So in the customary end-of-the-year spirit, where everyone and their dog is slapping up, recapping, toptenning, listing, etc ... I pause the hectic-ness to present the sounds that moved and grooved me in 2003.

Quality older vinyl finds:

• Fela Anikulapo Kuti Box Set 2 (Barclay)
  
• Sunny Ade, The Master Guitarist Vol. 4 (Serengeti Records UK)
  
• Henri Guédon, Retour (Harmonia Mundi)
  
• Alhaji Chief Kollington Ayinla & his African Fuji '78 Organization, Kolawole O Ku (Olumo Records)
  

Pleasant surprises I'd have otherwise missed:

• Carla Bruni, Quelqu'Un M'a Dit (fave track: Le Toi du Moi)
  
• Manutension, dub attacks the tech vol.1 (fave track: Nadia in dub)
  

Top albums/compilations acquired:

• Murcof, Martes (Leaf)
  
• Lowfish, maintain the tension (Suction)
  
• Marlui Miranda, Todos Os Sons (Blue Jackel)
  
• Luomo, The Present Lover LP (Force Tracks)
  
• Studio One Rockers LP (Soul Jazz)
  
• FabricLive.12 Bugz in the Attic (Fabric)
  

Top sonic morsels jammed out to this year, whether or not they were actually new (in no particular order)

• Jeff Samuel, “Knomb” (Trapez)
  
• Styro 2000, “Pelati”
  
• Son.sine, “Upekah”
  
• Round Four, “Found A Way”
  
• Black Eyed Peas, “Shutup”
  
• Outkast, “Heya!”
  
• Wiley, “Ground Zero”
  
• Dizzee Rascal, “Jezebel”
  
• Lady Saw, “Baddest Girl”
  
• Bran Van 3000, “Shopping”
  
• Metro Area, “Caught Up”
  
• DJ Krush, “Danger of Love”
  
• Plastikman, “Helikopter”
  
• Prefuse 73, “Love you bring”
  
• Sash!, “Ganbareh”
  
• Eddy Grant, “Living on the Frontline”
  
• Jamiroquai, “Space Cowboy (David Morales Club Mix)”
  
• Oliver Mtukudzi, “Wasakara”
  
• Lost Tribes of Ibadan Part 2, “Avareh”
  
• Harry the Bastard (Club H.), “Azymuth”
  
• Cesaria Evora, “Angola” (any remix)
  
• Röyksopp, “please stay” (and couple others off that album)
  
• Lowfish, “FatBlex“ (hahahaha “i'm just the right size for my bike and my chair” !!!)
  
• Roy Davis Jr., “Watch Them Come”
  
• M83 and Benoit Villeneuve, “Run Into Flowers (Jackson Remix)”
  

Top things I never want to hear again:

• anything with Sean Paul going on about “Sean-a-Paul”, “Dutty Rock”, “Baby Boy” or “The Light”
  
• Anything by Blaze or mid-set energy sapping MAW tracks like “Elements of Life”. no thanks!!