Africa

In many ways, African music has come full circle. The tragic diaspora of slavery provided the crucible for jazz, the blues, gospel, rock, funk, and rap, plus several Brazilian, Latin, and Caribbean styles. These former grooves-in-exile are now influencing modern African musicians, and the global village is bringing their inspirations back West in record time. Such rapid cross-pollination is bound to cause disputes about cause and effect, origins, and authenticity, but musicians will continue to experiment as they always have. This compilation is chock-full of provocative examples. The radiant serenity of the Soul Brothers' typically South African mbaqanga harmonies are closely related to gospel, while Habib Koite's Malian blues is redolent of Bamako and the Mississippi Delta. Afia Mala's Togolese pop has a hook that any bubblegum diva would kill for, and Diaou Kouyate's Guinean backbeat could make Grace Jones sit up and take notice. --Christina Roden