Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Libation (Cumbancha)
With 'Libation' Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars want to put their 10th anniversary in the spotlight, but also want to pay their respect to the spirits of their departed musical brothers and pay tribute to Mama Salone (local pet name for Sierra Leone).
Anansy Cissé - Mali Overdrive (Riverboat Records/World Music Network)
Singer/guitarist Anansy Cissé was one of the many musicians from the North of Mali who, during the occupation by the fundamentalist militias of Ansar Dine, were forced to stop/halt their activities.
Rod Anton & The Ligerians - Wevolution (Wall On Stage/Plus Loin Music)
The Hummingbird adorning the cover of the second album by Rod Anton & The Ligerians has everything to do with 'Like A Hummingbird', the first track on 'Wevolution' opening with the parable of the Hummingbird (a story which origin can be traced to the South-American Quechua people, but got worldwide attention thanks to Wangari Maathai, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, and in the meantime has become a talisman for ecologists and activists), a story we don't want to keep from you: One day a terrible fire broke out in a forest - the huge woodland was suddenly engulfed by a raging wild fire.
Clinton Fearon - Goodness (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)
With 'Goodness' Clinton Fearon delivers one of his best albums in years.
Malaka Youth - Olas De Cambio EP (Self-published)
As their band name already indicates somewhat, Malaka Youth are a group of young musicians from the Spanish city of Malaga.
Bajka - Zaïedno (L'Autre Distribution)
Bajka are a gang of gadje (Romani term for someone who is not of Roma or Sinti descent) from Mayenne - a department in the northwest of France - who for their repertoire draw both on the Gypsy traditions of Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria and Jewish klezmer ('Krivo Horo').
Mikey Spice - I Am I Said (Joe Fraser Records/VPal)
This new album by lovers rock crooner par excellence Mikey Spice immediately reminded yours truly of Ed Robinson's 'On Covers' and that is far from coincidence as just like Robinson, Spice chose to give a number of hits from pop and soul history a reggae makeover.
Various Artists - Far Out presents Brazilian Bass: Inner City Tropical Sound blast (Far Out Recordings)
The kick-off of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil is rapidly approaching so high time we start pointing you towards the right soundtrack for that event.
Shakya - NaturalMente (Self-published) + Train To Roots - Growing (INRI) + Quartiere Coffee - Italian Reggae Familia (Pirames International)
When the Rototom Sunsplash festival exchanged Italy for Spain back in 2010, the Italian reggae scene went through a crisis of confidence.
Earl Sixteen - Natty Farming (A-Lone Productions)
'Natty Farming', a collaboration between veteran vocalist Earl Sixteen and Spanish all-rounder Roberto Sanchez, can already boast one of the most beautiful album covers of 2014.
Likle Mystic - Jamaica Island In The Sun EP (ZiggyBlacks Productions)
Sexagenarian Leroy Anthony Hamilton aka Likle Mystic is one of those Jamaican artists who, despite frantic attempts, only got the recognition he deserved in the autumn of his life when in 2010 he met the members of Panamanian band Raices Y Cultura.
Chronixx - The Dread And Terrible Project EP (Chronixx Music/Self-published)
Chronixx' debut EP has to be just about the most anticipated reggae release of 2014.
Midnite - Beauty For Ashes (I Grade Records)
Every so often Midnite releases a slightly more accessible album and 'Beauty For Ashes', already their seventh collaboration with the I Grade label, definitely fits that category.
Kareyce Fotso - Mokte (Contre Jour)
The second album by Cameroonian singer-songwriter Kareyce Fotso is titled 'Mokte' ("believing").
Addis Pablo - In My Father's House (Heartbeat Europe/Rounder)
What’s better than being able to discuss two generations of Pablo's in the same week? For his aptly titled debut album 'In My Father's House' Addis joined forces with Dutch JahSolidRock and Not Easy At All Productions (the latter recently renamed Bass Galore Productions) with musical support from among others Austrian House Of Riddim, Rekesh Dukaloo (keyboardist with Ziggi Recado) and saxophonist Thomas 'Tommy Tornado' Streutgers.
Augustus Pablo - Rockers At King Tubby's (Jamaican Recordings)
'Rockers At King Tubby's' is the fourth collection of recordings by melodica king Augustus Pablo Jamaican Recordings compiled into an album.
Leroy Brown - 70's Reggae Style (Caturna)
It had been since 2006's 'Genuine Love' that we'd heard anything of Leroy Brown.
Ziggy Marley - Fly Rasta (Tuff Gong/V2)
For 'Fly Rasta' Ziggy Marley is reunited with The Melody Makers (his two sisters Sharon and Cedella and Erica Newell) giving the album the vibe of his older work.
Xtr3me - Vintage 21: Ancient Tradition (Kimichi Records/Fox Fuse)
The American Fox Fuse label this time introduces us to a young Jamaican talent.
Melingo - Linyera (World Village/Harmonia Mundi)
Yours truly got to know Argentine musician Daniel Melingo thanks to 'El Gaucho', the soundtrack by Gotan Project's Christoph Müller and Eduardo Makaroff for the eponymous 2010 documentary by Andres Jarach.