Albums

Fern Maddie is a name we will hear much of in the future, and Ghost Story is a spell-binding, beautifully captivating and genuinely haunting release – an immediate favourite of 2022.

Lossan, the duo debut from Manx Gaelic singer Ruth Keggin and Scottish Harpist Rachel Hair is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard this year. If anything makes you fall in love with the Manx culture and language, this will.

Rory Matheson & Graham Rorie celebrate the success of The Assynt Crofters on We Have Won The Land, a gem of an album capturing the ups and the downs of that journey.

‘What I Wanted’ is a strikingly confident leap into new musical and stylistic territory for Maz O’Connor, but never losing sight of her established core strengths – her voice and lyrics…I suspect this is just the start of many wonders to come.

Josh Geffin’s Hold On To The Light is a soothing and masterfully crafted EP, a beacon of hope that gives expression both to where we’ve been and where we are headed.

48 Hours With David Ford And Annie Dressner is an unassuming but rather lovely collection of songs. If they can do this in two days, imagine what wonders a week might produce.

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.

David Weir reports back from a weekend spent at Black Deer Festival where he caught great sets from Yasmin Williams, Seafoam Green, Hiss Golden Messenger, The Waterboys, The London African Gospel Choir, Courtney Marie Andrews, Simeon Hammond Dallas and more.

There is an undefinable excellence to be found in the sibling vocals of The Brothers Gillespie. When combined with their gentle and varied instrumental arrangements found on ‘The Merciful Road’, their music becomes the complete gold standard package.

There is a point where music must be heard rather than talked about, words can only do so much, and when it comes to Frey, words begin to fail. Tamsin Elliott has created a piece of work that will be talked about for years to come.

County Cork resident Eva Coyle is an exciting new voice in Irish music, with a poet’s gift for song and a fine, evocative, voice to match; Down to the Shore is an alluring album that showcases this to the full.

There is a commanding and soulful vitality on display throughout Carry Me Home that stands as a wonderful final thread to Mavis Staples and Levon Helm’s shared musical connection.