Albums

Ulster trio TRÚ talk us through their new album ‘No Fixed Abode’, offering a brilliant insight into each of the songs on their new album. It features some great stories and background…including mythology, changelings, faeries and Japanese folklore.

Besides the fascinating history of Graham Rorie’s ‘The Orcadians of Hudson Bay’, it’s also a suite of music that ranks amongst the best that’s recently come out of the Glasgow melting pot.

The release of ‘The Indigenous Afro-Jazz Sounds of Philip Tabane and his Malombo Jazzman’ was a seminal one, expanding the frontiers of African music. Reissued and remastered here on vinyl, it’s an exceptionally rewarding listen which offers subtle nuances on each repeated play.

‘For Morgan’ is a swirling memory of simpler times that manages to be timeless and timely all at once. A charming and intriguing album from Nick Evans, aka Dawn Song – an audio letter from father to son.

Evan Cheadle’s ‘Fault Line Serenade’ is a sorely needed auricular salve for these crazy, cacophonous times. Downbeat, reflective, embedded in sweet melodies, the overall effect is one of solace and campfire cosiness.

An album about salvation, about awakenings and about the warmth of strangers in troubled times that serves as a reminder of a shared humanity in an America torn by divisions, it is both personal and universal and Keating’s finest hour yet.

A hugely accomplished album drawing on influences that include Plant, Welch and This Mortal Coil, but transforming them into their own unique sound. An impressive calling card that can only hint at what they might produce when given access to the full scope of a studio.

To listen to The Eternal Rocks Beneath is to sink into a reverie. Katherine Priddy puts a contemporary spin on the mythological and with a balletic vocal ability and bent for tender, lush arrangements, this much-anticipated debut is like stumbling upon a diamond mine.

Fishclaw’s latest EP, Feil, is part of their wider Ash project which brings listeners closer to the natural world…it’s like the musical equivalent of shinrin-yoku – forest bathing, even listening to it in the comfort of one’s own home is a transportive, strangely moving experience.

Watch part two of a short film on the making of Ulster trio TRÚ’s debut album ‘No Fixed Abode’. It revolves around the Irish traditional folk song Bonny Portmore and features a lovable character they meet called Joe.

It slips down easy, sounding as simple, unassuming and effortless as only true songwriting and consummate musicianship can do. Turner Cody may indeed have friends in high places because there’s a divine spark at work here.

On Some Heavy Hand, Cath and Phil Tyler’s subtly intricate performances, as on all their releases, enrich the material even further. This compilation of obscurities is a beautifully weighted insight into a splendid catalogue of music.