A couple of years back, UK-based House DJ Jerry Frempong’s wife Katie was doing a spring clean at the family home. At the bottom of the garden, amongst a pile of rusty garden tools, she discovered a couple of mysterious bin-bags. She was about to assign them to the skip with everything else, but a sixth sense persuaded her to check the contents. It was a huge pile of rare soul, funk, disco, boogie and- yes – Ghana Highlife records. Katie brought this to the attention of Jerry, who immediately understood the significance of the treasure trove.

While music traditions are often defined by established and protected sets of characteristics, popular music in South Africa betrays a willingness to adapt homegrown styles and an enthusiasm to adopt new influences.

Kankou Kouyate is the niece of the N’Goni genius Bassekou Kouyate and was born into one of the most respected Griot families in Mali; growing up surrounded with music, descendent from generations of the finest N’goni players in the country, she became the music student of her uncle Cheick Oumar Diabaté at the age of ten.

Zenzile Miriam Makeba, nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa.

Avalanche Kaito: the exhilarating combination of Burkina Faso born urban griot Kaito Winse and fellow experimentalists Belgian guitarist Nico Gitto and French drummer/producer Benjamin Chaval. This transnational avant-rock trio created waves with their visceral self-titled 2022 debut, bagging notable festival appearances (Supersonic, End of the Road), a KEXP session and much deserved critical and audience enthusiasm.

Following Léve Léve Vol. 1, this second volume continues a long-term exploration of the popular music of São Tomé and Príncipe, with a clear focus on rhythm, movement and dancefloor energy. Curated by Tom B., Léve Léve Vol. 2 brings together emblematic recordings from the 1970s and 1980s, carefully restored and remastered, designed as much for close listening as for DJ use.

Orchestre Badema's Mohamed Doumbia leads a band at Bamako's after-hours club No Limit, playing psychedelic 1960s and '70s Malian rock with a local supergroup featuring Adama Dramé and Baba Coulibaly.

Tinariwen evolve once again on their brand new album, connecting with a younger generation of Tuareg musicians to produce a vibrant album of undulating grooves rooted in their nomadic community. Also featuring guest appearances from José González & Sulafa Elyas. Fierce advocates for their people’s nomadic culture that exists in the desert borderlands between Mali and Algeria, Tinariwen’s bluesy, guitar-driven music has found global acclaim over the past two decades for its lively blend of Tamasheq-language politicism, syncopated rhythms and soaring melody. On Hoggar the band look closer to home, and stake their claim as elders of this Tuareg musical tradition. Going back to their early years of songwriting with acoustic guitars and communal singing around the desert campfire, while also passing the torch onto a younger generation of featured musicians who can continue to keep the flame of rebellion and defiance alive.

Etran de L’Aïr the STARS OF THE AÏR, the longest running wedding band in AGADEZ, capital of Tuareg guitar, return with a new album of sun-schlazed desert sound! Their first album, No.1, brought their music to critics and fans. Their second album, Agadez, sent them into the international touring circuit. And now they're back with 100% SAHARA GUITAR, ready to take on the world, with those swinging melodies, like a sandstorm blowing in from across the sea.

Groove Africa is a genre-spanning collection of contemporary African sounds, with a strong emphasis on the vibrant Afrobeats scene of Nigeria and West Africa.

Featuring artists from Morocco to Mauritania and from Tunis to Timbuktu, Desert Blues showcases the soulful and entrancing sounds of North Africa’s Sahara and Sahel regions. Bringing together international icons, rising talents, and exciting new discoveries, the album invites both longtime fans and first-time listeners into a vibrant musical landscape.

"Lost Tracks: Accra to Addis" is compiled by Afrocat, in her 25th year as a DJ/Selector, Music & Culture Curator, Radio Show Presenter on the Blaxploitation Lounge…& an Adventurer!

On October 2 1958, after over 60 years of colonial rule, Guineans voted overwhelmingly for their independence, and Guinea was declared a Republic with Sékou Touré as President. To free Guinea from its colonial legacy, president Touré sought to restore dignity to his nation and give cause for Guineans to take pride in their culture, history and newfound freedom. To achieve this, he instructed his government to implement new cultural policies to revitalise indigenous culture.

Reminiscence is the third album by Tita Nzebi, released under the BIBAKA Music label, following her acclaimed works Métiani and From Kolkata. Produced and arranged by the talented multi-instrumentalist Leny Bidens, the album carries the mark of a long and fruitful collaboration that began years ago at Studio Thérapie with Leny’s father, Sec Bidens.

Stéphane Hoareau is a guitarist known for pioneering a unique musical concept that fuses the traditional sounds of Réunion Island with trance rituals, seamlessly incorporating contemporary genres such as rock and jazz. At the forefront of this innovative approach to world music are his bands Trans Kabar, Grand Sorcier, and Rituals Riots. Stéphane Hoareau revitalizing these traditional elements.