Pablo Raster - Dub Addicted (ODG)
Pablo Raster is an Italian dub maker from Spoleto, a town located between Perugia and Rome, who's been in the game for nearly two decades now. Raster recently moved to Poland, where, in his brand new studio in Wroclaw, he recorded 'Dub Addicted', a title leaving little to the imagination.
Femi Kuti - One People One World (Knitting Factory Records)
It had been since 2013's 'No Place For My Dream' since we last saw Femi Kuti and his Positive Force took to the studio, but now Femi finally presents 'One People One World', a sturdy afrobeat album that is sure not to disappoint hardcore fans of the genre.
Brazzmatazz - Turbolence (Den Hoed Music Records)
With 'Turbolence', Brazzmatazz, a nineteen-piece (!) Ghent based brass band presents its long player debut.
Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - None A Jah Jah Children (Greensleeves)
For 'None A Jah Jah Children' Greensleeves Records bundled 'Rastafari' and 'Kibir-Am-Lak', two iconic albums Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus recorded in 1975 and 1977 for producer Tommy Cowan.
Black Flower - Intermediate State EP (Sdban Records/N.E.W.S.)
Just as they did with 'Ghost Radio', actually an inbetweener-LP meant to bridge the time between the release of 'Abyssinia Afterlife' and 'Artifacts', in anticipation of a new album the members of Black Flower are this time presenting this four track 'Intermediate State' EP.
Iba Mahr - Get Up & Show EP (Oneness Records)
For this 'Get Up & Show' EP, Iba Mahr joined forces with German label Oneness Records.
Païaka - The Line (Flower Coast Records/Differ-Ant)
Yours truly got to know Païaka, a French band from Clermont, back in 2015 thanks to their debut album 'Alive Anyway'. For this sequel, they joined forces with French-English singer-songwriter and producer Flox (Florian Gratton), and that collaboration definitely resulted in a slightly different sound than the one we heard on debut 'Alive Anyway' (when we still compared the band to Groundation).
Hempress Sativa - Scientist meets Hempress Sativa In Dub (Conquering Lion Records)
Hempress Sativa now also presents an impressive dub version of her long player debut 'Unconquerebel' for which the singer joined forces with dub veteran Hopeton 'Scientist' Overton Brown.
Hama Sankare - Ballébé: Calling All Africans (Clermont Music)
Hama Sankare, a Malian veteran who in his home country is widely regarded as the master of modern calabash percussion, in the past, among others, collaborated with Ali Farka Toure and Afel Bocoum, and currently is a member of Mamadou Kelly's backing band Ban Kai Na.
Cian Finn - This Applies + This Applies In Dub (Emerald Isle Records/Steppas Records)
Even though we do utmost to keep up with relevant releases out there, occasionally there still the odd one that manages to slip through the net. As was the case, for example, with 'This Applies', Cian Finn's 2015 long player debut.
Micah Shemaiah - Roots I Vision (Evidence Music)
For the successor to 2015's widely acclaimed 'Original Dread', Micah Shemaiah opted to join forces with Swiss label Evidence Music.
Hector Guerra - Desde El Infierno (Kasba Music)
Spanish-Bolivian Hector Guerra entered the music business when as a 19-year-old he was invited by DJ Lord (Prophets Of Rage) to open for hip-hop legend Public Enemy. In 2006 Hector founded Pachamama Crew, at first just a bunch of musicians from Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean, busking in Madrid's metro stations. However, thanks to the sale of thousands of demos, soon the project started gaining momentum, eventually even earning them a record deal with Warner Music, resulting in 'Lagrimas', the band's 2011 long player debut. After the dissolution of Pachamama Crew, Guerra moved to Mexico where he started working on a solo musical trilogy.
Victor Assis Brasil - Esperanto (Far Out Recordings)
At the time of the release of last year's reissue of 'Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim' we already announced more material of the Brazilian saxophonist would be unearthed from the archives of Quartin Records. Even though the songs on 'Esperanto' were recorded during the same sessions, they sound a lot jazzier
Dizzy Mandjeku & Alé Kumá - De Palenque A Matonge (Zephyrus Records)
The very first seeds for what later would become Dizzy Mandjeku & Alé Kumá, were sown in 2010, when Colombian researcher, poet, bassist and founder of Alé Kumá, Leonardo Gomez Jattin discovered the Congolese music scene in the Matonge district of Brussels.
Collieman - Jungle Code (Dubshelter Recordings)
There's a French proverb that reads: "Il faut reculer pour mieux sauter!", which translates as: "Sometimes you need to take a step back to return even stronger!". And that's exactly what Stefaan Colman, better known as Collieman, has done.
Hollie Cook - Vessel Of Love (Merge Records)
For her third long player Hollie Cook no longer collaborated with Prince Fatty, but decided to join forces with producer Martin Glover, better known as Youth, the former bassist of British post-punk band Killing Joke, and she also signed with renowned American indie label Merge Records.
Irie Lion - Rock & Come In EP (Self-published)
Of course many of you will know Irie Lion as the name of the Dutch reggae-calendar, a website that was launched many years ago as a one-man project by the too early departed Maddoc, but apparently it's also the name of an eight piece band from Vilvoorde that was formed about seven years ago.
Weeding Dub - Another Day Another Night (Wise & Dubwise Recordings)
Yours truly got to know French dub master Romain Weeding aka Weeding Dub back in 2015 thanks to 'Still Looking For'. Counting no less than 20 tracks, divided into 11 vocal cuts and 9 dubs, successor 'Another Night Another Day' is released as a double album.
Kosmo Sound - Kosmo Sound EP (Zephyrus Records)
Kosmo Sound, a seven piece band from Ghent, describes itself as a "dub inspired project".
Mo'Kalamity meets Sly & Robbie - One Love Vibration (Sofia-Thea Records/Musicast Distribution)
For 'One Love Vibration' French-Cape Verdean Mo'Kalamity this once left her regular backing band The Wizards behind and travelled to Jamaica to collaborate with the legendary riddim twins Sly & Robbie.