December 27, 2019

Top ten singles & EPs of 2019

This week on the December 30th edition of Global A Go-Go, I'll unwrap my favorite singles and EPs of 2019.

I've been doing top ten album lists since WRIR went on the air in 2005, but this is the first time I've ever done a singles chart.  It's an acknowledgement of changing times.  I became an adult in the album era: we listened to LPs front to back and valued them for their sequencing and artwork as much as for the individual songs.  Today we're living in a world of streaming and Spotify; the individual song is king again, much as it was when I bought my first 45 way back in 1969.

Everything I'm playing this week was initially released as a single or EP.  Some would be on albums later in the year, but none of the tracks are merely album cuts that I think would make good singles.  They're all the actual item.

Without further ado, simply click "Read more" for my top ten singles and EPs of 2019, plus ten honorable mentions:

December 20, 2019

Top ten new releases of 2019

It's the most wonderful time of the year ....  That's right, it's the time of the year when Global A Go-Go unwraps its favorite albums of the last 12 months.

On the December 23rd edition of Global A Go-Go, it's my top ten new releases of 2019, plus ten honorable mentions.  On December 30th, you'll hear my favorite singles and EPs of the year.  And on January 6th it's my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings of the prior 12 months.

Without further ado, simply click "Read more" for my top ten new releases of 2019:

December 14, 2019

Tougher than tough

"Rougher than rough / Tougher than tough / Strong like lion / We are iron."  Rude boys take over Global A Go-Go on December 16: classic tracks from the 1960's and a new one inna rudee stylee by The Aggrolites.

Also this week: Afro sounds from coastal Colombia and northeast Brazil, West Africa's neo-garage bands, more Peruvian chicha, three from southern Africa, and Fat Freddy's Drop's new album.

December 8, 2019

Charts Nov 30 - Dec 6, 2019

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 STRICTLY THE BEST, VOL. 60 | various artists | VP
2 ONIPA | "Onipa / Makoma" [Single] | Strut
3 CHRIS DE WISE SHEPHERD | "Nera Wo'o Soke" [Single] | Lokalophon
4 KEITH AND TEX | Greatest Hits 1966-1970 | Rebel Sound
5 ADNAN OTHMAN | Bershukor: A Retrospective Of Hits By A Malaysian Pop Yeh Yeh Legend | Sublime Frequencies
6 KALETA AND SUPER YAMBA BAND | Medaho | Ubiquity
7 TINARIWEN | Amadjar | Anti-
8 ALTIN GUN | Gece | ATO
9 ANTOINETTE KONAN | Antoinette Konan | Awesome Tapes From Africa
10 DOWN IN JAMAICA: 40 YEARS OF VP RECORDS | various artists | VP

December 7, 2019

A little dabke'll do ya

Omar Souleyman is back!  Syria's king of dabke (living in Turkey right now for safety's sake), the best thing to happen to electronic dance music since the drum machine, has a new album.  You'll hear a track on the December 9 edition of Global A Go-Go.

Also this week: Trinidad & Tobago's musical poetry called rapso, Latin soul with a rock 'n' roll beat, the Richmond group that's bringing together the sounds of Moroccan gnawa and jam bands, konpa from Haiti and beyond, and Malian remixes.

December 2, 2019

Charts November 23-29, 2019

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 KOKOLO AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA | 100 Fevers | Peace & Rhythm
2 LONDON AFROBEAT COLLECTIVE | Humans | self-released
3 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha
4 OTAVA YO | Do You Love | ARC
5 HOPE MASIKE | The Exorcism Of A Spinster | Riverboat
6 XENIA RUBINOS | "Diosa vs Bugeisha" [Single] | Anti-
7 THIRD WORLD | "You're Not The Only One (feat Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley)" [Single] | Ghetto Youth International
8 JAY DOUGLAS | "Jah Children (feat General Trees)" [Single] | Slammin Media
9 ROOTS RADICS | 12 Inches Of Dub [Advance Tracks] | VP
10 RICHIE SPICE | "Together We Stand" [Single] | VP

December 1, 2019

Change at Jamaica for Babylon

In 1979, Vincent (Randy) Chin and his wife Patricia of Randy's Record Shop in Kingston, Jamaica started the VP Records imprint in Jamaica, Queens.  Forty years on, VP is the world's largest independent reggae label and the genre's biggest distributor as well.

Global A Go-Go is getting in on the 40th birthday celebration on December 2nd by spinning two sets of reggae and dancehall, most of it released or distributed by VP.  And we'll be giving away a pair of copies of VP's last release, Strictly The Best, Vol. 60.  Call in and win.

Also this week: unique rhythms from the Islamic funk belt; Tinariwen recorded in a desert camp-out; Southeast Asian rock of the 60s and 70s; and new and old Anatolian rock.