Sevara - Sen (Real World Records)

Where Azeri Sevda sounds soulful and jazzy, Uzbek Sevara experiments with an ethereal ambient/dance sound.

Toumast - Ishumar (Real World Records)

Toumast arose from the collaboration of Tuareg musician Moussa Ag Keyna, singer Aminatou Goumar and French producer Dan Levy.

Kasba - ZigZag (LC Music)

Notwithstanding Belgium has an important Islamic community, where raï music is concerned we tend to focus on France (Khaled, Rachid Taha, Faudel, Cheb Mami...). Time to introduce Dutch band Kasba!

Sevda - Gül Açdi/A Flower In Bloom (Network)

Where Azerbaijan music is concerned, yours truly is far from a specialist, but for Sevda’s 'Gül Açdi/A Flower In Bloom' that actually proves quite unnecessary.

Orchestra Baobab - Made In Dakar (World Circuit)

All the members of Orchestra Baobab - the African (Senegalese) equivalent of Cuban Buena Vista Social Club - have already exceeded the age of 60, so it's no wonder they do things at their own pace.

Aly Keita - Akwaba Iniséné (Contre Jour)

For yours truly, 'Akwaba Iniséné' was the first introduction to Aly Keita, but the album of this master of the balafon (the West African version of the xylophone or marimba) is a true revelation.

Omar Perry - Man Free (No Direction Home/Corner Shop/Nocturne)

It has cost him blood, sweat and tears, but Omar Perry has finally managed to get his debut album in stores.

Irie Bash - Little John (Maba Music)

As a foretaste for an album that should appear in the coming months, Maba Music presents the 'Little John' EP by Ivorian reggae singer Irie Bash.

Rootman J. & The Zionyouth Crew - Destined Destination (Maba Music)

It doesn't happen every day that yours truly is asked to write a review of an album containing two self-penned tracks ('Culture Shock', 'No Entry For Illegal Refugee'), but let's start at the beginning...

Lorna Asher - Education (Reality Sound)

Yours truly has a soft spot for female voices in reggae and with 'Education' Lorna Asher really delivers a gem of an album!

Bishob - Get Up And Try: Bishob Meets Manjul (Makasound)

With Bishob Makasound and producer Manjul are yet again introducing us to a new African revelation.

Various Artists - Inna De Yard All Stars (Makasound)

After seven albums and more than 25000 copies sold, just before the holidays, Makasound treats us to a kind of 'Best Of' of their Inna De Yard series.

Various Artists - This Is Loversrock (Greensleeves)

With 'This Is Lovers Rock' the Greensleeves label is finally paying some attention to a rather underexposed subgenre in reggae music.

Cultural Roots - Hell A Go Pop (Greensleeves)

Backed by the legendary Roots Radics and recorded at Channel One studios, 'Hell A Go Pop' was the third studio album by Cultural Roots after 'Revolutionary Sounds' from 1980 and 'Drift Away From Evil' from 1982.

Various Artists - Greensleeves 12" Rulers: Gussie Clarke Music Works 1987 - '91 (Greensleeves)

This is the second release in Greensleeves' '12" Rulers' series, this time focusing on producer Gussie Clarke and the digital vibes he turned out in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Zareb - Authentic Love (Pow Pow Productions/Grooveattack)

Let it be said, yours truly is more than a fan of the recent wave of German reggae releases and Pow Pow from Cologne takes the crown.

Anthony Que - Jamaica No Problem (Muzik House/Corner Shop/Nocturne)

Back in 2005, Anthony Que's 'Recharge & Reload' was amongst yours truly's favorite releases of the year. For this more than aptly titled 'Jamaica No Problem' Que returned to his roots in Jamaica and again delivers a supreme lovers rock infused album.

Bim Sherman - Tribulation, Down In Jamdown 1974 to 1979 (Pressure Sounds)

Back in the 1970s, unfortunately not every Jamaican artist was lucky enough to land a record contract with Island Records or Virgin.

Ras Shiloh - Only King Selassie (Greensleeves)

After years of absolute silence, Ras Shiloh already released his 'Coming Home' album earlier this year on the VP Records label and now there's 'Only King Selassie' distributed by Greensleeves.

Black Roots - In Session (Makasound)

As the title suggests, 'In Session' contains live recordings of the pride of Bristol reggae: Black Roots.