GLOBAL A GO-GO: Top 10 new singles & EPs of 2023

I've been recapping my favorite singles and EPs of the year for each of the last five years, and there's one simple reason why I do so: We're living in a singles era today, so neglecting new releases just because they aren't full albums is musical malpractice.

I'm not going to rehash all the reasons why it's once again a singles era (as it was before, say, 1967). Instead I'll just hit you with this one factoid: Among all the new recordings WRIR received from promoters, labels and artists in 2023, more than 50 percent of the ones I put on our New & Recommended list were singles or EPs.

Singles aren't just for the pop and dance music markets any more -- tune in this week (Sunday December 17, 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) and hear for yourself.

Without further ado, here are my favorite singles and EPs of 2023:

Top 10 New Singles & EPs of 2023

1. Nusantara Beat (Netherlands-Indonesia) | "Djanger" / "Borondong Garang" | Bongo Joe / Lamunai

2. Nusantara Beat (Netherlands-Indonesia) | "Kota Bandung" / "Layung" | Bongo Joe / Lamunai

3. Etran De L’Aïr (Niger) | Live In Seattle EP | Sahel Sounds

4. Shaggy x Kes (Jamaica-USA-Trinidad & Tobago) | "Mood" | Ranch Entertainment / VP

5. Jembaa Groove (Germany-Ghana-Benin-Israel-Portugal) | "Sweet My Ear" (feat K.O.G) | Agogo

6. Captain Yossarian (Germany) | "Zombie" | Echo Beach

7. Jacobo Vélez y La Mambanegra (Colombia) | Radio Mamba Internacionale AM EP | Tambora

8. iPhupho L'ka Biko (South Africa) | Azania EP | We Are Busy Bodies

9. Saramaccan Sound (Suriname) | "One Mother, Two Hearts" | Glitterbeat

10. Don Letts (England UK) | "Outta Sync" | Cooking Vinyl

Honorable Mention

Sintayehu Belay (Ethiopia) | Tsedey EP | Muzikawi

Los Gaiteros De San Jacinto (Colombia) | Fanny Rosa EP | Llorona

Sami Galbi (Morocco-Switzerland) | "Dakchi Hani" | Bongo Joe

Kumbia Queers & Nacho Vegas (Argentina-Spain) | "Cuando Hablas Así" | FaroLatino

London Afrobeat Collective (England UK-Italy-France-RD Congo-Argentina-New Zealand) | "Topesa Esengo Na Motema" | Canopy

Cecilia Noël (Perú-USA) | "El Niño En La Frontera" | Wild Clam

Pahua (México-Cuba-Costa Rica) | "No Huí" (feat El Individuo) | Nacional

Moussa Tchingou (Niger) | Tamiditine EP | Sahel Sounds

Toco (Brazil-Italy) | "Leão Leonardo" | Schema

Sia Tolno (Sierra Leone-Guinée Conakry-Spain) | Baya EP | Kingsland Music / Slow Walk Music

My top 20 singles and EPs are available as a Spotify playlist: bit.ly/3RntibK

Podcast: radio4all.net/program/117032

All the podcasts: radio4all.net/series/Global%20A%20Go-Go

GLOBAL A GO-GO

December 15, 2023

Top 10 new singles & EPs of 2023

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