01 Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head) (Record Kicks)

Kuti carries his famous father’s Afrobeat torch with a personal twist, inviting producer Lenny Kravitz to add pop riffs and R&B melody to an infectious, anti-materialist scorcher.

02 Ibrahim Maalouf

Trumpets of Michel-Ange (Mister Ibé)

Textured rhythm and soaring brass make for a celebratory delight; a fitting tribute to Maalouf’s father (inventor of the quarter-tone trumpet that Maalouf plays) and his Lebanese roots.

03 Etran de l’Aïr

100% Sahara Guitar (Sahel Sounds)

This Touareg group dishes a characteristically raucous party-rocker, complete with swirls, scratches, distorted guitar riffs and hypnotic chants.

04 Lo’Jo

Feuilles Fauves (Yotanka Records)

Slow and thoughtful does it, as Denis Péan’s rich poetry is balanced with discreet electronics and complex sound textures. A fitting celebration of Lo’Jo’s five decades and more of music-making.

05 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party

Chain of Light (Real World Records)

Peak Nusrat. This posthumous discovery captures his soaring trademark tones over tabla and harmonium to elicit chills and entrance. Magic.

06 Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian

From China to Appalachia (Community Music)

Delicate Chinese dulcimer meets the perky trills of banjo and ukulele on a unique fusion melding traditional Chinese and Appalachian folk song.

07 Stick in the Wheel

A Thousand Pokes (From Here Records)

Nicola Kearey’s fierce spoken word and singing soar over Ian Carter’s distortion-heavy guitar in a riotous, roughshod, rhythmic record.

08 Macdara Yeates

Traditional Singing from Dublin (Macdara Yeates)

Accompanied on half the songs by soft guitar or bodhrán, Yeates’ deep baritone draws the poignancy and heart-ache from Irish traditional song.

09 Yasmin Williams

Acadia (Nonesuch)

Axe ace Williams leads a joyous, sparkling new album, filled with like-minded guests including Aoife O’Donovan and Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves.

10 De Temps Antan

J’ai Mal à Mon Folklore (La Compagnie du Nord)

Some primal violin and podorhythmie (foot percussion) impel this delightful traditional Québécois album from De Temps Antan as they celebrate their 20th anniversary.