The Latest
Teeth of Time, Joshua Burnside’s latest album, feels like a mid-career record: a precursor to middle age, to the wonders of parenthood, the mourning of what’s passed, and hopes for what’s to come. Christian Wethered caught up with him and spoke about folk, influence, and the world from which he writes. “I just try to write songs that feel honest to me.”
On fixe Idee, guitarist Eric Arn puts the mostly unadorned acoustic through its paces. Throughout this eclectic set, there are hints of early Robbie Basho, with a loose and free style of playing conjuring an image of carefree, sepia-toned summer life. It is the sound of an accomplished guitarist playing in his own style(s), and the result is excellent: singular, exciting and adventurous.
Known for his starry-eyed lofi folk-rock, Chicago-based artist Astrachan has today shared his thoughtful new single, “Picture of Doubt.” The track unfurls with a hazy, disoriented atmosphere, its lyrics navigating a profound sense of uncertainty. Recorded on a Tascam 388, the tangible warmth of ¼-inch tape lends the song a punchy, vintage character, creating a groove that feels both immediate and timeless.
Celebrated traditional musicians Cormac Begley and Liam O’Connor release their new album this month, Into the Loam. Listen to the opening track “Ryan’s Rant”, which, like the album, creatively engages with tradition, seeking to forge something new. The traditional reel is offered as a tribute to the legendary Dublin fiddler Tommie Potts, who “continually pushed the boundaries of genre and expression.”
Since we last spoke to folklorist, researcher and performer Derek Piotr, his fieldwork archive has expanded from 300 to nearly 1,300 recordings of folksongs, poetry, memories, interviews, and tales. As part of a sponsorship behind the project this year, he is issuing a non-commercial CD titled “Absolutely Not for Sale.”
Acclaimed Welsh composer Cerys Hafana unveils their third album, Angel, a deep exploration of minimalism and avant-folk centred on the Welsh triple harp. Joined by a trio of exploratory musicians, Hafana blends traditional Welsh song with contemporary Breton rhythms on the spellbinding first single, “Helynt Ryfeddol,” confirming their place as a vital innovator.
Sound artist BJ Nilsen returns with True than Nature, out August 29 via Ideologic Organ. Drawing inspiration from Jean-Paul Sartre, the album uses field recordings to craft immersive, unstable soundscapes that challenge our perception of reality. Nilsen invites listeners on a disorienting journey, questioning the nature of what we hear and the worlds we imagine.
Renowned for her formidable and boundary-pushing cello improvisations, South Korean artist Okkyung Lee is taking a surprising turn with her newly announced album, Just Like Any Other Day (어느날): Background Music For Your Mundane Activities. The lead single, the charmingly titled “good morning, harrison, it’s time to go,” offers a first glimpse into this new, intentionally understated sound world.
Faun Fables’ Counterclockwise is a strange, beguiling musical world. Overall, the record is an exploration of time, not simply thematically, for it also shifts perspectives, delighting in the head-spinning effect these shifting sands can have on your senses. It is a deep and eccentric work, but ultimately a deeply satisfying experience, with so many recognisable elements that you cannot help but sense a welcome familiarity too.
Irish composer Caimin Gilmore (Crash Ensemble) unveils “MVE I,” the latest single from his forthcoming debut album, BlackGate, an instrumental, genre-fluid journey featuring renowned cellist Kate Ellis and harpist Lavinia Meijer. The track highlights Gilmore’s flowing orchestration, weaving a pulsing harp melody with arpeggiated strings and the unique colouring of a vintage Yamaha DX7 synthesiser, offering a captivating glimpse into the record.
This Material Moment is Me Lost Me’s most personal album yet. On this new release, Newcastle-based Jayne Dent’s songwriting has become both more immediate and more accomplished, with each song existing in its own undeniable present. It’s an alarmingly good album, stormy and intense at one moment, wise and contemplative the next.