Tiwony - Cité Soleil (Blackwarrell/Musicast Distribution)
In France Tiwony is already a household name and his 'Cité Soleil' is regarded as one of the more important reggae/dancehall releases for this spring.
Txilum - Cultura Accidental (Reggaeland Records)
Last year we discovered Catalan reggae band Txilum almost by chance.
Watty Burnett - Rasta At Di Kontrol (World Beat ProJam)
When being a member of a band like The Congos for several decades, a solo trip is probably not unwelcome.
Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Cotonou Club (Strut Records)
Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo might well be one of the best kept musical secrets from West Africa.
Winston McAnuff & Bazbaz Orchestra - A Bang (Sakifo Records)
Apparently Winston McAnuff hasn't let the bankruptcy of the Makasound label affect him too much, because just months after they had to lay down the books, he's back with 'A Bang'.
Ebo Taylor - Life Stories: Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1973-1980 (Strut Records) + Ebo Taylor & Bonze Konkoma - Abenkwan Puchaa (Essiebons)
The success of 'Love And Death', the delicious afrobeat album Ebo Taylor recorded with Berlin's Afrobeat Academy, inspired the Strut label to compile 'Life Stories', a double compilation album of the Ghanaian grandmaster's old successes.
Jupiter & Ma Shi Faï - Today & Tomorrow (Self-published)
'Today & Tomorrow', the album debut by Jupiter & Ma Shi Faï, sounds like the work of seasoned musicians; perhaps not surprising, because as Jupiter & Massive 5 this band has already been playing since 2005.
Easy Star All-Stars - First Light (Easy Star Records)
With 'First Light' the Easy Star All-Stars, best known for their excellent cover versions of albums by The Beatles, Radiohead and Pink Floyd, finally release an album filled with their own productions and saying they hit the bull's-eye is perhaps an understatement.
Takana Zion - Rasta Government (Soulbeats Records/Socadisc)
After, 'Rappel A L'Ordre', Takana Zion's somewhat disappointing album from 2009, it was make or break for the African Sizzla.
Various Artists - Evolution Of Dub Volume 6: Was Prince Jammy An Astronaut? (Greensleeves)
The fact the Evolution Of Dub series is already at its sixth volume with 'Was Prince Jammy An Astronaut?', doesn't mean the well's run dry; on the contrary, this box, dedicated to the dub productions of then still Prince Jammy, is perhaps one of the best in this series.
Owiny Sigoma Band - Owiny Sigoma Band (Brownswood Recordings)
Owiny Sigoma Band is a joint project of five musicians from London (Jesse Hackett/keyboard, Louis Hackett/bass, Sam Lewis/guitar, Chris Morphitis/bouzouki + guitar and Tom Skinner/drums) and a number of Kenyan musicians from the Luo tribe (Joseph Nyamungu/nyattiti and Charles Owoko/percussion).
Joshua Alo - Orchid Unknown (World Souljah Music)
Joshua Alo is a musician of Hawaiian origin but now living in Belgium and his take on the reggae genre immediately reminded yours truly of the work of Sebastian Sturm: intimate roots reggae with a singer-songwriter touch, with in Alo's case a Christian foundation.
Lee Perry - The Return Of Sound System Scratch (Pressure Sounds)
Barely six months after the release of 'Sound System Scratch' the Pressure Sounds label is already releasing a successor.
La Cherga - Revolve (Asphalt Tango Records)
With their mix of pop, Balkan beats, dub and reggae, La Cherga is pretty much yours truly's favorite Balkan fusion act.
Juana Fé - La Makinita (Oveja Negra)
Shakin' Weld has once again come out of hibernation and that is traditionally the time when Zjef likes to enrapture us with some of his newest world music discoveries.
Aurelio - Laru Beya (Real World Records)
The fact Aurelio Martinez (shortened to Aurelio by Real World Records) dedicates his new album to Andy Palacio, should come as no surprise.
Watcha Clan - Radio Babel (Piranha)
Three years after 'Diaspora Hi-Fi' Watcha Clan returns with 'Radio Babel' (not counting the remix album 'Diaspora Remixed'), an album which, as the title indicates, sounds even more eclectic than its predecessor.
Dub Colossus - Addis Through The Looking Glass (Real World Records)
For the successor to 2008's superb 'In A Town Called Addis', Nick Page aka Dubulah chose a somewhat different angle, making Dub Colossus' second album sound a lot more varied than its predecessor.
Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo - Aqui Los Bravos! The Best Of Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo 1967 - 77 (Soundway Records)
The Soundway Records label has no intention to leave Colombia yet, as after 'Cartagena! Curro Fuentes & The Big Band Cumbia And Descarga Sound Of Colombia, 1962 - 72', they are now celebrating the career of Colombian salsero Michi Sarmiento with 'Aqui Los Bravos! The Best Of Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo 1967 - 77'.
Turbulence - The Journey (Saya Production)
Yours truly has never been a big fan of Turbulence, but with 'The Journey' he delivers a varied album, continuously alternating between neo soul, hip-hop, dancehall and new roots.