Glenn Kimpton

The story of this album is beautiful and touching in itself but the music that is in a way a distillation of Douglas’s experiences of a situation and his journey through it is truly special.

This line sums up ‘Placebound Spirits’ perfectly – “I have found myself going back to this splendid little EP time and again, becoming utterly mesmerised by its subtle charms, strange nuances and, vitally, the gorgeous music.”

Tompkins Square’s most recent obscure delight comes in the shape of Wall Matthews, a composer, guitarist and pianist with an unusual, diverse album of music from a significantly talented musician.

Composer, musician, luthier and curator Buck Curran is a man of many talents, as No Love is Sorrow further testifies. A bewitching album that pulls the listener in many directions and exposes them to many emotions.

A set full of character, depth and textured music made with unpretentious skill and consideration, Under the Red Island Bakery is a special kind of album that doesn’t appear very often. An enduring treat that will be played to death, this one will stick to your stereo and make itself hard to forget.

We chat to the Anglo-Irish quartet The Haar about their wonderful new album of traditional Irish songs set to improvised music. Cue major and minor key switching, intuition and creative satisfaction.

At once playful, focused, narratively strong and highly respectful of heritage, Atlantic Edge is a triumph of musical prowess and a master class in beautifully blending traditional music with classical styles. It is an exceptional album.

We need more music like this; spontaneous, alive and affecting, The Haar, featuring Adam Summerhayes, Cormac Byrne, Murray Grainger and Molly Donnery, will take you on a journey and have you appreciating the purest of life’s pleasures. Wonderful stuff.

Home Waters is Sam Carter’s finest and most confident piece of work so far and best displays the honed talents of this valuable musician. A concise, cohesive and self-assured album that perfectly balances and blends ace song-writing with considered and finely judged arrangements. A must-have.

Voice of the Eagle is a box of treasures. Liam Barker’s film sheds some light on this unusual and remarkably gifted character, while also giving us plenty of examples of Robbie Basho’s spellbinding music to satisfy us throughout.

With Oneiric Formulary, Sir Richard Bishop is certainly not trying to do anything predictable – the result is a roller-coaster of a success. What a crazed, beautiful and brilliant riot of a record.

Unearth Repeat is a significant leap forward for Sam Sweeney in terms of his solo work. It is a highly creative work that brings something new to the mix, while also celebrating the simple joys of instrumental folk music. Mesmerising and irresistible stuff.