Mike Davies

Husband and wife Devon duo Harbottle and Jonas have taken a maritime theme for their fourth album that is awash with strong songs and excellent musicianship and fully deserves to carry the duo aloft on a wave of acclaim and success.

It may have taken some two decades to find his clear focus, but North Country firmly places Irish-American troubadour Danny Burns on the map. Featuring Cara Dillon, Tift Merritt, Tim O’Brien, Holly Williams & more.

Traveling Mercies is the powerful new album from Emily Scott Robinson. Produced by Neilson Hubbard her songs are filled with compassion, empathy and truth.

Buffalo Blood is as potent as anything written by Buffy Sainte-Marie and deserves to be acclaimed for exposing the injustices inflicted on the First Nation.

Like last year’s Folk Fever album, Variations is a reminder of just how flexible music can be in the hands of an artist who sees genre boundaries as a challenge rather than confinement.

Exeter duo Sounds of the Sirens return to seal their reputation with an ambitious, musically diverse third album of which Mike Davies declares “We may still be in January, but this is unquestionably an album of the year.”

Katie Doherty makes a welcome return on her second album ‘And Then’, accompanied by The Navigators: Shona Mooney, Dave Gray and Ian Stephenson. “Hers is an ascent well worth following”.

Impressionistic rather than explicit, thoughts and emotions are woven through the musical fabric as much as the lyrics on Kaia Kater’s ‘Grenades’, it marks a huge leap on her musical and personal journey, and sharing it is a privilege.

Leaves That Fly is Kim Richards’ debut album, one informed by her interest in folk tales and Scottish history. Produced by Mike Vass and featuring some top guest musicians we hope this is the first of many.

On ‘Here Come The Young’, Martyn Joseph teams up with producer Gerry Diver. Fire and energy fuel the songs and delivery addressing the uncertainty and the hope for change on both political and personal levels.

Figures and Faces is a hugely promising debut from London-based guitarist and singer songwriter David Gunawardana. Rooted in themes of journey and transition this is one to follow.

Belfast troubadour Joshua Burnside resurrects his 2013 home-recorded EP If You’re Goin’ That Way and repackages it with four new songs and an acoustic version of one of the original tracks.