Amadou and Mariam, Welcome To Mali

It's a mix of the deceptively simple and rhythmically irresistible.

Tango Siempre, Only Human

Why have 'cordial' when 'real juice' is just as widely available and costs no more?

Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Live In Japan

How much acoustic instrumental un-heavy metal do you need?

Femi Kuti, Day By Day

Business as usual...

Buena Vista Social Club, At Carnegie Hall

A covetable reminder of a peerless musical phenomenon at its glorious peak.

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Many Things

He's a force to be reckoned with.

Juana Molina, Un Dia

Un Dia looks likely to win her new fans

Lila Downs, Shake Away

Lila Downs has one of those vocal styles that can only be described as an acquired taste.

Chiwoniso, Rebel Woman

Attractive and persuasive in equal measure.

Max Pashm, Never Mind The Balkans Here's Max Pashm

Pashm now claims to brew up a dose of ''KlezmerBalkanGreekGypsyPunk with Electro Beats''

Milton Nasciemento & Jobim Trio, Novas Bossas

A pleasant but hardly essential addition to the Nascimento discography.

Hector Zazou & Swara, In the House of Mirrors

Slow, melancholic-sounding improvisations with a beguiling array of effects.

Zoe & Idris Rahman, Where Rivers Meet

You may find yourself liking it a whole lot more than you'd expected.

Various Artists, Calypsoul 70: Carribean Soul 1969-1970

You get the idea. It's brilliant.

Mariza, Terra

There’s not quite enough that really hangs in the memory or has that special spark of genius she's capable of delivering.

Kanda Bongo Man, Soukous Time

...you'd be entitled to feel a little deflated with Soukous Time’s seven tracks

Various Artists, Charlie Gillett - Beyond The Horizon: Sound Of The World

Gillett is an inspiring guide along a vast and wonderful shore.

N'Faly Kouyaté & Dunyakan, Tunya

Should Kouyaté have just stayed as a skilled and fiery member of the Afro Celt Sound System?

Hanggai, Introducing Hanggai

Hanggai show plenty of promise, and deserve another outing elsewhere.