Glenn Kimpton

While there is drama and darkness on Marisa Anderson’s ‘Still, Here’, there is also optimism; it’s a powerful and thought-provoking album of beauty and profundity.

Featuring Sarah-Jane Summers, Juhani Silvola, Leif Ottosson and Bridget Marsden, the Siskin Quartet’s ‘Flight Paths’ is an exceptional album. Broad-reaching yet balanced, daring and compelling; I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Bile Bear is the adopted moniker of Italian guitarist Denis Cassiere. His Bear Bile album is mesmerising and a rather lovely thing – a player who is certainly one to watch out for.

Painting a wide-ranging vista of instrumental narratives and musical styles, Joseph Allred delivers a wonderfully varied set through The Rambles & Rags of Shiloh.

Dave Miller’s ‘Daughter of Experience’ is incredibly intimate; it’s the kind of work that uses the most basic of tools to do something new, in this case, challenge many solo instrumental guitar music tropes while delivering beautiful, quietly powerful music.

We met with Jacob Johnson of the trio Son of John to discuss their wonderful new Each Second Footstep album, which showcases a broad and exciting new musical direction, plus the cementing of his new band lineup.

With an extended lineup and marking a significant leap forward, Son of John return with Each Second Footstep. Throughout this winning album, the band’s love of their craft shines through…an essential release.

The transatlantic banjo duo Damien O’Kane and Ron Block met with us to discuss Banjophonics, the splendid follow-up to their much-lauded debut Banjophony, plus musical personalities and the Mongolian nose flute.

Featuring a number of special guests including Sierra Hull and Kate Rusby, Damien O’Kane and Ron Block reunite once more on Banjophonics, a rich and rewarding album filled with energy, emotion and a huge heart.

Katie Spencer’s ‘The Edge of the Land’ doesn’t feel the need to over-embellish its sound; it has the spontaneity that live performance captures combined with arrangements that are unfussy but quietly adventurous. Let this one live with you for a while to discover its powers.

Echo, the third album from Welsh-Senegalese harp and kora duo Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita, is another significant leap forward; a masterpiece and a beautiful album from two artists who are operating at the height of their powers.

Controlled Burning is a mind-bender of an album featuring duets from guitarist Eli Winter and keyboard and synthesizer artist Jordan Reyes – unashamedly bonkers in places and calm and sedate in others.