Robyn Hitchcock’s “Invisible Hitchcock (Outtakes and Demos)” gets a re-release on December 15th. Originally from 1986, the collection gathers home recordings and studio outtakes from his fertile 1981-1985 period, which produced albums like I Often Dream of Trains. Hitchcock preferred this “homemade” approach, avoiding the “digital patina” of 1980s pop to capture his best, most intimate performances.

Black Sweat Records releases Mariolina Zitta’s Concert For Bats, Voices and Natural Sounds. This arcane work, born from speleology and sound archaeology, is a “magical ritual” celebrating bats. Using special detectors, Zitta transforms bat calls into an organic synthesiser, fusing them with natural instruments like stalactites and bone whistles, plus harmonic singing. A total sensory experience.

For their debut EP, daisy, Leilani Patao does things differently, refusing streaming platforms to foster a personal connection. The music is a compelling high-wire act, balancing experimental, glitched-out hyperpop with perfectly structured, dreamy pop-rock. Patao’s immense songwriting talent shines through the lo-fi, grungy production, creating a release that feels both diaristic and wonderfully detached.

Sam Shackleton proves himself an exceptional talent, breathing fresh life into traditional folksongs on ‘Scottish Cowboy Ballads & Early American Folk Songs’, a deeply personal album dedicated to his late father, with whom he used to busk these very songs. “Sam is wrestling music away from Guthrie’s dustbowl and re-dressing it in a seasoned tartan, aglow with heritage and proudly re-rooting it in an unmistakably Scottish soil.”

Our latest Monday Morning Brew features Elanor Moss, Damien Jurado, Dawn McCarthy, Mike Tod, Lily Lyons, The Magic Lantern, Sabine McCalla, Andrew Bird, Cat Power, Nora Brown & Steph Coleman, Kevin Farge & Little Wings, Steve Gunn, Dominie Hooper, Josienne Clarke, Jake Xerxes Fussell & James Elkington, Jesca Hoop, Old Saw and lots more.

Enjoy our latest Mixtape featuring Robin Adams, Elanor Moss, Steve Gunn, Marlais, Elena Setién, Saint Sister & Lisa Hannigan, Michael Chapman & Ehud Banai, Katy Kirby, Behla Hutchinson, Scrimshire, Mariee Sioux, Nick Jonah Davis, Boubacar Traoré, Iona Lane & Ranjana Ghatak, Sasha Siem, The A’s, Craig Cardiff and Blue Lake.

On How You Been, SML perfect their collaging technique. Tracks sound more complex and intuitive, and they instinctively work a groove, moving from space-age synths to gritty, organic minimalism. Variety is key, from creeping percussion to soft-focus krautrock. This is improvised music at its most engaging and immediate. SML have created another special album, one that forges bright new pathways in American jazz.

BBC Folk Award-winner Sam Carter announces The Oakham Poacher, his first solo collection of traditional songs. The title track explores a local legend from his Rutland childhood, telling the true story of the last man hanged at Oakham Castle. Carter says, “There’s something shared between the spirit of the folk singer and the poacher; both acts reclaim what was always ours to begin with.”

Miniseries’ debut “Pilot” is as cinematic as its title suggests. This episodic collection, featuring Angie Gannon (The Magic Numbers) and Doug Morch (Longview), careens through spooky, unsettling spaces while retaining a thoughtful structure. Building from soundtrack vibes to rustic folk, it’s a thoughtful, addictive sonic adventure that will hook the alert listener.

“Normal Town,” The Dreaming Spires’ first album in nearly a decade, finds the band’s love of rock ‘n’ roll romance undimmed. Inspired by Didcot, dubbed England’s “most normal town,” the record mixes nostalgia-fuelled anthems with reflective ballads. It explores themes of escape, alienation, and atomisation, but ultimately celebrates the redemptive power of music and finds pleasure in the ordinary.

London-based songwriter Elanor Moss has officially signed to Merge Records. She celebrated the announcement by releasing a new single and video, “Again, My Love.” The contemplative track, her first since 2023’s Cosmic EP, uses muted horns and guitar to explore themes of transition, loss, and growth. It serves as a preview for a new project expected in 2026.

Sir Richard Bishop’s ‘Hillbilly Ragas’ sees the veteran guitarist in devilish, free-flowing form. This terrific set of solo acoustic instrumentals subverts the rigid “American primitive” genre with a ramshackle, rhythmic, and improvised approach, adding Indian and Arabic flavours. It’s a “total banger”—vital, super-focused, and creatively brilliant acoustic music at its most exciting and intelligent.