Protoje - Ancient Future (Baco Records/In.Digg.Nation Collective/Overstand Entertainment)
Expectations for 'Ancient Future', Oje Ken Ollivierre aka Protoje's third long player, were high to say the least.
Delus - Public Relations EP (Subkonshus Music)
Together with his brother Konshens (Garfield Delano Spence), Delmark Spence aka Delus performed as Sojah for a while, but these days he's pursuing a solo career.
Pierpoljak - Général Indigo (Garvey Drive/Verycords)
After several mediocre albums (2006's 'Je Blesserai Personne' and 2010's 'Légendaire Serenade') giving the impression Pierpoljak was bidding the reggae genre farewell and rather wanted to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, things remained silent for quite some time.
Colah Colah - Unstoppable (Elevation Records/Basco Record Production)
In terms of productivity Colah Colah seems to be unstoppable, as, in collaboration with Dutch label Basco Record Production, the Jamaican singjay keeps turning out albums at a steady pace.
Nzimbu - Nzimbu (One Drop/Sage/Rue Stendhal)
Nzimbu, Kikongo for "song" and, at the time when cowrie shells were still being used as currency in Congo (see also the photo on the album cover) it also meant "fortune", is a project uniting Ray Lema, Ballou Canta and Fredy Massamba, three generations of vocalists hailing from both sides of the Congo River (Brazilian guitarist Rodrigo Viana is the odd man out).
Various Artists - Ska From The Vaults Of W.I.R.L. Records (Kingston Sounds)
One of the advantages of the releases on the Kingston Sounds label is the fact the titles of their compilations are often quite self-explanatory and 'Ska From The Vaults Of W.I.R.L. Records' is certainly no different.
MoodCollector - Such A Lovely Day (Self-published)
Counting a number of ex-members of The Dill Brothers in its ranks, MoodCollector can rightfully consider itself to be the spiritual and musical heir of the Campine ska-collective.
Various Artists - Woman Reggae Vibes (Reggae Livication Records)
Just in time for International Women's Day (08/03), French label Reggae Livication Records, last year still responsible for Da Fuchaman's 'Rasta Will Be There' EP, presents 'Woman Reggae Vibes', a compilation allowing 9 female reggae artists to give the best of themselves.
Ruffi-Ann - Save The Juvenile (Sugar Pan/Charmax/VPal)
Ruffi-Ann (real name Sharon Peterkin) can hardly be considered an upcoming talent, as the singer has already enjoyed quite the musical career.
Reemah - Check Your Words (Feel Line Records/VPal)
Not to say It is that on the Virgin Islands, apart from Dezarie, no other female singers are active, but internationally none of them really have left their mark yet. However, newcomer Reemah's 'Check Your Words' may change things!
Jamaram & Acoustic Night Allstars - Heavy Heavy (Turban Records/Soulfire Artists/Grooveattack)
On last year's 'Best Of' compilation 'Almost Hits', Jamaram already presented a documentary featuring Acoustic Night Allstars and for 'Heavy Heavy' they once again collaborated with the Zimbabwean band (both bands crossed paths for the first time at the Harare HIFA Festival in 2012).
Nneka - My Fairy Tales (Bushqueen Music)
Because yours truly, isn't really a fan of the multitude of female singer-songwriters with an ethnic twist out there (see also Ayo, Irma, Imayo, Sara Tavares.
Gadje Scum - No Laws On A Sunday EP (Self-published)
Take a blender, mix up equal parts of reggae, ska, gypsy music, dubstep, hip-hop and circus marches and you'll end up with Gadje Scum (in Romani culture gadjo, feminine gadji, plural gadje, is a designation for someone who is not of Romani or Sinti descent), a group of five musicians from Ghent who clearly know how to throw a party.
New Kingston - Kingston City (Easy Star Records)
As far as yours truly is concerned, New Kingston, a band made up of three brothers from Brooklyn, New York City, might well be the new Morgan Heritage.
Balkan Clarinet Summit - Many Languages One Soul (Piranha)
In southeastern Europe, after the violin, the clarinet is just about the most important instrument, with each region developing its own playing style and technique.
Yabby You - Dread Prophecy: The Strange And Wonderful Story Of Yabby You (Shanachie)
With the disappearance of the Blood and Fire label, getting hold of one of their reissues of the work of Yabby You got more and more difficult.
Los Callejeros - Ukamao! (Self-published)
'Ukamao!' (loosely translated from Aymara: "So it goes!" or "That's just the way it is!"), the title of the third album by Belgian mestizo-collective Los Callejeros, is an expression used in Bolivia and Peru to indicate some things simply are what they are.
El Juntacadaveres - Twists And Turns (Zimbraz)
Both the title and the cover photo of this second long player by El Juntacadaveres already tell us something about this band and its oeuvre: 'Twists And Turns' of course refers to the typical dance moves that are part of the tango and the graffiti work on the cover is a nod to hip-hop culture, also a key ingredient of the sound of El Juntacadaveres.
The Banyans - For Better Days (Khanti Records/Socadisc)
For the successor of 'Steppin' Out', their 2013 album debut, The Banyans continue where they left off.
Dub Syndicate - Hard Food (Echo Beach)
After 2004's 'No Bed Of Roses', 'Hard Food' is the first Dub Syndicate album in 10 years.