Boban I Marko Markovic Orkestar - Golden Horns: The Best Of Boban I Marko Markovic Orkestar (Piranha)
A 'Best Of' of two of the world's best Balkan trumpeters compiled by Balkan Beats-chief DJ Robert Soko leaves little room for doubt and this Piranha-release leaves little to be desired.
Romain Virgo - The System (VP Records)
Two years after his self-titled debut album, Romain Virgo returns with 'The System'.
Jaune Toujours vs. Gangbé Brass Band - Afrobelbeat [Be/Nin] EP (Choux De Bruxelles)
Beninese Gangbé Brass Band shared the stage with Belgian Jaune Toujours for the first time back in 2006.
Anthony B - Freedom Fighter (Irievibrations Records)
After earlier collaborations with, among others, Perfect, Sojah (Konshens and Delus) and Luciano, this time Austrian Irievibrations Records joined forces with Anthony B.
Webcam Hi-Fi - Livity Is My Temple + Feeding My Faith (Tube Dub Sound Records)
In a cabin, hiding his Huge studio, somewhere on a hill in the southwest of France, Fredread has been working on his musical vision for several years now.
Keith Hudson - Rasta Communication (Greensleeves)
Some thirty years after his sudden death in 1984 and on the occasion of the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of 'Rasta Communication' - generally regarded as singer/musician/producer Keith Hudson's masterpiece - the Greensleeves label signs for a deluxe reissue of the album.
Jagwa Music - Bongo Hotheads (Crammed Discs)
The number of times a seasoned world music critic is still confronted with a virtually unknown music genre, can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Amadou & Mariam - Folila (Because Music)
It's been close to ten years since Manu Chao gave the career of Amadou & Mariam a serious boost producing 'Un Dimanche A Bamako'.
Rod Anton & The Ligerians - Reasonin’ (Wall On Stage)
It's almost as if Rod Anton selected the weakest tracks from 'Reasonin'' for his 'Leaders Of Tomorrow' EP a few months ago; just to say that this album surprised yours truly in a positive way.
Winston Reedy & The Donkey Jaw Bone - Make A Change (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)
Most reggae lovers will know Winston Reedy as the voice behind lovers rock classics like 'Daughter Of Zion' or 'Dim The Light', but before he embarked on a solo career Reedy was the voice of UK roots band The Cimarons.
Nazarenes - Meditation (I Grade Records)
The sound of Nazarenes is somewhat reminiscent of the Virgin Island roots of bands like Midnite (making an appearance on 'The Lord Said') or Bambu Station, so it shouldn't come as that much of a surprise that for their fourth long player they decided to collaborate with producer Laurent 'Tippy I' Alfred of I Grade Records.
Mory Kante - La Guinéenne (Discograph)
Yours truly hasn't been following the career of Guinean griot Mory Kante all that closely and even though we can now appreciate his world hit 'Yeke Yeke', at the time it sounded far too commercial.
Joan Soriano - El Duque De La Bachata + La Familia Soriana (iASO Records)
With their previous releases iASO Records focused on the past of bachata, but with these two albums the label sets its sights on the future of the genre.
The Other Europeans - Splendor (Kikiyon/Ethnomusic Records)
In interviews, klezmer musicians are often asked about the link between Jewish music and the Gypsy traditions of the Romani.
Kottarashky & The Rain Dogs - Demoni (Asphalt Tango Records)
For his second long player Bulgarian techie Nikola Gruev aka Kottarashky decided to broaden his horizons and work with a real band.
Flavia Coelho - Bossa Muffin (Discograph)
Yours truly got to know the graceful Flavia Coelho somewhat by accident thanks to a guest appearance she made on Tom Fire's debut album 'The Revenge'.
Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha - Yö Rovaniemellä (Helmi Levyt)
Much more than in our regions in most Scandinavian countries the arrival of spring is a true cause for celebration and that also goes for Finnish Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha: gone are Finnish tango and the melancholy of their self-titled debut and instead we get 'Yö Rovaniemellä' ("a night in Rovaniemi"), an album full of up-tempo party songs in a mix of Balkan grooves, Russian party songs and Finnish iskelmä ("schlagers").
Busy Signal - Reggae Music Again (VP Records)
Dancehall not really being our field of expertise, yours truly, honestly thought never having to write a review of a Busy Signal album, but with 'Reggae Music Again', Busy signs for one of the biggest surprises of 2012.
Jashwha Moses - Joshua To Jashwha: 30 Years In The Wilderness (Bristol Archive Records)
If we had to choose one release from Bristol Archive Records' spring offensive it would have to be 'Joshua To Jashwha: 30 Years In The Wilderness'.
Cool Runnings - Cool Runnings (Bristol Archive Records)
Cool Runnings is one of the longest running projects in Bristol's reggae history, but the band's output limited itself to exactly one 12 inch ('Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto').