Junior Natural - Get Aktive (Zion High Productions/Zojak World Wide)
Junior Natural, a reggae artist from Uppsala, Sweden, was born as Teodor Lindström, but got his nickname because he proved to be a musical prodigy from a very young age.
Various Artists - Down In Jamaica: 40 Years Of VP Records (VP Records)
This year VP Records is celebrating its fortieth anniversary and as a proverbial birthday cake they are now presenting this 'Down In Jamaica: 40 Years Of VP Records' box.
Various Artists - Love Is All I Bring (Trojan Records)
With 'Love Is All I Bring' Trojan Records creates an impressive all-female diptych. The title is a bit misleading, because this compilation certainly doesn't only contain love tunes, but a selection of just under 50 (!) tracks that were recorded over the past decades, often in the margins, by women who played a pioneering role in the ska-, rocksteady-, lovers rock- and roots-scene.
Raspigaous - Nouvel'R (La Vieille Montagne)
After all the releases in English, it's a real relief to bump into a French band wholeheartedly opting for the language of Molière. With 'Nouvel'R', Raspigaous, a band around singer-songwriter Lionel 'Léo' Achenza from Marseille, starts a new chapter.
Lakou Mizik - HaitiaNola (Cumbancha)
For 'HaitiaNola', Lakou Mizik, the Haitian answer to Buena Vista Social Club, joined forces with a whole range of artists and bands from New Orleans.
Bantou Mentale - Bantou Mentale (Glitterbeat Records)
Franco-Congolese project Bantou Mentale is yet another sequel to the never-ending congotronics-saga.
Daniel Dzidzonu - Walls Of Wonder (World Groove Records)
After the simultaneous release of the 'Vikpomé' and 'Unknownland' EP's in 2017, Belgian-Togolese trumpeter Daniel Dzidzonu finally treats his fans to a full-fledged album.
Flavia Coelho - DNA (Le Label/Pias)
Also in need of a dash of sunshine in these harsh winter months? Then be sure to check out 'DNA', the new long-player by Flavia Coelho, the Parisian with Brazilian roots.
Sahra Halgan - Waa Dardaaran (Buda Musique)
Sahra Halgan is a diva from Somaliland, the state that tore itself away from civil war-torn Somalia in 1991, but for one reason or another is not recognized by the international community.
Acid Arab - Jdid (Crammed Discs)
If Parisian project Acid Arab on their 2016 debut 'Musique De France', still sounded a bit like just another exponent of the Syrian dabke sound popularized worldwide by Omar Souleyman, then they clearly decided on exploring other horizons for successor 'Jdid'.
Yoha meets Official Staff - Resilience (Dibyz Music)
On this successor to last year's 'Mad World' EP, there's no longer any mention of The Dragon Tribe, Sofiana 'Yoha' Bichet's regular backing band, as for 'Resilience' Yoha joined forces with Official Staff, a four-piece band from Rouen, and left the final mix to veteran Godwin Logie in London.
Johnny den Artiest - Gij EP (Self-published)
Had it been up to English author J.R.R. Tolkien, this new Johnny den Artiest EP would probably have been called 'The Return Of The King', but in King Johnny's universe that simply becomes 'Gij' ("you").
Solo Banton - Old Raggamuffin (Reality Shock Records)
Has it really been seven years since Solo Banton rejoiced us with a new long player? The English deejay returns in full force with 'Old Raggamuffin', for which he once again joined forces with Reality Shock producer Kris Kemist.
Various Artists - Heavy Roots: Tiempo Roots (Evidence Music)
Heavy Roots is a collective of producers, composers and beat makers from Valencia, Spain, led by Daniel 'Gio' Aguado. For 'Tiempo Roots' they compiled 11 of their productions and invited a bunch of well-known names from Europe, the United States and Jamaica to deliver the vocals.
Zennith - Ancient Warrior (Zennith Music/Zojak World Wide)
Australia will probably never become a real reggae nation, but with Zennith, an Aboriginal band around brothers Astro and Aden Brim, Down Under is taking a step in the right direction.
Los Pirañas - Historia Natural (Glitterbeat Records)
Los Pirañas is a Colombian supergroup composed of trio Eblis Alvarez, Mario Galeano and Pedro Ojeda, old schoolmates, who with 'Historia Natural' are already presenting their third album.
Faygo - Together (Fawaka Production)
Faygo is a six-piece band from the Breton town of Rennes drawing inspiration from the work of American band Groundation and the Jamaican veterans of The Gladiators, and with 'Together' are presenting their second album.
Yaniss Odua - Yon Pa Yon (Caan Dun Music)
These days Yaniss Odua may be a sounding name in the French reggae scene, but in the early 2000s the man was still an unknown migrant from Martinique who was trying to gain a foothold in Europe. In anticipation of a new album, scheduled for spring 2020, Odua is already serving us this "réédition collector" reissue of 'Yon Pa Yon', the iconic 2002 album which catapulted him on the French reggae map.
Blind Reverendo - Searching The Waves (Redgoldgreen Label)
Blind Reverendo is the alter ego of Barcelona-based Italian singer-songwriter Mario Rivoiro, a stage name you can even take quite literally, as Mario lost his sight when he was eight years old.
Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band - Obiaa! (Strut Records)
The fact the new Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band album is called 'Obiaa!' ("everyone"), is far from coincidental, but rather a logical conclusion according to producer and multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah.