Starting October 16, and continuing weekly, San Francisco’s Six Degrees imprint is offering a “download” of the week from its Emerging Artist roster. Every Tuesday, for nine consecutive weeks, listeners will be able to download a free MP3 via the Six Degrees website. Expect new music from Alien Chatter, Bhangra-hip-hopper David Starfire, Brazilian sensation Da Cruz (pictured above), Persian broken beat artists ZAMAN 8 & Hafez Modir, and the lush sounds of Rara Avis.

Looking for the best global and world music videos? Check Link TV, a non-commercial network dedicated to presenting documentaries from around the world, global news, foreign films, and world music from 97 countries. Recent Link music videos include UK/Indian artist Susheela Raman and Spanish hip-hop/flamenco outfit Ojos de Brujo. 

Get the jump on 2008’s most talked about Afro-dance singer, Saba. Her new video, for the track “Hoio,” features this beautiful Somali-born Italian globetrotter. On her forthcoming album, Jidka (The Line), Saba explores the divide between Somalia and Italy with a rare sensitivity, mixing acoustic guitars and koras with traditional African beats and contemporary percussion. 

American hip-hop soul artists Daru & Reggie B are the newest signings to Belgium’s 4lux White, a sublabel of 4lux, run by the respected electronic artist Gerd. Daru (pictured above) is a Michigan-based hip-hop producer and drummer for Slum Village and Dwele. Reggie B. is a singer/songwriter from California who has collaborated with Saadiq and Wajeed of the Platinum Pied Pipers and rolls with the Innatesounds Crew (Joc Max & J.Rawls of Basement Khemist, plus Midwest beatmaker Miles Bonny). The duo’s Future Music arrives January 2008! 

Don’t miss one of this year’s most original and intoxicating South American reissues: The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru. Don’t front on this one, even if you’ve never heard a Cumbia, or think Peru is all about altitude sickness and pan-pipes. This is one bad-ass collection of grinding organs and funky beats. You can see J-Rocc or Biz Markie working this into one of their sets. Straight originality! Thank the folks at Brooklyn’s Barbes Records for tracking these selections down from street stalls in Lima.