Fanga - Kaleidoscope (L'Autre Distribution)
Where afrobeat is concerned, in France Fanga (Dioula for "strength, energy and power") has been a force to recon with for years now.
Ronald Alphonso - ABC Rocksteady (Dub Store Records)
Dub Store Records ends the year in style with a reissue of 'ABC Rocksteady', a largely instrumental album from 1968, that saxophonist Ronald Alphonso recorded with Lynn Taitt (guitar) and Aubrey Adams (organ) for Sonia Pottinger.
Sarathy Korwar - Day To Day (Ninja Tune/The Steve Reid Foundation)
For his langspelerdebuut pulled the American-British-Indian drummer/percussionist/producer Sarathy Korwar travelled to Gujarat to collaborate with the Siddi, descendants of African merchants, sailors, indentured servants and mercenaries, whose presence in India has been documented since the 7th century.
Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub (17 North Parade/VP Records)
Keith Hudson's 'Pick A Dub' is often referred to as one of the best dub albums of all time, but we'll leave that judgement over to you.
El Juntacadaveres - Who's Gonna Stop Us EP (Self-published)
This 'Who's Gonna Stop Us' EP is the first part of what should eventually become a trilogy set in 1974 (the birth year of El Juntacadaveres front man Enrique Noviello) and each time focusing on a city that played an important role in Kike's musical evolution (this time New York and on the next volumes Buenos Aires and Antwerp).
Amlak Redsquare - The Book Of Judges (RSQRB Productions/True Lion Sound Production)
After two EP's (2015's 'Ganja Free' and 2014's 'Di Humble Warrior'), Omar Gordon aka Amlak Redsquare is now also finally presenting this long player debut.
Seekaman - Where Is The Justice? (Majestic)
'Truth', the 2014 debut album by Seekaman, a Belgian-Ghanaian afro-reggae band from Ghent, didn't reach us, but the band has not been idle and is now presenting this sequel.
Marcel Salem - Les Charognards (Musicast Distribution)
Thanks to the artwork of Claude Diene, an artist from Mont Rolland, the village Marcel Salem also hails from, 'Les Charognards' looks like a forgotten LP from the nineteen and fortunately the album sounds that way as well.
Xana Romeo - Wake Up (Charmax Music)
Reggae veterans send out their offspring part.
Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Madjafalao (Because Music)
After the demise of band leader Mélomé Clément in 2012, the remaining members of Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo needed some time to reflect, but Vincent Ahehehinnou (vocals), Gustave Bentho (bass) and Loko Pierre (vocals) eventually decided continue anyway.
Erik Aliana & Picket - Just My Soul (Buda Musique)
Yours truly got to know Cameroonian singer-songwriter Erik Aliana in 2013 thanks to his 'Just My Country' album.
Kanazoé Orkestra - Miriya (Buda Musique/Universal)
Seydou Diabate, nicknamed Kanazoé, is a Burkinabe balafon player who moved to France in 2010.
Various Artists - Doing It In Lagos (Soundway Records)
The fact that "world music" has become a very flexible concept is once again proven by Soundway Records' 'Doing It In Lagos', a double compilation album full of Nigerian disco, funk, boogie and pop from the nineteen eighties.
Various Artists - Good Day Remixes & Riddims EP (Kingston Express)
A few months ago we already presented you Sticky Joe's 'Good Day', and that EP is now followed by 'Good Day Remixes & Riddims', another EP containing, you guessed it, a number of remixes and riddims of the songs from 'Good Day'.
Kadialy Kouyate - Na Kitabo (Self-published)
With 'Na Kitabo' ("my book"), Kadialy Kouyate, a UK-based Senegalese kora-player, does/delivers exactly what's expected from a West African griot: sharing his experiences, informing and telling stories.
Karim Baggili - Apollo You Sixteen (Take The Bus)
If for 2014's 'Kali City', Belgian oud player of Jordanian-Yugoslav origin Karim Baggili, still revisited his roots, then 'Apollo You Sixteen' is all about experimentation.
Azymuth - Fênix (Far Out Recordings)
At Far Out Recordings they had been eagerly anticipating its release for months, and finally the new Azymuth album - aptly titled 'Fênix' - has now arrived.
The Grinders - Way Of The Lion (Down The Bush Records)
Yours truly got to know The Grinders thanks to 2013's 'Let's Keep On Jammin', a collaboration with deejay-veteran U Brown.
Jahneration - Jahneration (Ovastand/Kuroneko)
This self-titled album is the long player debut of Jahneration, two young lions from Paris.
Tao Ravao & Thomas Laurent - Au Bout Du Petit Matin ... (Buda Musique)
For this new long player Malagasy multi-instrumentalist Tao Ravao - Ravao debuted on the mandolin, then switched to the banjo and the guitar, but after a trip to his native country eventually succumbed to the charms of the kabosy - joined forces with French harmonica player Thomas Laurent.