Last year saw the release of Cracks in the Room by Scottish acoustic duo Twelfth Day which we described as “one of the most rewarding listening experiences to be placed before an audience this year.” Watch their new video and catch them on tour in October.

Damien O’Kane and Pure Records announce Folk Prostate Cancer, an afternoon and evening concert featuring Kate Rusby, Mawkin, Lori Watson, Ross Ainslie & Ali Hutton with Jenn Butterworth, Jack Rutter and Dave Burland & The Awkward Squad.

There is a particular something about Cornish Celtic music that has drawn me in for many years. I am not sure if I can find the right words, but I know that Davey & Dyer have it and the music speaks volumes.

The Lancashire folk experimentalists Harp and a Monkey have just made public the fruits of a beautiful and informative short film collaboration which studies the influence of Japanese art and culture on the creations of Vincent Van Gogh. Watch it here.

With their fiftieth anniversary set to be celebrated in 2019 and a work rate to put many younger artists to shame, Steeleye Span are as inspired now as they have been at any point in their long and glittering career. Don’t miss their October 2018 Tour.

Watch Fara’s music video for ‘Love Gathers All’ (also our Song of the Day), the words of which are taken from a poem by Orcadian poet Edwin Muir. The song features on their forthcoming new album ‘Times from Times Fall’ which is out on 19th October.

At its most persuasive, Pipes succeeds in involving the receptive listener in a freshly perceived melding of tradition and ambience through an ageless environmental presentation of time-honoured piping technique; the closing pibroch, A Lament For Hope, is probably its most pure and perfect distillation.

It’s often the case that emergent young folk singers start out mining traditional folk roots before sewing their own crop, in reversing the cycle and visiting them directly here…she proves herself very much in command of rather than in thrall to them.

Bella Hardy fans now have the opportunity hear her performing her latest album ‘Hey Sammy’ with stripped back instrumentation as she heads out on tour this autumn with only her two fiddles and harmonium for company.

The quality of the musicianship and the sensitive and sympathetic reading of the songs on The Unfinished Violin means that it should rightfully be considered one of the best folk albums of 2018. It’s context and story also suggests it has a good chance of being considered one of the most important too.

In the run-up to Brona McVittie’s forthcoming winter tour of cities in the UK and Ireland, including 5th December in London at Kings Place, she is releasing a brand new video for Under The Pines, the album’s lead single. Watch the premiere on Folk Radio UK.

Trio Dhoore, that talented band of musical brothers from Flanders in Belgium, will return to the UK in November on tour. They score highly for their traditional Flemish tunes, songs and compositions as well as their humour and banter. Not to be missed!