
Femi Kuti - No Place For My Dream (Naïve)
With 'No Place For My Dream' Femi Kuti wanted to leave behind ten years of professional and personal problems and return to the foundations of afrobeat.
Winston McAnuff & Fixi - Winston McAnuff & Fixi EP (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)
With the untimely death of his son Matthew, 2012 is probably a year Winston McAnuff wants to forget as soon as possible.
Yaniss Odua - Moment Idéal (Caan Dun Music)
Yaniss Odua belongs to the top of the francophone reggae scene (yours truly is purposely not using the word "French" as Odua is Martinique born), but his last release already dates back to 2008.
Mikey General - African Story African Glory (Qabalah First Music)
Mikey General remains one of the most undervalued Jamaican artists of his generation and on 'African Story African Glory' (issued on Qabalah First Music, Mikey's own label) the humble lion once again shows what he's worth.
General Jah Mikey - Original Yard Food (Zion High Productions)
General Jah Mikey (not to be confused with Mikey General) is one of these Jamaican musicians who already have been going at it for what looks like an eternity without ever being able to force an international breakthrough.
Family Atlantica - Family Atlantica (Soundway Records)
For Family Atlantica, Heliocentrics percussionist/flutist Jack Yglesias and his wife, Venezuelan Luzmira Zerpa, went in search of some like-minded musicians to create a psychedelic, percussion driven trip in which diverse influences (Cuban rumba, Venezuelan tonada and tambor, Trinidadian calypso, Ghanaian highlife.
Lion D - Bring Back Di Vibes (Bizzarri Records)
In Italy Nigerian-Italian singjay Lion D has already made a name for himself, but with 'Bring Back Di Vibes' he now wants to try and conquer the rest of Europe.
Patko - Just Take It Easy (Youz Prod/Socadisc)
Patrick Josafath aka Patko, a French-Guyanese with Surinam roots, previously was a member of the French band L'Année Du Singe, but now releases his solo debut 'Just Take It Easy'.
Earlyworm - Hi Fi Hustlin' EP (Renegade Recordings)
Those who have enjoyed the dub experiments on the debut album of Canadian Earlyworm (a name referring to the English proverb "The early bird catches the worm"), can rejoice, because the Toronto dub master returns with 'Hi Fi Hustlin'', a four track EP.
Umberto Echo - Elevator Dubs (19 Records/Enja Records)
Together with kindred spirits Dub Spencer & Trance Hill, Umberto Echo has been expanding the horizons of the dub universe for some years now.
Kobo Town - Jumbie In The Jukebox (Cumbancha)
Kobo Town, a band around Trinidadian-Canadian Drew Gonsalves, has to be one of the world music revelations for 2013.
Chico Mann - Manifest Tone: The Best Of Volumes 1 - 3 (Soundway Records)
In 2004, Chico Mann, in everyday life Marcus Garcia and guitarist for Antibalas, started his own side project Manifest Tone specializing in what he calls "Afro-Freestyle", an organic mix of diverse genres like afrobeat, electro, salsa, disco and funk.
Sanchez - The General (Sanmonik Records)
'The General' is a title that leaves no room for doubt: with this first independent release, Sanchez wants to make clear that he's still on top! Opener 'I Need A Dollar' is a successful reggae cover of Aloe Blacc's world hit (in the track list you can also find 'If Something's Wrong With My Baby' on that same riddim).
El Juntacadaveres - De Platino (Zimbraz)
With El Juntacadaveres, a project around Argentine saxophonist and bandoneon player Enrique 'Kike' Noviello, Gotan Project now has a Belgian cousin.
Taj Weekes & Adowa - Pariah In Transit (Jatta Records)
Yours truly was introduced to the music of Saint Lucian Taj Weekes thanks to 'A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen', an album from 2010 that lacked a certain punch and did not leave an unforgettable impression.
Chezidek - The Order Of Melchezedik (Heartbeat Europe/Rounder)
Chezidek has once again joined forces with Dutch JahSolidRock and even though 'The Order Of Melchezedik' might not be as impressive as predecessor 'Judgement Time', this album (the title refers to the biblical figure who provided Chezidek with his stage name) confirms Chezidek is one of the biggest Jamaican roots talents of his generation.
Obidaya - Obidaya (Natural Prod'/Musicast Distribution)
Obidaya (the phonetic spelling of the Hebrew "Obadiah", meaning "servant of the Lord") is the latest offspring of the French roots family.
Jashwha Moses - No War On Earth (Sugar Shack Records)
Thirty years, that's how long it took for Jashwha Moses' debut album, 'Joshua To Jashwha: 30 Years In The Wilderness', to see the light.