Daymé Arocena - Cubafonia (Brownswood Recordings)
With 'Nueva Era', her 2015 debut album, Giles Peterson-protégé Daymé Arocena already announced a new era in Cuban music, and on 'Cubafonia', for which she collaborated with Dexter Story, she once again offers that delicious mix of Cuban rhythms like changui, guaguanco and ballada, with jazz, samba, nu-soul ('Mambo Na' Ma', 'Como') and a pinch of santeria (opener 'Eleggua'), alternating between Spanish, English and, in closing track 'Valentine', even a few lines in French.
Eléonor - Vive (Self-published)
Eléonor is the alter ego of Antwerp based vocalist Elly Aerden who bases the majority of the lyrics of her songs on ancient Roman poems.
Subajah - Architect (Self-published)
Two years after his debut EP 'Voice Of Freedom', Martinican Londoner Subajah is now finally also ready to present a first full-fledged album.
Les Vieux Mogos - Motherland (Diaspora Rockers/Musicast Distribution)
Ivorian reggae will of course always remain linked to Alpha Blondy, and where Les Vieux Mogos (Maninka for "the big brothers") are concerned that's definitely true, as the band was formed by ex-Solar System drummer Sam Koné.
Queen Ifrica - Climb (VP Records)
Eight (!) years have passed since the release of Queen Ifrica's last album 'Montego Bay' and calling her output modest would be an understatement.
Talisman - Don't Play With Fyah (Sugar Shack Records)
Just as was the case with predecessor 'I-Surrection', for 'Don't Play With Fyah', Talisman once again opted for the showcase format.
Inna Vision - Highest Grade EP (Roots Musician Records)
Just a year after the release of their acclaimed 'Lifted' album, Hawaiian reggae pride Inna Vision returns with this 'Highest Grade' EP.
Downbeat - Introspeccion (Dub-O-Phonic)
From now on we'll also be reviewing the releases on the Cypriot Dub-O-Phonic label.
Tamikrest - Kidal (Glitterbeat Records)
'Kidal', already the fourth long player by the young Tuareg lions of Tamikrest, is a tribute to the village of the same name in northern Mali where front man Ousmane Ag Mossa grew up; a town regarded as the unofficial Tuareg capital and a symbol of their resistance and defiance.
Various Artists - King Jammy's Dancehall 3 & 4 (Dub Store Records)
We'd barely processed the first two parts of their King Jammy's Dancehall pentalogy, but Dub Store Records already returns with parts three and four! The third volume of this five part series was given 'Hard Dancehall Murderer 1983-1991' as a subtitle and focuses on a number of killer tunes helping King Jammy claim victory at local sound clashes time and time again.
Les Amazones d'Afrique - République Amazone (Real World Records)
Just in time for women's day 2017 we can present Les Amazones d'Afrique, Africa's first all-female super group! The lineup Real World Records managed to put together looks impressive to say the least: Angélique Kidjo, Rokia Koné, Mamani Keita, Nneka, Massan Coulibaly, Kandia Kouyaté, Madiaré Dramé, Madina N'Diaye, Mariam Doumbia and Inna Modja, can all be heard on 'République Amazone'.
Augustus Pablo - King David's Melody (Greensleeves)
As part of Greensleeves' 40th anniversary celebrations, we'd promised you a series of reissues, and after Sylford Walker's 'Lamb's Bread' last month, it's now 'King David's Melody', a 1983 masterpiece by melodica King Augustus Pablo featuring, among others, classics like 'Mr.
Yasmine Hamdan - Al Jamilat (Crammed Discs)
With 'Al Jamilat' ("the beautiful ones"), Yasmine Hamdan, the female half of Lebanese underground-duo Soapkills, presents her second solo effort.
Mokoomba - Luyando (Out Here Records)
Five years after the release of their debut effort, 'Rising Tide', Zimbabwean revelation Mokoomba finally return with 'Luyando' (Tonga for "motherly love").
Various Artists - Inna The Yard: The Soul Of Jamaica (Chapter Two Records/Wagram)
Back in 2011, along with the Makasound label, the prestigious Inna De Yard series also ended, but is now finally revived by Chapter Two Records.
Kalio Gayo - Orok EP (Self-published)
Almost exactly two years after their previous release, 'Drango 13', Utrecht based band Kalio Gayo returns with this 6 track 'Orok' EP.
Delphine - Blue Soul (Tuff Gong/BS World/Quart De Lune)
The fact a musical career can have its twists and turns, is proven by Delphine.
Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita - Transparent Water (World Village/Harmonia Mundi)
The dialogue between Seckou Keita's kora and Omar Sosa's piano on 'Transparent Water', one moment hints at classical music, but the next is more reminiscent of a film score.
Pierpoljak - Chapeau De Paille (Garvey Drive/Verycords)
Where 'Général Indigo' could still be defined as introspective and autobiographical, 'Chapeau De Paille' is pretty much the complete opposite.
Cultivation & The Himalions - Plains, Hills And Mountains (Outtallectuals)
The past few years Nepal had to deal with a massive earthquake, fuel shortages and political turmoil, but all of that hasn't kept Cultivation & The Himalions from persevering, and now the Nepalese reggae band is proudly presenting its debut effort 'Plains, Hills And Mountains'.