Zara Moussa - Ma Rage (Label Caravan)
In West-African hip-hop Zara Moussa claims a special place as the Nigerien is one of the pioneers of female rap in Africa and moreover, her 2005 debut 'Kirari' was also the first solo album by a female rapper on the African continent.
The Skints - Part & Parcel (Soulbeats Records/Harmonia Mundi)
'Part & Parcel' is The Skints' ("skint" = broke) second album.
Lokomotiv - LKMTIV (Self-published)
Lokomotiv is a drum band founded in 2000 by percussionist Jo Zanders and initially mainly focusing on Brazilian batucada rhythms.
Régis Gizavo - Ilakake (Cinq Planètes)
'Ilakake', Malagasy accordion-master Régis Gizavo's third solo album, may be an audiovisual postcard of Madagascar, with 'Brazil' it oddly enough kicks off on the other side of the ocean, as the song is an ode to the largest nation on the South-American subcontinent.
Various Artists - Fashion In Fine Style: Significant Hits Volume 1 (Reggae Archive Records)
Out of all the reggae labels that were established in the UK since the 1970s, London based Fashion Records, founded by John MacGillivray and Chris Lane (also the guys behind the legendary Dub Vendor stores), was perhaps best in tune with the British reggae lover's ever evolving musical taste.
Music Is The Weapon - Moving Foundations And Outer Space (Self-published)
African funk, known to us as afrobeat, continues to gain in popularity and even in the cold Scandinavian North, distant cousins of Fela Kuti can these days be found.
Carroll Thompson - Hoplessly In Love + Louisa Mark - Breakout (Universal Sound/Soul Jazz Records)
Soul Jazz Records apparently wanted to end the year in style and with the reissue of two outright lovers rock classics, Carroll Thompson's 'Hopelessly In Love' and Louisa Mark's 'Breakout' they succeed effortlessly.
Savages Y Suefo - Worldstyle (Agogo Records)
Hungarian duo Savages Y Suefo's 'Worldstyle' is an extremely enjoyable album reminiscent of the work of Kottarashky or Balkan Beat Box.
Ballaké Sissoko - At Peace (Naïve/No Format!)
Attentive readers will still remember Malian Kora player Ballaké Sissoko's name from 'Chamber Music', his unique collaboration with cellist Vincent Segal.
David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7 - Friends & Enemies (Brixton Records/Rockin Steady)
For those drawing a blank hearing David Hillyard's name, this sax player from San Diego, California, made a name for himself playing with bands like Hepcat, The Donkey Show and The Slackers.
Various Artists - Evolution Of Dub Volume 7: Creationist Rebel (Greensleeves)
The Evolution Of Dub series has reached its seventh volume, this time focusing on the productions of Winston Edwards, cousin of Joe Gibbs.
Barrington Levy - Reggae Anthology: Sweet Reggae Music 1979 - 84 (17 North Parade/VP Records)
Let me start off with some bad news: 'Reggae Anthology: Sweet Reggae Music 1979 - 84' comes without the trusted bonus-DVD usually accompanying VP's Reggae Anthology releases.
Andra Kouyate & Sèkè Chi - Saro (Studio Mali)
A Kouyate playing ngoni, where have we heard that before? Andra, Bassekou Kouyate's younger brother, single-handedly invented the bass ngoni and, until recently, was a member of Ngoni Ba, his brother's band ('Bassekou' is a musical tribute to his elder brother).
Magyarvista Social Club - Utazólevél (Hangveto)
The cover - a Hungarian betyár or outlaw on a Harley Davidson - of Magyarvista Social Club's album debut is just about the coolest we saw this year, but the music on 'Utazólevél' ("travel documents") is a little less exciting.
Sadiki - Jah Is The Only King (Skinny Boy Records)
Even though 'Jah Is The Only King' is already his fourth long player, Sadiki isn't all that well-known in Europe yet.
Jah Lewis - What An Experience (MJH Musik)
Jah Lewis' life story is interesting to say the least.
Reggae Angels - Turn On The Light (Kings Music International)
We keep discovering reggae bands from the US, because even though Reggae Angels have been going at it for more than fifteen years, 'Turn On The Light' was yours truly's first acquaintance with this San Francisco band around front man Fenton Wardle, often acting as backing band for Jamaican artists on tour in the US.
King Riddim - Renaissance (Dynamix/Zimbalam)
No, King Riddim is not a new one riddim compilation, but a Normandy based band.
McPullish - Black Metal White Reggae (Charlie’s Records)
McPullish is the pseudonym of Carson Hoovestol, multi-instrumentalist and producer, who in his studio in Buda, Texas, developed his own vision on dub.
Meridian Brothers - Desesperanza (Soundway Records)
Electronic music is clearly gaining in popularity on the South-American subcontinent.