This group is probably best known to the world by their name Lafayette Afro Rock Band – which was their first incarnation, when they were turning the Paris funky jazz scene on its ear in the early 70s! This album's of a later vintage, and the band's tightened up their act a bit – but the groove is still quite strong, and all the right elements are firmly in place. Lafayette Hudson's still on funky bass, Frank Abel lays down wonderful keyboards – and tracks include "Hi Fi Woman", "The Gap", "Funky Bunch", "Funky Lovin", "Quick", and "Passing Dreams". (Soul, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most important albums to present the sounds of Bali to the world at large – not just because the set perfectly captures the sharper, more bracing sound of Balinese gamelan, but also because it includes an extended recording of the famous "monkey chant"! The first half of the record features two long gamelan passages – "Golden Rain" and "Bumblebee" – both somewhat frenetic, and quite different than some of the slower, more spacious gamelan sounds you might be more familiar with – as the Balinese approach can be quite driving and dynamic, with many changes in tempo and tone! The second half is even more amazing – the 20 minute "Ramayana Monkey Chant" – which features a group trading staccato vocals back and forth in an even more frenzied way – building and building as the track goes on, with an intensity that's gone onto make this album the stuff of legends! LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking array of material from the first in a legendary series of festivals – the important Womad concerts of the 80s, which were a crucial effort in opening the doors to a globe's amount of music! Womad was famously helmed by Peter Gabriel, who was drawing on many currents of cultures in his own recordings of the time – and the initial weekend concert in England was the start of a huge tradition that would impact countless audiences for many years to come. This package restores some lost recordings from that initial festival, and is a great mix of global styles and more groundbreaking work of the time – with titles that include "Gahu" by Ekome, "Kama Kiwacu" by Drummers Of Burundi, "Womad II" by Robert Fripp, "Tabla Iqae" by Musicians Of The Nile, "Zimbo" by Echo & The Bunnymen with Royal Burundi Drummers, "Raindrops Pattering On Banana Leaves" by Tian Jin Music & Dance Ensemble, "Salsa De Hoy" by Salsa De Joy, "You're My Kind Of Climate" by Rip Rig & Panic, "A Ritual Mask" by Peter Hammill, and "Biko" by Peter Gabriel with Ekome. LP, Vinyl record album