Albums

Afro Celt Sound System are a band that continue to seek out and explore new musical adventures, with utterly captivating results and Flight is an enthralling, wide-ranging album that brings new rewards with every listen.

Thickets create fascinatingly original music, and Four Last Words is a real tonic providing a welcome contrast to much of the anodyne outpourings to be heard on mainstream media – intelligent, beguiling, haunting…seek it out.

Ciaran O’Kane’s Round and Round is a hugely impressive piece of work and a fine debut that deserves to take its place alongside the likes of Lankum and Lisa O’Neill as some of the finest Irish traditional albums released of late.

Matt Molloy, the paragon of Irish traditional flute playing, makes his first solo album in 22 years. Back To The Island is everything lovers of Molloy’s playing could wish for and more.

Canadian acoustic guitarist Les Finnigan returns with Counterpoint Conundrum, a calming 36 minutes of utterly gorgeous contemporary acoustic guitar music to soothe a fevered brow.

Award-winning songwriter Joseph Hammill celebrates the spirit of Teesside with his new EP Infant Hercules. These songs drip with a passion and deep pride in the area and the lyrics have a poetic beauty.

Recorded in what many believe to be the glory days of analogue, ‘Stereo Death Breakdown’ remains a fantastic piece of rootsy audio pleasure. A good-time, feel-good snapshot of a fertile period in music history.

Narthen are a foursome comprising Barry Coope, Lester Simpson, Jo Freya and Fi Fraser. A scintillating teaming of four seasoned and highly talented performers – a lively, eclectic CD from a vibrant quartet; a memorable and life-affirming set.

The Building Light is the debut album from Em Marshall, one that radiates a simple beauty and intensity. It will be interesting to see in what direction, Em’s writing will develop in the years ahead.

Here are what, 40 years perhaps, spread out before us. And whilst you can hear changes and movement and development, it never strays – from the core, from the good tune, the excellent finger work.

Root & Branch is a five-piece comprising musicians from both sides of the Atlantic, a band with a hell of a presence. A Breath Against The Calm is sure to figure on Best Albums of Year.

The Last Dance is a pleasing introduction to a pleasing outfit, one that’s found and developed its niche and stuck to it, continuing to satisfy a loyal and appreciative audience with skilled, honest-to-goodness writing and musicianship.