Jamaram - Almost Hits (Turban Records/Soulfire Artists/Grooveattack)
Jamaram is a German band from Munich founded in 2000 by lead singer Tom Lugo, drummer Max 'Murxen' Alberti and guitarist Samuel Hopf.
Censi Rock - First Delivery (Area 026 Music)
Now things around Ziggi Recado seem to have quieted down somewhat, it's the ideal time for new Dutch reggae talent to step into the limelight.
Horace Andy - Get Wise (Pressure Sounds)
Reissue of a rather obscure album from 1975 - really nothing more than a collection of singles which Horace Andy recorded for producer Phil Pratt - that was only distributed in Jamaica.
Resonators - The Constant (Wah Wah 45s)
If you like the recent wave of reggae bands and artists from the United Kingdom (The Skints, Hollie Cook, Shanty, City Kay, Gentleman's Dub Club, The Meow Meows .
Jah Chango - Sardinas (Self-published)
Jah Chango (born Rico Hardmann) is a German singjay who's been living on the Spanish island of Formentera ever since his childhood.
Famara - Karibu (N-Gage Productions)
It seems somewhat unlikely when listening to 'Karibu' (Swahili for "welcome"), but Famara is actually a Swiss singer of Caucasian descent.
Alexander Star - Badd Habitz EP (Nicko Rebel Music) + Mat McHugh - More Money EP (Which! Boredom!) + The Skints - Short Change EP (Soulbeats Records/Penny Drop Recordings)
Three times a three track EP from three different continents, more we do not need to prove that reggae has become a global phenomenon.
I-Octane - My Journey (Tad's Record)
The Andre 'DJ Frass' Gordon produced 'My Journey', I-Octane's second long player, could have been a more than solid new roots album - because let us be clear instrumentally it's absolutely up to scratch - were it not for the fact that Octane's voice got an unmistakable Auto-Tune treatment for just about every track.
Keith & Tex - Redux (Soulbeats Records)
Apart from a number of vinyl singles there wasn't much Keith & Tex material out there for music lovers to feast on.
Karim Baggili - Kali City (Homerecords.be)
Karim Baggili is a Belgian musician of Jordanian-Yugoslav origin who initially focused on the guitar, but has now also discovered the Arab oud.
Mr. Williamz - Set The Standard (Necessary Mayhem)
His debut album 'Set The Standard' is London singjay Mr.
La Troba Kung-Fu - Santalegria (Chesapik)
To our own surprise 'Santalegria', already the third album of this Catalan band around ex-Dusminguet accordionist and vocalist Joan Garriga, is our first introduction to La Troba Kung-Fu.
Orquestra Imperial - Fazenda As Pazes Com O Swing (Mais Um Discos)
Mais Um Discos, until further notice our favorite Brazilian label, this time presents 'Fazenda As Pazes Com O Swing' ("coming to grips with swing"), the second album by Orquestra Imperial, the Rio de Janeiro based band who with 'Carnaval Só No Ano Que Vem', their 2007 debut, revitalized gafieira samba by infusing the genre with salsa, bolero, psychedelics and tropicalia.
Jaro Milko & The Cubalkanics - Cigarros Explosivos! (Asphalt Tango Records)
Jaro Milko, a musician of Czech descent who grew up in Basel, Switzerland, began his musical career in the Balkan-scene among other things as a member of Swiss band Prekmurski Kavbojci.
La Chiva Gantiva - Vivo (Crammed Discs)
With 'Vivo' festive Brussels-Colombian band La Chiva Gantiva created a logical follow-up to their 2011 debut 'Pelao'.
Terry Linen - Welcome To My World (VP Records)
Yours truly is certainly not averse to a dash of corny lovers rock now and again, but the honeyed verses Terry Linen produces on some of the songs of the Lloyd and Michelle Campbell produced 'Welcome To My World', are a bridge too far (opener 'As If I Didn’t Know', 'Have To Get To Know You', 'Your Body Is Here' and absolute stinker 'Porfavor').
Amsterdam Faya Allstars - All Minorities Are The Majority (Faya Records/Grover Records)
The biography of Dutch collective Amsterdam Faya Allstars reads: "Take a melting pot, pour a liberal amount of ska, jazz and reggae, add a sprinkling of surf and rock, bring this mixture to a boil over a hot fire, and you get the unique sound of Amsterdam Faya Allstars.
Various Artists - Reggae Loves Soul (Undisputed Records)
For 'Reggae Loves Soul' the French Undisputed Records label invited a series of reggae artists (Skarra Mucci, Chezidek, Turbulence, Ranking Joe, Glen Washington.
TelDem Com’unity - Absorption (Youz Prod/Musicast Distribution)
The music of TelDem Com'unity, a project from Burgundy in France exactly equals the sum of the different influences the individual band members added to the mix: for bassist Zeuspi and guitarist Mr Green that are influences from rock, Olliejam, responsible for effects and samples draws more from rap and hip-hop, drummer Aireas is a metalhead and vocalist/keyboardist Mayd Hubb turns to the world of reggae and dub for inspiration.
Tarrus Riley - Love Situation (Cannon/Jukeboxx/BSMG Productions/Zojak World Wide)
After 2012's semi-acoustic 'Mecoustic', Tarrus Riley now searched Treasure Isle's rich archives to go rocksteady for 'Love Situation'.