Step off the beaten track for an encounter with the unexpected. This mixtape dissolves borders, featuring Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko’s medieval modular synthesis, Aziz Balouch’s Sufi-Andalusian fusion, and Tartine de Clous’ traditional French harmonies. From Chaz Knapp’s winter improvisations to Thorn Wych’s instruments carved from branches of Wych Elm, Lime, Wild Cherry, Oak, and Yew, explore a singular sound-world where creative freedom is the only constant.

Enjoy our Embrace the season with our new indie folk Christmas festive playlist, a curated blend of contemporary and indie folk featuring alternative twists and abundant winter themes. To deepen the midwinter mood, we’ve also included KLOF Mag’s most popular archive mixes. From pagan-inspired electronica to traditional solo ballads, these collections offer a haunting, soulful alternative to the commercial noise. Pour a drink and enjoy.

Our End of year Playlist is out, featuring over 8 hours of music and covering over 100 albums from intimate folk and boundary-pushing jazz to ambient and experimental works. You can listen via Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and YouTube.

I put this playlist together on an early Sunday morning after a foggy, cold walk, back at my desk, drinking my first cup of coffee of the day. That early-morning stillness is captured in the calm waves of Passerpartout Duo (pianist Nicoletta Favari and percussionist Christopher Salvito) and in the otherworldly sounds of Tarawangsawelas and their contemporary interpretations of sacred music from Sundanese West Java.

Ahead of her upcoming tours with Stereolab and Jane Weaver, Emma Tricca has released a new live album, Prisms of Winter. Recorded in Shoreditch with Simon Alpin, the collection captures the raw, fragile intimacy of her songwriting against a backdrop of East London street sounds. It’s a soulful reimagining of her catalogue, offering fans a beautifully unpolished, heartfelt experience.

more eaze (Mari Rubio) announces her new album, sentence structure in the country, out March 20, 2026. While her background in traditional fiddle is long-passed, she imbues these new arrangements with a deep reverence for the evolution of folk forms. Lead single “bad friend,” featuring Wendy Eisenberg, navigates social alienation through a masterful, non-traditional approach to pedal steel and electronics.

As the frost settles, KLOF Mag returns with an essential winter folk mixtape. This curated journey balances the haunting beauty of Anne Briggs and Plinth with the psychedelic folk of Trees and Leo Kottke’s intricate guitar work. From Mummering traditions to evocative poetry and communal singing, these “winter warmers” are the perfect companion for the festive season.

Danny Neill’s 2025 selection celebrates a year of overwhelming musical depth, favouring passionate artistry over cold analytics. Eschewing traditional rankings, Neill highlights ten standout records—from the “mesmerising” folk-rock of Hannah Frances to Kathryn Williams’ most personal collection to date and the “outsider genius” of Richard Dawson to the pure vocals of Josienne Clarke. It serves as a vital compass for those seeking authentic, enduring sounds in an ever-crowded musical landscape.

Listen to Part Two of our End-of-Year Mixtape Series, which includes tracks from our 2025 Albums of the Year. There’s a broad mix of genres from folk and jazz to experimental and ambient. It includes Alex Rex, Jim Ghedi, SML, Chris Brain, David Grubbs, Jim White, Eiko Ishibashi & Jim O’Rourke, Emily A. Sprague, Eli Winter, Fuubutsushi, Cameron Knowler, Glenn Kimpton, Bridget Hayden, Buck Curran and lots more.

Expertly curated by Nyahh Records, An Irish Almanac is a sprawling 32-track survey of Ireland’s avant-garde. Spanning two discs, it treats “noise” as a broad umbrella for everything from dark drones and “occult freak-folk” to playful vocal experiments. While no compilation of this kind could ever claim to be complete, this detailed panorama offers a transformative map of a shifting underground scene, bursting with grit, mystery, and playfulness.

Bill Callahan arrives with the new single, “Lonely City,” from his upcoming album, My Days of 58. A profound meditation on the familiar, ever-changing relationship we have with our cities. The stunning music video showcases over 15 years of photography by street photographer Daniel Arnold.

Welcome to another Monday Morning Brew Playlist. This selection leans heavily into UK and US folk traditions, featuring artists like Steeleye Span, Lal Waterson, John Jacob Niles, and contemporary torchbearers such as Jake Blount and Lisa O’Neill. There’s a nice emotional resonance between some of those featured, including Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, and Sufjan Stevens, as well as some newer inclusions from the likes of Ganavya & Sam Amidon.