The “defining figure” of contemporary British folk is back. Jim Moray has officially announced his latest studio album, Gallants, set for release on 3 April 2026. Alongside the announcement, Moray has unveiled the lead single, “Flora (The Lily Of The West),” offering a first glimpse into this bold new chapter of his storied career.
Moray’s trajectory has always been unpredictable. His 2019 studio album, The Outlander, was a surprising shift; he traded his usual experimentation for what Thomas Blake described as “the slightest and the straightest” of his records. Blake noted that while it felt more traditional, it was “the most condensed and representative document of the artist that we have.”
After the 2023 release of Beflean—a self-produced “alternative history” reimagining twenty years of his work—fans were left wondering where his creative compass would point next. With Gallants, it seems Moray is once again pushing the “elastic limits” of the tradition.
“Flora (The Lily Of The West)”
The lead single is a masterclass in Moray’s ability to weave historical research with contemporary resonance. On the origins of the track, Moray explains:
“This is Roud number 957, and was collected by Sabine Baring Gould from three different singers in the west country in around 1900, and then showed up again in Kentucky on a collecting trip by Cecil Sharp. It’s best known in that American form now, thanks to recorded versions by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. My version is an amalgam of different parts I’ve absorbed by osmosis.”
The track serves as a perfect introduction to an album that promises to be both rooted in deep respect for source material and unmistakably modern in its execution.
Inside the Album: Collaborations and Production
Gallants features nine tracks—eight traditional songs and one newly penned ballad. Recorded and produced by Moray in his own studio, the record boasts an impressive roster of collaborators that bridge the gap between folk, classical, and indie-rock:
- Archie Churchill-Moss (Diatonic Accordion)
- Matt Stockham Brown (Drums)
- David Le Page (Orchestra Of The Swan)
- Clare O’Connell (Cellist for London Contemporary Orchestra/Radiohead)
- Andy May (Northumbrian Pipes)
- Maddie Morris
- Trans Voices (Providing choral harmonies on the closing track)
Gallant Tracklisting
- Flora (The Lily Of The West)
- When I Was A Little Boy
- The Nightingale
- Omie Wise
- Three Gallants
- Spencer The Rover
- American Stranger
- Train On The Island
- Fortune Turns The Wheel
Pre-Order Information
As Moray enters his third decade of professional music-making, Gallants reaffirms why he remains a vital force in the UK scene—one who even Iggy Pop described as a singer he “loves.”
The album is available for pre-order now in several formats, including CD, eco-mix coloured vinyl, and digital download, with exclusive bundles featuring a new t-shirt design.
Pre-order ‘Gallants’ at: jimmoray.co.uk/gallants
Tour Dates
Jim also starts his tour this Thursday with support from Maz O’Connor, who also has new music out soon.
Jan
22nd – Stockport, The Strines Nightingale
23rd – Chester, St Marys
24th – Otley, The Courthouse
30th – Bath, Chapel Arts
31st – Aldershot, West End Centre
Feb
1st – Topsham Folk Club
4th – London, St Pancras Old Church
5th – Leicester, The Guildhall
6th – Norwich, Puppet Theatre
11th – Bretforton, The Fleece
12th – Milton Keynes, The Stables
13th – Nottingham, Metronome
More: https://jimmoray.co.uk/