2025

Ma Gitala sees Madalitso Band expanding their sound in the studio with layered vocals, new textures, and guest musicians, showcasing a new direction. Despite musical developments, the core sound remains Yobu’s babatone, Yosefe’s guitar and foot drum, and their interwoven vocals, blending African folk, gospel, and kwela into an innovative, …

Some albums just come straight in like a warm sonic hug, and you know you’ll spend a long time enjoying their vibe; Sheffield-based guitarist Bobby Lee and London pedal steel player Joe Harvey-Whyte’s Last Ride is one of these…an ace full-length set dropped by California’s Curation Records. It feels like …

Duo Ruut, the Estonian duo celebrated for their innovative use of the 42-string Estonian zither, also known as a kannel, release their second full-length album, “Ilmateade” (The Weather Report) today. Written over four years of touring, this album transcends its playful title to explore the profound and often overlooked connection …

Yoshika Colwell is set to release her debut album, ‘On The Wing’, on July 25th via Blue Flowers. The lead single, ‘In Bloom’, a “bouncy, upbeat kind of country song,” explores “sunny nihilism,” finding beauty and freedom in life’s impermanence. Watch the accompanying video, directed by Tilly Wace and featuring …

Solo at Cafe OTO finds Shane Parish reimagining ballads on his Squier Telecaster. Unlike his acoustic Repertoire album, these six tracks are longer, showcasing Parish’s technique and artistic nous. From the leisurely unfolding of John Jacob Niles’ “I’m Goin’ Away” to the jagged edges of David Lynch’s “Sycamore Trees,” Parish …

Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn’s “Songs For The Trees” is an enchanting album that originated from a simple request to sing about a different tree each month. Inspired by ancient arboreal folklore, Grant’s lyrics are captivating, enhanced by Pynn’s arrangements that give the album a spellbinding quality. It’s one …

Ambient-jazz alchemists Fuubutsushi (Patrick Shiroishi, Chris Jusell, Chaz Prymek, and Matthew Sage) offer another captivating glimpse into their forthcoming debut live album, Columbia Deluxe, with the release of their second single, “Light in the Annex.” Due out July 11 via American Dreams, the track is a testament to the quartet’s …

Taken from her forthcoming new album, Second Circle The Horizon, Sally Anne Morgan shares her new single “Flowers of Shandihar”. The inspiration for the title came from an archaeological dig in Iraq, where Neanderthals buried their dead with flowers. Her earthy banjo loop and soaring fiddle melodies are enchanting, a …

Eve Adams’s “American Dust,” is a haunting ode to the American Southwest. The album delves into solitude and the enduring American Dream through the lives of those in vast desert landscapes. The opening track, ‘Nowhere Now,’ accompanied by a video Adams shot, captures the album’s bittersweet poetry, inviting listeners into …

Lunatraktors, the innovative “broken-folk” duo, unveil Quilting Points: a captivating album of reworked archival fragments, salvaged songs, and field recordings. Born from collaborations with artists and institutions, it weaves together diverse soundscapes. From the brooding melancholia of “Diffraction Pattern” to the pagan pastoral sounds of “The Hoard” and the defiant …

The Barr Brothers announce Let It Hiss, their first album in eight years, arriving October 17th. This isn’t just a collection of songs; it’s a profound document of transformation for brothers Brad and Andrew Barr. After individual ventures, Let It Hiss sees them confronting creative and personal struggles head-on, embracing …

Dive into the raw energy of Zydeco with Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco. This landmark box set, out November 2025 on Arhoolie Records (now part of Smithsonian Folkways), features 67 tracks (19 of which are previously unreleased) – listen to the powerful 1971 live recording of “Mr. …

Purling Hiss frontman Mike Polizze will release his second solo album, Around Sound, on July 11th via Paradise of Bachelors. The record is a more pensive and intricate affair than his debut, deepening his fingerstyle acoustic magic. The sprawling seven-minute title track is available now, offering what Polizze calls “the …

Electronic duo Matmos have released “Steel Tongues,” the latest single from their upcoming album, Metallic Life Review. The track, built from the sounds of a metallic salad bowl, glockenspiel, and even American quarters, offers a deceptively sweet melody that explores darker themes of capitalism and mortality. It’s a prime example …