D.Y.C.R. - Dub, Stories and Poetry (Tad's Record)
Jamaican dub poets like Mutabaruka, Yasus Afari, Jean Binta Breeze or Oku Onuora no longer need any introduction. Slightly lesser known to the international public is D.Y.C.R. (real name Delroy Chandler).
The Manor - Walk With Jah (Dub-O-Phonic)
The Manor is the alter ego of Brad Turner, half of London duo Foshan Roots, with 'Walk with Jah' releasing his first solo effort.
Thrive - Be Love (Roots Musician Records)
The sleeve design of 'Be Love', already Thrive's fourth album to date, may suggest that this is an ambient meditation album, the Santa Cruz, California based band is in fact a reggae trio.
Various Artists - Into The Wise (Reggaewise)
This first compilation album on Reggaewise may be considered the musical calling card of the Greek label specializing in giving lesser known Greek reggae and dub producers a chance.
Fikir Amlak & King Alpha - Key To The Universe + Axum + Some Dread (Akashic Records)
'Key To The Universe', 'Axum' and 'Some Dread' form a musical triptych that was created thanks to the collaboration between American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound engineer Fikir Amlak, English sound system King Alpha and the American Akashic Records label of Mike B.
Alma Afrobeat Ensemble - Monkey See, Monkey Do (Slow Walk Music)
With 'Monkey See, Monkey Do', Barcelonese afrobeat formation Alma Afrobeat Ensemble is already presenting its fourth long player.
Soul Mussango - Bolatè (Self-published)
Soul Mussango was founded in Marrakesh by French bass player Pierre-Paul Mayer and Cameroonian vocalist Diese Mbangue back in 2007. Complemented with the guitar sounds of Guinea-Conakry born Jonas Boni, the trio presents a first album called 'Bolatè'.
Moune - The Legacy of The Sun EP (Dub-O-Phonic)
Moune (pronounced "moon") was born as Milan Guedec in the city of Périgueux, in the French Dordogne region.
Eliades Ochoa & Alejandro Almenares - Dos Gigantes De La Musica Cubana (Tumi Music)
'Dos Gigantes De La Musica Cubana' is one of those albums with a title already telling most of the story. For this album, Tumi Music brought together Cuban guitar legend Eliades Ochoa and tres veteran Alejandro Almenares.
Mulatu Astatke - Afro-Latin Soul Vols. 1 & 2 (Strut Records)
After Strut Records reissued 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia', Mulatu Astatke's 1967 masterpiece, last year, the label continues on its chosen path with 'Afro-Latin Soul Vols. 1 & 2', at the time also recorded for Gil Snapper's Worthy Records label, but a year earlier than 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia'.
Ackboo - Pharaoh (Tanta Records)
'Invincible', the predecessor of 'Pharaoh' still appeared on the French Khanti Records label, but for this album Ackboo decided to take matters completely in his own hands and financed the whole project running a successful crowdfunding campaign eventually earning him no less than 12000 euros.
Don Kipper - Seven Sisters (Riverboat Records/World Music Network)
'Seven Sisters' is the long player debut of Don Kipper, a seven-piece band from north-east London. The title of the album refers to the multicultural neighborhood where most of the band members are located.
Dean Fraser - Love Has Found Its Way EP (Tad's Record)
The autumn of last year already saw the release of 'Melodies Of D.E.B.', Dean Fraser's tribute to Dennis Brown, and now Jamaica's hardest working saxophonist returns with this 6-track 'Love Has Found Its Way' EP.
Arturo Jorge y El Cuarteto Tradicion - Finca Santa Elena (Tumi Music)
If you're looking for an excellent album full of authentic Cuban son, guajira and trova, give Arturo Jorge y El Cuarteto Tradicion's 'Finca Santa Elena' a chance.
Th3rd Coast Roots - Not Afraid EP (Roots Musician Records)
The cover of 'Not Afraid' might suggest a disco or funk album from the nineteen seventies or eighties, but in reality it's the debut EP of Th3rd Coast Roots, a five-piece band from Houston, Texas.
Gregory Isaacs - Gregory Isaacs At African Museum (Tad's Record)
Since the demise of Jamaican crooner Gregory Isaacs in 2010, Tad's Records has regularly published compilations of his work. The origin of the tracks on these compilations isn't always clear and for 'Gregory Isaac's At African Museum' we definitely had to do some musical research.
Orlando Cachaito Lopez - Cachaito (World Circuit Records)
With the re-release of 'Cachaito', World Circuit Records continues on the path they had already chosen with luxury vinyl releases of, among others, Ruben Gonzalez' 'Introducing... Ruben Gonzalez', Ibrahim Ferrer's 'Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer', and, of course, 'Buena Vista Social Club'.
AMMAR 808 - Maghreb United (Glitterbeat Records)
If the sound of AMMAR 808's 'Maghreb United' evokes memories of 'Targ' by Tunisian Bargou 08, then that is certainly no coincidence, because the brain behind this project is once again Tunisian keyboard player Sofyann Ben Youssef.
Dubkasm - Rastrumentals (Self-published)
Dubkasm's Stryda and Digistep worked on 'Rastrumentals' for no less than seven years, with recordings alternating between Bristol, Brixton and São Paulo.
Various Artists - Disques Debs International Vol.1: An Island Story - Biguine, Afro Latin & Musique Antillaise 1960-1972 (Strut Records)
'Disques Debs International Vol.1: An Island Story' is the first compilation series of one of the most important French Caribbean labels, Guadeloupian Disques Debs International. The label was founded by Henri Debs in the nineteen fifties, and in the following five decades produced no less than 300 7inch singles and 200 LPs, in genres ranging from early biguines and boleros to zouk and reggae, playing a crucial role in the dissemination of French-Antillean culture.