12 Fantastic New International & Reggae Music releases of 2017
- Tony Allen – The Source (Blue Note)
- Antibalas – Where The Gods Are In Peace (Daptone)
- Ariwo – Ariwo (Manana)
- Orchestra Baobab – Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng (World Circuit)
- Gamelan Beleganjur and the Music of the Ngaben Funerary Ritual in Bali – The Gamelan of the Walking Warriors (Akuphone)
- Kondi Band – Salone (Strut)
- Orchestre Les Mangalepa – Last Band Standing (Strut)
- Juana Molina – Halo (Crammed Discs)
- Lee “Scratch” Perry & Subatomic Sound System – Super Ape Returns To Conquer (Subatomic Sound)
- Quantic & Nidia Gongora – Curao (Tru Thoughts)
- Sound Species & Ache Meyi – S/T (Manana)
- Msafiri Zawose – Uhamiaji (Soundway)
12 Superb International and Reggae Reissues & Previously Unreleased Archival Gems
- Baba Zula – XX (Glitterbeat)
- Charles Duvelle & Hisham Mayet – The Photgraphs of Charles Duvelle – Disques OCORA and Collection PROPHET (Sublime Frequencies)
- Serge Gainsbourg & Jean-Claude Vannier – Les Chemins du Kathmandu (Finders Keepers)
- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – Shahen Shah (Realworld)
- George Mukabi – Furaha Wenye Gita (Mississippi/Change).
- Daniel Schmidt and the Berkeley Gamelan – In My Arms, Many Flowers (Recital)
- Barney Wilen – Moshi (SouffleContinu)
- Various Artists – Air Africa (Aziza Disques)
- Various Artists – Saigon Supersound Volume 1 (Saigon Supersound)
- Various Artists – Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes From The Horn Of Africa (Ostinato)
- Various Artists – Version Dread (Studio One)
- Various Artists – Zaire 74 (Wrasse)
12 Excellent Electronic Albums from 2017
- Ashan – Air & Ether (Elestial Sound)
- Brainwaltzera – Poly-Ana (Film Recordings)
- Daniel Brandt – Eternal Something (Erased Tapes)
- David Edren – Electronic Gamelan Music (Social Harmony)
- Forest Swords – Compassion (Ninja Tune)
- Fourtet – New Energy (Text)
- The Future Sound of London – Archived : Environmental : Views (fsoldigital.com)
- Gas – Narkopop (Kompakt)
- Andy Haas – Taballah II (Resonant)
- Richard Horowitz – Eros in Arabia (Freedom to Spend)
- Jan Jelinek – Loop-Finding Jazz Records (Faitiche)
- Phantom Horse – Als ob (Umor Rex)
12 Lovely Ambient Albums from 2017
- Benoit Pioulard – Lignin Poise (Beacon Sound)
- Channelers – Slow Leaf Spell (Inner Islands)
- Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society – Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society (Six Degrees)
- Brian Eno – Reflection (Warp)
- Inner Travels – Sea of Leaves (Inner Islands)
- Chuck Johnson – Balsams (Vin du Select Qualitite)
- Gregg Kowalsky – L’Orange, L’Orange (Mexican Summer)
- Guenter Schlienz – Sterne Über Der Stadt (Pantheophania)
- Secret Pyramid – Two Shadows Collide (Ba Da Bing)
- Pauline Anna Strom – Trans-Millenia Music (Rvng Intl)
- Various Artists – Space, Energy & Light – Experimental Electronic And Acoustic Soundscapes 1961 – 88 (Soul Jazz)
- Various Artists – The Microcosm: Visionary Music of Continental Europe, 1970-1986 (Light in the Attic)
12 Wonderful Post-Rock / Experimental / Avant-Garde / Jazz / Miscellaneous Releases from 2017
- Bing & Ruth – No Home of the Mind (4AD)
- Bitchin’ Bajas – Fresh (Drag City)
- Colleen – A Flame, My Love, A Frequency (Thrill Jockey)
- Cornelius – Mellow Waves (Warner Music Japan)
- Do Make Say Think – Stubborn Persistent Illusions (Constellation)
- Ensemble Et Al – The Slow Reveal (Imaginator)
- Esmerine – Mechanics of Dominion (Constellation)
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Luciferian Towers (Constellation)
- Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble – Return (Innova)
- Hauschka – What If (Temporary Residence)
- Joe Henderson – The Elements (Fantasy)
- X.Y.R. – Labyrinth (Not Not Fun)
12 Great Song-Oriented Albums from 2017
- Acetone – 1992-2001 (Light in the Attic)
- Bedouine – Bedouine (Spacebomb)
- The Bye Bye Blackbirds – Take Out The Poison (Bye Bye Blackbirds Recordings)
- Can – The Singles (Spoon/Mute)
- The Clientele – Music for the Age of Miracles (Merge)
- Once & Future Band – S/T (Castle Face)
- Tara Jane O’Neil – Tara Jane O’Neil (Gnomonsong)
- Slowdive – Slowdive (Dead Oceans
- Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – The Kid (Western Vinyl)
- Fletcher Tucker – Cold Spring (Gnome Life)
- Wooden Wand – Clipper Ship (Three Lobed)
- Neil Young – Hitchhiker (Reprise)