Alex Gallacher

Released today on the excellent Catalan Record Label Microscopi is ‘Substrat’, the new album by Guillem Ballaz. A work based on old Catalan square tambourine songs -largely unpublished- and one of Catalonia’s greatest unknown cultural riches.

Taken from her new album ‘Dream From The Deep Well’, Brigid Mae Power shares the video for her latest album single ‘Counting Down’, another homespun gem from one of the finest contemporary singers on the scene right now.

Finnish-Swedish fiddle player Ville Syri and Helsinki-based Cornish Accordionist Tommie Black-Roff unite over a love for traditional Nordic melodies and dance. Watch the accompanying video for Tribute, their new single, taken from forthcoming their debut album Stuffed Pockets.

Sam Sweeney & Louis Campbell reveal duo EP ‘Shapes’, to be digitally released on 5th May via Hudson Records. Listen to their first EP single, Shape #2 (Gmin).

Junior Brother reveals video, Directed by Ellius Grace, for his epic new single, ‘Junior Brother’s Favourite’. Folkloric and driven with a very tangible fear, it’s one of his best. Don’t miss his UK dates this month with his new band.

Today sees the release of Cloudheads, the superb new album from O’Hooley & Tidow. Watch their touching new video for ‘Matthew & Ted’, filmed in the woods near to their home. The duo are on tour for the next few months so try and see them if you can.

Penguin Cafe have announced ‘Rain Before Seven…’, out July 7th via Erased Tapes. Watch the video for their new single ‘In Re Budd’. The visuals were inspired by the cafe in Simon Jeffes’ infamous fever dream hallucinations, which led to the creation of the original Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Israeli singer, musician and producer Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) team up for a new album on World Circuit – “Jarak Qaribak” brings together vocalists and musicians from throughout the Middle East for a very special album of cross-border collaborations.

Filmed at The Weaver’s House in the centre of Coventry’s bustling city centre, watch Ellie Gowers performing a live acoustic version of her new single, ‘Waking up to Stone’, taken from her debut album ‘Dwelling By The Weir’. Don’t miss her upcoming tour dates.

Featuring his live band of Rozi Plain, Momoko Gill and Conrad Singh, Alabaster DePlume releases a new single – a celebration of joyful communal music making titled ‘Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem’.

Ahead of her European & UK shows in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Bristol and Brighton, Australian singer songwriter Jen Cloher has shared a joyful and culturally insightful video for the title track of her fifth studio album ‘I Am The River, The River Is Me’.

Our latest ‘Off the Shelf’ guest is Dom Flemons, who has just released ‘Traveling Wildfire’ on Smithsonian Folkways. He shares some of the objects that line his shelves at home, including a large and well-organised record collection.