Bob Fish

With a voice that echoes the spirit of Neil Young and a profound connection to the desert southwest of New Mexico, AJ Woods brings a personal touch to his music with Hawk Is Listenin’, a diverse collection of soulful songs that reflect his deep understanding of the region.

It’s not often one comes across a musician of the calibre of David Berkeley or an album as pure as A Pail Full of Fire. It springs from a place of honesty where words and music still matter. This is an album for the ages.

Four simple songs have rarely generated such a transformative collection the way Kevin Fowley’s “À Feu Doux” does. Understanding the power of music, these sounds are perhaps the most evocative and revolutionary music you will hear all year.

On Classic Monsters, The Mining Co.’s Michael Gallagher, joined by his friends from Spanish psyche band Los Jaguares de la Bahía, keep it sparse yet dramatic on a concept album inspired by the monster movies of his childhood.

The music of Myles Cochran’s “You Are Here” has a rootless quality, subtly shifting while shining a light on sonically rich moments that softly weave their spell.

Irish duo Rezo’s new album, The Age of Self Help, applies the lessons that need to be learned in an era where being heard has never been more challenging. Watch their new video for Circle Closed.

Gabriel Birnbaum’s ‘Patron Saint of Tireless Losers’ is haunted by subtilty, shade and shadows, he seems to know the landscape and the landmarks well.

Between the cello of Clément Petit and the vocals of Msaki and Tubatsi, magic occurs. Synthetic Hearts Part II is one of those rare times when the second helping is even better than the first. Collaborations like this happen very rarely. Savour it.

With ‘The Wind’, Ann Annie explores the notions of what ambient music can portray, creating wafts of colour that tug and occasionally tear at the fabric of life…finding ways to take you places you might never have found otherwise.

There is an intimacy to the music of Samana that one rarely hears today and on their self-titled LP the music haunts your inner reaches, overflowing with ideas and alchemy.

On their debut album “Goodnight, Lad”, Sean R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows defy categorisation, delivering sonic shifts and unexpected moments to revel in.

While Fiona Apple’s drummer Amy Aileen Wood may prefer staying out of the spotlight, her solo album, The Heartening, may put an end to that. Challenging and invigorating, it examines the rhythms of a percussionist in a class of her own.