Great Label: Soundway Records

They’re not exactly glutting the marketplace with releases, but the titles they do put out are uniformly excellent. This year Soundway Records have delivered a solid one-two punch with Nigeria Special and Nigeria Disco Funk Special. The quality of the tracks (African funk from the 70s that shows both a strong American influence and a deep originality) from start to finish on both sets is astonishing. The great (and obscure) music would easily stand on its own, but has been generously augmented with meticulous liner notes and fantastic photos. Kudos.

Great Label: Ubiquity

For some reason, all of the new CDs that have crossed my path in the last week or so have been on the same label: Ubiquity Records. They are feeling kind of ubiquitous. Things that have caught my ear lately: The loping California dub reggae of The Lions, the downtempo moodiness of Clutchy Hopkins, the storming Ann Arbor Afro Beat of Nomo, and the crackling contemporary funk of both The Bamboos (Australia) and Orgone (above) (California). And checking their catalog, there’s lots more. These guys are on a roll.

Great Label: Inna De Yard

Just over the transom in a well-packed Ernie B’s carton are two releases from heroic label Inna De Yard by two of the all time great Jamaican harmony trios: The Mighty Diamonds and The Viceroys. These are all-new recordings by some of Jamaica’s foundation roots artists, done in an incredible, stripped-down style.

You can hear some samples from the Mighty Diamonds here (I recommend 4000 Years), and Heart Made Of Stone by the Viceroys here.