Zion Train - Land Of The Blind (Universal Egg)
For 'Land Of The Blind' (the title is a reference to the old expression: "In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.
Various Artists - Rocksteady: Taking Over Orange Street 1966 - 1968 (Kingston Sounds)
The golden era of the rocksteady genre may only have lasted for two years, the period yielded quite a number of classics in Jamaican music history.
The Very Best - Makes A King (Moshi Moshi Records)
The Very Best combines the forces of Swedish musician Johan Hugo and Malawian vocalist Esau Mwamwaya, blending western pop, rock and electronics with influences from the music of southern Africa.
Kiddus I - Take A Trip (Iroko Records)
The relationship between Kiddus I and Homegrown Band already goes back to 2005, when the French band around saxophonist Guillaume 'Stepper' Briard accompanied the Jamaican veteran a first time during a tour in France.
Various Artists - Next Stop ... Soweto Volume 4: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco and Mbaqanga 1975 - 1985 (Strut Records)
For what is already the fourth volume in the 'Next Stop .
Mocambo - Aruanda (Self-published)
Mocambo is a collaborative project by Alessandro Vlerick aka Le Tagarel (vocals) and Tim Wulleman aka Tartaruga (saxophone, keyboards, production), blending hip-hop with influences from jazz, funk, afrobeat and especially Brazilian music.
Rumbacali - El Duende, La Luz Y La Noche (Kasba Music)
The Spanish Kasba Music label is best known as a promoter of fresh talent from the Iberian Peninsula, but where Rumbacali is concerned things are somewhat different.
Xavier Rudd & The United Nations - Nanna (Nettwerk)
Until recently Australian multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd performed as an impressive one-man orchestra, surrounded by half a dozen guitars, three yiḏakis (didgeridoos), and a selection of traditional drums, but for 'Nanna' Rudd has assembled a nine piece band, christened The United Nations due to the various origins (Australia, Germany, South Africa, Samoa and Papua New Guinea) of its members.
Beam Up - Innerstand (Barely Breaking Even)
Under the Beam Up alias, Brian May (see also DJ Delay and Sonical, but not to be confused with the similarly named Queen guitarist), an English DJ who divides his time between Melbourne, Osaka and Berlin, experiments with reggae and dub.
Exco Levi - Country Man (Penthouse Records)
At the end of the nineteen nineties Penthouse Records was a regular hit machine, but nowadays Donovan Germain's productions have become rather scarce.
Nils Fischer & Timbazo - Rumberos A Montón (Timbazo Productions/Self-published)
'Rumberos A Montón' may sound like it was recorded somewhere between San Juan, Havana and New York, but in fact, percussionist Nils Fischer (also still active with CaboCubaJazz, Skins & Keys, Nueva Manteca and a bunch of other bands) actually hails from the German city of Bremen.
Lion D - Heartical Soul (Bizzarri Records)
Asked to pick a name from the many upcoming reggae talents Italy has to offer, we would have put our money on PieroDread as the most likely to work with Alborosie, but it was ultimately Lion D who managed to convince the Shengen Don.
Ceumar - Silencia (ARC Music)
Ceumar Coelho is a singer-songwriter from Itanhandu, a small town in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, who relocated to The Netherlands.
Capital Letters - Wolverhampton (Sugar Shack Records)
With the release of the 12 inch 'Wolf' in 2014, Capital Letters already provided us with a taste of their upcoming album 'Wolverhampton'.
Buena Vista Social Club - Lost And Found (World Circuit)
At the time of writing the remaining members of Cuba's most illustrious orchestra have started their Adios Tour and with 'Lost And Found', a hotchpotch of songs that were left on the shelf (complemented by a number of live tracks that didn't make the track list of the 'Buena Vista Social Club Live At Carnegie Hall' album), the World Circuit label also bids this musical legend farewell.
Black Symbol - Black Symbol (Reggae Archive Records)
Last year Black Symbol front man Fatman already presented us with the all new 'Journey' album and now Reggae Archive Records looks back on the history of this Birmingham based band with this untitled compilation.
Jimmy Riley - Live It To Know It: Self Productions, Protest Songs & Dub Plates 1975 - 1985 (Pressure Sounds)
No to criticize previous releases, but 'Live It To Know It', a compilation of self-produced tracks recorded between 1975 and 1985 by ex-Sensations and Uniques vocalist, and father of Tarrus Riley, Martin Norman Riley aka Jimmy Riley, was the first Pressure Sounds release in a long time we were really looking forward to.
Slim Ali & The Hodi Boys - 70s Pop + Manuel Diogo - Music Of Angola (ARC Music)
Amateurs of vintage 1970s music from Africa should definitely check out '70s Pop' by Kenyan band Slim Ali & The Hodi Boys.
Natanja - The Beginning EP (Svaha Sound Records)
With the release of this EP, Natanja is clearly commencing a new chapter in his career, collaborating, among others, with Canadian producer Mr.
The Skints - FM (Easy Star Records)
'FM', The Skints' new long player, turns out to be a concept album.