... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums ever issued on the legendary Discos Fuentes label – and that's saying a lot, given how many unusual albums the company put out! This set's got a core Colombian groove in the rhythms – very much in the rootsy style that the company was making a name for in the 60s – great percussion, a nice raw edge in the production, and that slight variation in groove that made Colombian music a really refreshing change from the sounds of Havana and New York! Yet the real difference here is that the singer is a kid – the lovely Aurita pictured on the cover – a vocalist who's got this unusual depth for someone her age, this rawness at times that really comes across in a striking way – almost the unbridled energy and emotion that you'd never hear from an adult. That quality livens up the grooves in this really unusual way – all the charms of a vintage Discos Fuentes album, but with a very different spin! Titles include "El Vaquero", "Las Polleras", "Mompoxina", "Chambacu", "Festival En Guarare", "Carino Lindo", and "Lamento De Sirena". (Latin, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Dig Tuareg guitar? Then you should find plenty here to really expand your listening palette, and in a nicely different way – as these older cuts from Mauritania show a similar use of electric guitar over long-spun rhythms – often cyclical and hypnotic, especially when the musician turns up the fuzz! The Saharan nation really has a way with the guitar – and here, the styles vary nicely, along with the variety of artists included in the set – really expanding our understanding of the music, and in a way that's as groovy as it possibly can be. The set comes with a great booklet of notes – in true Mississippi style – and titles include "Wezin" by Luleide Ould Dendenni, "Banjey" by Kebrouh, "L'Ensijab" by Ateg Ould Syed, "Wezin" by Jeich Ould Chighaly, "Moulana Laa Moulana" by Baba Ould Hembara & Mamma Mint Hembara, "El Horr & Az-Zrag" by Mohammed Cheikh Ould Syed, and "Guelbi Vatimetou" by Mohammed Guitar & Sbeyniat. LP, Vinyl record album

Afro Funky – and some great rare music! This one's a killer batch of rare funk tracks from 70s Africa – with the feel of Nigeria 70, Club Africa, and some of our best Afro Funk compilations – a bit thin on notes, but with a track list that kicks some serious booty! In fact, we might dare say that this is one of the best-ever sets we've seen of 70s Afro Funk – with 10 numbers that blow past the obvious, taking the groove into some completely heavy territory – hard drums, scratchy guitar, and blasting off-kilter horns on nearly every number. Tracks include "Body & Soul" by William Onyeabor, "This Hustling World" by Gyedu Blay Ambolley, "Susan Sue" by Vis a Vis, "Menyeckse" by Atomic Bomb Zigoto, "Tolambo Funk" by Brigth Engelberts & The BE Movement, "Good Samaritan" by Matata, "Get Together" by Brigth Engelberts & The BE Movement, and "Hot & Jumpy" by George Danquah. LP, Vinyl record album

An Afro-Peruvian classic, and a folkloric set that really gets at the complicated modes of the genre! There's plenty going on here, but always in a relatively organic way – an unusual blend of Spanish-styled guitar, earthy percussion, and vocal passages that evoke styles from island cultures in Cuba, Haiti, and even Cape Verde! The real mystery is how these elements came into play on the other side of South America – and with such a timeless quality that the record feels far more ancient than the 1973 date of its release – maybe like some of the Discos Marcos Pereira releases in Brazil at the same time. Titles include "Cancion Para Ekue", "El Payande", "Negrito De Donde Vienes", "Ollita Noma", "Toro Mata", and "Pobre Negrita". (Latin, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of regional music from Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Tunesia, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, Algeria, Tanzania, Egypt, Senegal, Morocco, Ghana, Mauritania, Gabon, Sudan, and Mali. LP, Vinyl record album

Features traditional music from the Yao, Karen, Meo, Lahu, Akha, and Lisu Tribes of China. LP, Vinyl record album