Songhoy Blues - Music In Exile (Transgressive Records/Pias)
Songhoy Blues is the story of Oumar, Aliou and Garba Toure, three young musicians from the northern Gao region of Mali.
Samba Toure - Gandadiko (Glitterbeat Records)
After 'Albala', recorded during the unrest that swept through Mali in 2012, Samba Toure above all else wanted 'Gandadiko' (Songhay for "land of drought" or "land of fire") to sound as a message of hope, with 'Woyé Katé', the last track on the album and a duet with Tuareg musician Ahmed Ag Kaedi (Amanar), in which both men call on their compatriots to return to their homes and work together in unity to rebuild the country, perhaps being the best example.
Onom Agemo And The Disco Jumpers - Cranes And Carpets (Agogo Records)
'Cranes And Carpets' is the entirely instrumental debut album by Berlin based Onom Agemo And The Disco Jumpers, a quintet around multi-instrumentalist Johannes Schleiermacher (keyboards, percussion, winds) giving its groovy and slightly psychedelic take on genres like afrobeat ('No Stitches', 'Trudy The Monster'.
IQulah Rastafari - Food For Thought (Self-published)
IQulah (an acronym that stands for Integrity, Quality, Unity, Love, Africa and Home) belongs to a select group of Jamaican reggae musicians with a firm footing in the Rasta community, who despite of (or perhaps because of) their limited output have acquired a cult status (see also Kiddus I or Junior Byles).
Various Artists - Attack Dub: Rare Dubs From Attack Records 1973 - 1977 (Jamaican Recordings)
When 'Various Artists - Jackpot Dub: Rare Dubs From Jackpot Records 1974 - 1976' still focused on Bunny Lee's Jackpot Records label, for the similar 'Attack Dub: Rare Dubs From Attack Records 1973 - 1977' Jamaican Recordings drew inspiration from his Attack label.
Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra - Kilo Gipsyska (Self-published)
'Kilo Gipsyska', Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra's third album to date, might just provide this Antwerp based party orchestra with the international breakthrough they were looking for.
Reggae Angels with Sly & Robbie & The Taxi Gang - The Way (Kings Music International)
With 2012's 'Turn On The Light', Reggae Angels' previous effort, we weren't really all that impressed, but this time the Californian band joined forces with Sly & Robbie and their Taxi Gang, a combination that certainly tickled our imagination.
Omar Perry - Be Cool (Tabou1)
With the self-published 2012 effort 'The Journey', Omar Perry didn't cause that much of a stir.
Stand High Patrol - A Matter Of Scale (Stand High Records)
Intriguing album this 'A Matter Of Scale', the second long player by Breton trio Stand High Patrol.
Païaka - Alive Anyway (Flower Coast Records/Musicast Distribution)
The term "payaka", well-known among reggae amateurs from songs like Culture's 'Them A Payaka' or Bob Marley's 'Bus Dem Shut (Pyaka)', is patois for heathen or sinner, but in this case (and spelled slightly different) also the name of a French band from Clermont-Ferrand in the French Auvergne.
Taraf de Haïdouks - Of Lovers, Gamblers And Parachute Skirts (Crammed Discs)
With 'Of Lovers, Gamblers And Parachute Skirts', Taraf de Haïdouks, until further notice the most important exponent of Romanian lautari culture, celebrates its twenty-five year existence.
Inturns - Consider Yourself (Pressure Sounds)
The Pressure Sounds label welcomes the New Year with a reissue of 'Consider Yourself', the debut album by vocal trio Inturns recorded in 1978 for Phil Pratt's Chanan-Jah label.
E.N. Young - Live Love Stay Up (Roots Musician Records)
Last year E.
Marlon Asher - Illusions (Clear Port Entertainment/Zojak World Wide)
'Illusions' may well be the third album Marlon Asher is on the world lets go, 2006's 'Locked Out' and 2008's 'Unconditional Love' unfortunately never reached us and, apart from his hit single 'Ganja Farmer', this album was so our first real introduction to this Trinidadian reggae artist.
Vivian Jones - Black Star presents Vivian Jones (Black Star Foundation)
The relationship between Vivian Jones and the Dutch Black Star Foundation dates back to a short meeting in London back in 2009, and after touring together several times, the friendship that eventually blossomed now also resulted in the release of a new Vivian Jones album.
Mad Professor - Dubbing With Anansi (Ariwa)
In recent years Ariwa-chief Mad Professor spent a lot of time in The Gambia, where, among other things, he organized a number of editions of the Back To Africa festival.
Candido Fabre - Carretero (Tumi Music)
For many years Candido Fabre was the popular front man of the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo, but he has been pursuing a solo career for quite a while now.
Amparo Sanchez - Espiritu Del Sol (World Village/Harmonia Mundi)
With 'Espiritu Del Sol' Amparo Sanchez continues on the path she already embarked on with 'Tucson/Habana' and successor 'Alma De Cantaora'.
Mehmet Polat Trio - Next Spring (Homerecords.be)
For 'Next Spring' Turkish oud player Mehmet Polat joined forces with ney player Sinan Arat and Malian kora master Zoumana Diarra, together forming the Mehmet Polat Trio.
Yaniss Odua - Moment Idéal Tour (Caan Dun Music)
Immediately after the release of his 'Moment Idéal' album in 2013, joined by Artikal Band, Yaniss Odua embarked on a promotional tour.