New World Music Releases

New World Music Releases on Vinyl: Brazil, Africa, Cuba and Beyond

What you'll find among new world music records

New world music releases on vinyl cover a huge map: Brazilian music, salsa, Cuban son, Afrobeats, and sounds from Asia and the Middle East. The current catalog pairs reissued classics from Gal Costa, Chico Buarque, Jorge Ben, Baden Powell, Willie Colón and the Buena Vista Social Club with current acts like Ibeyi, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Asake and the band Sababa 5. Many of these releases are reissues: plenty of original records were pressed in small numbers in their home countries and became nearly impossible to find.

Reissue labels you can trust

In world music, the reissue label is often your best guarantee. Serious labels track down the rights holders, work from the best available sources and add detailed liner notes. They often press limited runs, so a sold-out title may never return. These are some of the names to follow.

• Analog Africa and Soundway Records for African and Latin American music
• Strut and Mr Bongo, the latter very active in Brazilian reissues
• Habibi Funk for funk and soul from the Arab world
• Sahel Sounds and Glitterbeat for West African scenes
• World Circuit and Real World Records for their landmark catalogs
• Craft Recordings for the Fania salsa catalog

How to keep up with new world music on vinyl

Releases come out on Fridays as in any genre, but the pace is uneven: many new records come from small labels that announce reissues a few weeks ahead and press limited quantities. Following those labels, not only artists, is the best way to avoid missing a record. Reissues of 1960s and 1970s Brazilian albums and themed compilations devoted to a city, a country or an era are among the most sought-after releases.

Artists on major labels, such as the new wave of Afrobeats stars, work the other way: their albums hit vinyl alongside the digital release, sometimes with a color variant. Record Store Day in the spring also brings its share of limited world music reissues. Either way, spotting a release early gives you time to compare prices calmly before stock gets thin.

Compare prices before you buy

The same record can be listed at quite different prices depending on the store, especially when it's an import. This page lets you compare offers from several partner stores and then click through to the one you choose. For a reissue, read the listing: original artwork or not, booklet, master source. Be wary of editions with no clearly identified label, which may be unofficial pressings of uncertain quality.