Fiona Banham

A collection of masterfully reworked versions, ‘The Shackleton Trio’ is a nostalgic blast from the past for longtime fans and a perfect, pocket-sized introduction for those yet to experience the pure magic of their storytelling.

With ‘Westlin Winds’, The Wilderness Yet have surpassed even their own extremely high standards by giving the acapella aspect of their work the time and space to breathe and flourish. They’ve produced an album that melds tradition and originality into an iridescent vocal soundscape.

‘Coming Home’ is Cara Dillon’s bravest and most personal record to date. Featuring entirely original material, including spoken poetry, it’s a serene, ethereal, and lyrical landscape in which to spend time.

Adam Holmes’ ‘The Voice of Scotland’ is a rare treat as he departs from his own material and into the realms of traditional tunes; an exquisite tribute to those early influences. He has even more firmly established himself as one to watch on the folk scene in Scotland and beyond.

In what was a landmark moment in the history of Celtic Connections, one that will leave a resounding echo for many years to come, The Bothy Band smashed all dizzyingly elevated expectations.

Lauren Collier’s ‘Uddevalla’ is like nothing you have ever heard before. It sits at the confluence of exceptional talent, meticulous research, and pure imagination, and one cannot fail to be moved by the outstanding sensory experience she showcases here.

‘Light Years’ is everything we could have hoped for and so much more. This seamless blend of old and new, tradition and novelty, epitomises what both Christmas and Kate Rusby are all about.

On Beflean, Jim Moray has cherry-picked some of his finest work from across his twenty-year discography…it simultaneously represents both a celebration of past success and an exciting new departure, leaving us to wonder what creative ventures he has up his sleeve for us next.

At the confluence of light and dark, Spell Songs’ ‘Gifts of Light’ is characterised by an uplifting vitality which soothes the soul, demonstrating the magic that results from combining live music with art and literature and representing collaborative music-making at its very finest.

On a dark and rainy night in Newport-on-Tay at a Lost Map showcase, gig-goers had their hearts warmed by an evening of eclectic music performed by Pictish Trail, L.T. Leif, and Weird Wave.