Smote takes us ‘Track-by-Track’ through “Songs From The Free House”, a monumental work, a transcendental journey where primal repetition and folk memory converge into something vital and eternal. It is the sound of the earth itself, speaking through cranked amplification.

Oxfordshire five-piece The Dreaming Spires unveil the video for ‘Stolen Car’, a powerful, Springsteen-esque anthem telling a tale of life on the wrong side of the tracks. It’s their third and final single before the release of their upcoming album, ‘Normal Town’, arriving on November 7th via Clubhouse Records, and supported by a UK Tour.

Jim Ghedi is touring his latest album, Wasteland, in November. It’s one you don’t want to miss seeing live. “…for all its anger and anguish, Wasteland provides us with many such moments of beauty. It is a timely reminder of the potency of art in a world that seems to be turning uglier by the day, and it might just be Jim Ghedi’s masterpiece.”

Hannah Frances’s Nested in Tangles is a brave and demanding listen. The album’s complex layers reflect the messy, contrary nature of existence, shifting between chaotic brass, gentle folk, and soft jazz. Frances confronts difficult truths about family, loss, and self-appraisal, creating a piece of music that is challenging, unpredictable, and ultimately rewarding in its unflinching honesty and musical ambition.

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Momoko Gill has announced her debut solo album, ‘Momoko’, arriving 13th February on Strut Records. The celebrated collaborator for artists like Matthew Herbert and Alabaster DePlume steps forward with two powerful singles. ‘No Others’ showcases her jazz-inflected grooves, while ‘When Palestine Is Free’ unites fifty voices from London’s music scene in a profound statement of community and solidarity.

Swiss-Portuguese guitarist Tiago Almeida releases “Rivages,” an artistic exploration of Portuguese fado reimagined for the classical guitar. The album is a masterful blend of tradition and innovation, drawing on influences from jazz, classical, and even electronic music. Exploring profound themes of migration and identity, “Rivages” promises to be a significant and unique addition to the contemporary classical guitar repertoire.

Algerian Tuareg collective Imarhan will release their fourth album, ‘ESSAM’, on January 16th, 2026. Recorded in their Tamanrasset studio, the record marks a significant evolution, weaving modern electronic textures and modular synths into their foundational desert blues sound. The hypnotic lead single, “Derhan n’oulhine,” offers the first taste of this new exploratory direction and is accompanied by a stunning new video.

Northern Ireland-born and Scotland-based singer-songwriter Foy Vance has unveiled two new songs, “A.I.” and “Call Me Anytime.” The double single marks his debut on Rounder Records and showcases the Emmy winner’s singular artistry—a soulful convergence of folk and Southern blues that has won him plenty of admirers. This powerful double release is a testament to his ability to marry emotional intimacy with sonic grandeur.

Oxfordshire-born, Leicester-based multi-instrumentalist Adam Weikert has announced his innovative new album, To Whom Ourselves We Owe, set for release on December 19th via The Gleeman Guild. The first single, ‘Farewell to the Green Man’, backed with B-side ‘The Care’, featuring Alice Beadle of Goblin Band (Broadside Hacks) is out today. 

Lisa O’Neill is set to return on November 19th with a new six-track EP via Rough Trade Records. Watch the moving video, directed by Ellius Grace, for the EP’s powerful title track and lead single, “The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Right.” It features Kae Tempest, Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners, and Spider Stacey of The Pogues, as well as renowned Nigerian/Irish poet Feli Speaks, actress Olwen Fouéré, among others. 

‘Live Off Roses’, the powerful new single from the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner Maddie Morris, premieres on KLOF today. In a climate where art and activism are more vital than ever, Morris offers a voice of profound connection and resistance. ‘Live Off Roses’ is a necessary testament to finding joy against the odds.

Celebrated composers Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore announce their new album, Tragic Magic, out January 16th via InFiné, alongside a 2026 tour. The stunning new single, “Melted Moon,” offers a glimpse into the album’s soundscape, crafted in Paris using historic instruments. A poignant dialogue between Barwick’s vocals and Lattimore’s harp, the record meditates on tragedy, wonder, and the restorative power of shared experience.