Albums

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.

Comprising 17 songs in 45 minutes, Reason to Live is a thesis in what it means to be Lou Barlow at the age of 54. As Barlow finally gets comfortable in his skin, it’s his call to look around and find the inspiration to keep going.

Adrian Crowley has a voice that insists you listen and hang on to every word of The Watchful Eye of the Stars. It’s an album that stays with you long after the end, a testament to the vision of its author.

Dublin-duo Elgin’s “Weightless / Still” is an accomplished and serious body of songs; an immersive and rewarding album that carries a deep and intelligent thoughtfulness throughout. More, please.

Released on the award-winning Finnish independent record label Bafe’s Factory, PERTTULA follows his own path on Pajavasara where accordion meets primal rhythmic blacksmith percussion. There is much to enjoy here; prepare for a few surprises.

Maim, the latest offering from Gaelictronica duo WHYTE is an album for late-night reflection. It’s one of the most affecting pieces of music you will hear this year. But mind also the message. And the warning.

On ‘Swallow Me’, the latest EP from Scottish songstress Rachel Sermanni, the songs are a meditative collection influenced by her passage into motherhood…she sings to the rhythm of life being lived, with songs excavated from the depths of human emotion

With a focus on the vivacity and legacy of the Shetland tradition, Atlaness is a handsome, and thoroughly delightful listen on which Gray proves to be a talented fiddler, composer, and arranger in her own right.

Brinkworth’s sophomore record touches on different themes that come with staying put – the songs fit around their creator like a second skin, and he delivers them with a natural ease that comes only from artists that have honed their craft through experience.

“The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know” is a surprise release from Rising Appalachia that finds them at their most improvisational – one of the most intoxicating musical experiences you’ll have this year.