Global A Go-Go presents:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time to find out who’s been naughty and nice. No, I’m not talking about the holiday season; I’m talking about when everyone’s Best Of The Year lists come out.
I’ll be rolling out my own lists over the next three weeks on Global A Go-Go. On this week’s program (Sunday December 12, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) I’ll present my top ten new albums of 2021 plus ten honorable mentions.
Next week you’ll hear my favorite singles and EPs of the year gone by, and in two weeks it will be selections from my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings of 2021.
In terms of themes for 2021’s best new albums, I thought it was a great year for Latin music and in particular for music from Colombia, a country that’s rapidly gaining attention for its broad and deep music scenes. And an unusual number of my favorite new albums this year could be classified as rock ‘n’ roll, a genre that’s widely viewed in the USA as past its sell-by date.
Without further ado, here are my top new albums of 2021:
Top Ten New Albums of 2021
1. Nkumba System (Colombia-Cameroon) | Bailalo Duro! | Prado
2. Money Chicha (USA-Peru) | Chicha Summit | Vampisoul
3. Delgrès (France) | 4:00 AM | PIAS
4. La Mambanegra (Colombia) | Los Ultimos Buses De Colores | Tambora
5. Fat Freddy’s Drop (New Zealand) | Wairunga | The Drop
6. Frente Cumbiero (Colombia) | Cera Perdida | La Roma
7. Hamdi Benani, Mehdi Haddab & Speed Caravan (Algeria-France) | Nuba Nova | Buda Musique
8. Oliver Nayoka (Nigeria) | Aja Wele Wele | Odogwu Entertainment / Palenque
9. Los Chapillacs (Peru) | Lo Bueno, Lo Malo, Lo Feo Y Los Alarcosos Chapillacs | Vampisoul
10. Meridian Brothers & Conjunto Media Luna (Colombia) | Paz En La Tierra | Bongo Joe
Honorable Mention
A Espetacular Charanga do França (Brazil) | The Importance Of Being Espetacular | Mais Um
Natik Awayez (Iraq-Yemen-Egypt) | Manbarani | Sublime Frequencies
Les Filles De Illighadad (Niger) | At Pioneer Works | Sahel Sounds / Pioneer Works Press
Khöömei Beat (Tuvan Republic Russia) | Changys Baglaash | ARC
Orquesta Akokán (Cuba-USA) | 16 Rayos | Daptone
Adrian Quesada (USA) | Look At My Soul: The Latin Shade Of Texas Soul | Nacional
Christine Salem (La Reunion France) | Mersi | Blue Fanal
Joao Selva (Brazil-France) | Navegar | Underdog
Vaudou Game (Togo-France) | Noussin | Hot Casa
Taj Weekes (St. Lucia-USA) | Pause | Jatta
My top 20 new albums of 2021 are available as a Spotify playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/2xe5m16OTfaLXfeLP2S3a2?si=ac38ba69715141cf
Podcast: radio4all.net/index.php/program/110899
All the podcasts: radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, “Global a Go-Go”
from Global a Go-Go
BMG Rights Management (US) LLC - 2001
England UK
Oliver Nayoka, “Ogene Sound System”
from Aja Wele Wele
Palenque Records y Odogwu Entertainment - 2021
Nigeria
Meridian Brothers & Conjunto Media Luna, “En Teusaquillo Te Pueden Partir la Cara”
from Paz en la Tierra
Bongo Joe - 2021
Colombia
Los Chapillacs, “Fiesta de Mostros”
from Lo Bueno, Lo Malo, Lo Feo y los Alaracosos Chapillacs
Vampisoul - 2021
Peru
Natik Awayez, “Al Teeh التيه (The Exodus)”
from Manbarani
Sublime Frequencies - 2021
Iraq-Yemen-Egypt
Hamdi Benani, Mehdi Haddab & Speed Caravan, “Damai Jara, Pt. 1 (feat. Serge Teyssot-Gay)”
from Nuba Nova
Buda musique - 2020
Algeria-France
Thiago França & A Espetacular Charanga do França, “Não Para (Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough)”
from The Importance of Being Espetacular
Mais Um Discos - 2021
Brazil
Adrian Quesada, “I Wanna Be Free”
from Look At My Soul: The Latin Shade Of Texas Soul
Nacional - 2021
USA
Bill Lupoletti Global A Go-Go December 12th, 2021
Posted In: Music Shows