Here are ten of my favorite albums from 2008. No particular order, subject to change, tastes are subjective, etc., etc., you know how it is.

Peter Brotzmann and Peeter Uuskyla - Born Broke
Anthony Braxton - Beyond Quantum
William Parker Quartet - Petit Oiseau
Lafayette Gilchrist - Soul Progressin'
Fight the Big Bull - Dying Will Be Easy
Karl Hector & Malcouns - Sahara Swing
Nomo - Ghost Rock
Tussle - Cream Cuts
Matmos - Supreme Balloon
Minusbaby - Saudade for Beginners

It was quite a year for compilations and reissues, too, and not just in African music. Here are ten that I greatly enjoyed:

African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds
Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-sounds and Nigerian Blues
Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-rock and Fuzz Funk in 1970s Nigeria
Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound of the Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979
Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump
Jump Back: Imitations, Interpolations and the Inspiration of James Brown
Cooper-Moore - The Cedar Box Recordings
Lowell Davidson - Trio
Steinski - What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective
Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison Legacy Edition

More more more. Runners-up, worth a mention, stuff like that:

Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack
The Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton
The Alps - III
Lizz Wright - The Orchard
Cassandra Wilson - Loverly
Portishead - Third
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist - The Hard Sell
Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Never Enough Hope - The Gift Economy
Charles Lloyd - Rabo de Nube
Bill Dixon - 17 Musicians in Search of a Sound: Darfur
Peter Brotzmann & Fred Lonberg-Holm - The Brain of the Dog in Section
Peter Brotzmann/Michiko Yagi/Paal Nilssen-Love - Head On
William Parker - Double Sunrise Over Neptune
William Parker - The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield Live in Rome
Matthew Shipp Quartet - Cosmic Suite
Cecil Taylor - CT: The Dance Project
Kasai All-Stars - In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy By Magic
Tony Allen - Lagos Shake: A Tony Allen Chop-Up
The Lions - Jungle Struttin'
Minusbaby - Live at Blip Festival

Not remembered the first time around:

Georgia Anne Muldrow and Dudley Perkins - Beautiful Mindz
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Part I
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
Femi Kuti - Day By Day
Victor Uwaifo - Guitar Boy Superstar: 1970-1976
Arp - In Light
The Mighty Underdogs - Droppin' Science Fiction  ¶ 9:56 AM