Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2018 Thread Once Known as World Music

I listened to Irene Mawela, Ari Pembele - Let's Rejoice (South African old-school mbaqanga singer)
Thabang Tabane, Matjale (South African Venda roots-jazz)

from the afropop stocking stuffers list above-- eh they're ok. Still loving Ebo Taylor from Ghana. Need to hear more from that afropop list

https://www.catrinfinchandseckoukeita.com

Folk Roots critics poll album of the year is a collaboration between a Welsh harp player, Catrin Finch and a Senegalese kora player, Seckou Keita

http://www.transglobalwmc.com/category/charts/annual-charts/

Monsieur Doumani is their top North African/ Middle East winner

I still haven't listened to Doumani. Heard a little of the Finch and Keita record -- beautiful at times, too easy listening at other times

The Afro-folk of Madagascar group Teko Telo is pleasant enough

Transglobal WM Chart Best of 2018!
BEST ALBUM OF 2018: Monsieur Doumani
2-Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita
3-Fatoumata Diawara
4-El Naán
5-Ammar 808
6-Gabacho Maroc
7-The Turbans
8-SANS
9-Vigüela
10-Samba Touré

20 = Ammar 808 Maghreb United (Glitterbeat)

This on Folk Roots poll. I like it

Monsieur Doumani did not wow me. It turns out that they are a three-piece Cypriot band

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx4cRw6TIIg

Guitarist Ronnie Moipolai from Botswana has over a million views

Check out the flashy fingerwork, people!

That Jupiter & Okwess album from Congo is a keeper. Great guitar sound, unusual arrangements, head nodding but not typical rhythms

Some albums on the Quietus list of 100 that I need to check out. Heard a little of this one and liked it:

The sheer range of what Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca and Tamer Abu Ghazaleh are trying to combine on Lekhfa - trad chaabi, mahraganat, Nile Delta psych, classic Egyptian pop, Middle Eastern jazz, smoky... ...That's a choice by the Q editor who has posted here on ocassion

Listening to Qhizzo- Gqomm Plug now. More interesting than European techno, but still the club beats can get a bit tiresome. This is from South Africa and the vocals are melodic and interesting in how the interact

Ammar 808 Maghreb United (Glitterbeat) has made a few polls

looking for Mdou Moctar bookings in florida, charleston sc, savannah, open to house shows - get at us at booking (at) sahelsounds (dot) com

didn't know you were repping Moctar curmudgeon! Hoping to see him briefly at Drom early next month.

That was from a Sahelsounds tweet. I am just trying to help Moctar and Sahelsounds out. Have seen Moctar live 3 times and he and his band are wonderful. They deserve well-paying gigs in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Jason King in his year-end piece as part of the Slate discussion among critics:

Though Africa has largely fallen off the American news radar, the music rocketing out of the continent remains straight fire. Projects by GuiltyBeatz, Aka, Fatoumata Diawara, Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti, Emmanuel Jal, Burna Boy, Muzi, Tal National, and Ammar 808 are all worth streaming. My favorite contemporary record this year, however, was I’m a Dream, the sophomore set from Gambian-Swedish chanteuse Seinabo Sey.

https://slate.com/culture/2018/12/2018-music-both-directions-at-once-coltrane.html

xp ah, okay.

https://www.stereogum.com/2027032/barack-obama-best-songs-2018/news/

Jupiter & Okwess are on it; Fatoumata Diawara too

Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2019 Thread Once Known as World Music