Masinga Root - Good Vibes (Self-published)
International Ivorian reggae stars like Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoly need no further introduction, but of course Ivorian reggae scene is home to a whole host of talented artists. It's therefore with great pleasure that we introduce Masinga Root, who delivers his solo debut with 'Good Vibes'.
Pablo Raster & Hornsman Coyote - Sound Deliverance EP (ODG)
For the 8 track 'Sound Deliverance' EP, producer Pablo Raster joined forces with Serbian trombone player/vocalist Hornsman Coyote.
The Shakin' Jamaican - Tribute To Jackie Mittoo (Sidedoor Records)
On 'Tribute To Jackie Mittoo', The Shakin' Jamaican, a Canadian trio around Toronto based Jamaican guitarist Shane 'Shaky J' Forrest, does exactly what it says on the tin.
Megumi Mesaku - Saxy Rocksteady (Mafia & Fluxy)
Since London-based Japanese saxophone sensation Megumi Mesaku started busking in the London metro and last year a video of one of those improvised street sessions ended up on social media, in no time she grew into an internet sensation, and with 'Saxy Rocksteady', produced in collaboration with Mafia & Fluxy, she now presents a second instrumental solo album.
Arrels De Gracià - Remena, Nen! (Satélite K)
The songs on 'Remena, Nen!' go back up to three or four generations and have become Catalan evergreens. In their original form, they first appeared in the 1920s, immortalized by artists such as Pilar Alonso and Mercè Serós, and were revived in 1970 on Guillermo Motta's album 'Remena Nena'.
Vysionaer - Soldier EP (Al.Ta.Fa.An Records)
'Life Designs', the as yet unpublished debut of Delroy Brown aka Vysionaer was still produced by Calibud, but for "successor" 'Soldier', the artist from Balaclava in Saint Elizabeth joined forces with Al.Ta.Fa.An Records producer Anthony Senior.
Mister Kali - Step Fast (Rebel Sound Records)
Following the release of 'Hungry', the collaboration between Dub Gideon and Mister Kali, Rebel Sound Records now decided to re-release 'Step Fast', the latter's 2010 debut album.
Ione Angeles - Inna Word EP (Rebel Sound Records)
This seven track 'Inna Word' EP is the beginning of what should hopefully become a fruitful collaboration between Rebel Sound Records and Oakley, California based singer Ione Angeles.
The Zebulonites - The Zebulonites EP (Rebel Sound Records)
This self-titled 'The Zebulonites' EP is the first calling card by the five-piece reggae band of the same name hailing from Long Beach, Long Island.
Black Flower - Future Flora (Sdban Records/N.E.W.S.)
After their collaboration with Dijf Sanders and last year's aptly titled interim EP 'Intermediate State', Black Flower returns with a new long player.
Various Artists - Inna De Yard (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)
On July 10th, a documentary by Peter Webber on the Inna De Yard project will be released, and we got the distinct impression we should rather consider this new Inna De Yard album as the soundtrack of that film.
The Roots Ark - Awake (Kan Ahau Records)
The Roots Ark, a project started in 2016 from the collaboration of French composer and multi-instrumentalist Greg Dandelot with a number of musicians who earned their spurs in the jazz scene.
Balaklava Blues - Fly (Self-published)
'Fly' is the long-player debut of Balaklava Blues, consisting of musical couple Mark and Marichka Marczyk.
Filentre - Inou Wali (Self-published/Dibyz Music)
Filentre is a reggae artist from Montpellier in the south of France, but for 'Inou Wali' he took to Manjul's Humble Ark studio in Bamako, where he was joined by the musicians of Ivorian band Siman Roots.
Halva - The Sweetest Klezmer Orchestra (Galileo Music Communication)
'The Sweetest Klezmer Orchestra' the long player debut of Halva, a six-piece klezmer project around Belgian violinist Nicolaas Cottenie, for which he went in search of the musical links between traditional klezmer and the influences of local cultures in countries like Greece, Hungary, Ukraine and Turkey.
Hermit Dubz - Pursuit Of Balance EP (Dub-O-Phonic)
With this 'Pursuit Of Balance' EP, Hermit Dubz, operating from his Hermit Cave studios in Birmingham, serves us four new instrumentals and as many solid dub-versions.
Babelsouk - La Clé (Self-published)
With 'La Clé', Walloon band Babelsouk provides us with an excellent sequel to their 2016 debut effort 'Charlykingston'.
Camel's Drop - We Nah Gonna Wait (Self-published)
There certainly hasn't been any shortage of new Belgian reggae projects lately. Camel's Drop is a band around bass player Wim 'Fadda' Stevens, his two sons Roel 'Sticksman' Stevens and Polle 'Docta Riddim' Stevens, supplemented with vocalists Dhazed Fyah, Skyblasters veteran Prince Far Out and Dora 'Little Miss Sweets' Turay, with 'We Nah Gonna Wait' presenting a first album.
Koffee - Rapture EP (Columbia/Sony Music)
We don't have to think long about the most anticipated reggae release of 2019. At the beginning of last year Mikayla Simpson, better known as Koffee, blasted on the reggae scene like an unstoppable meteor with 'Raggamuffin', and now there's finally this first five track EP.
Click Here - Play It Again (No Fridge)
The Balkan hype has been behind us for a few years now, but now and again some highly original experiments with the genre still surface.