Albums

The long wait for Shadowlands, the fourth album from Romantica, has paid dividends – 14 songs bear testament to their understated and introspective brand of Americana.

Having formerly fronted Danish trio Boho Dancer, Ida Wenøe now makes her solo debut with Time of Ghosts, an album that leans more towards their ethereal acid folk, blending Nordic and English folk influences.

Based on the west coast of Scotland, The Quiggs (husband and wife Pernille and Stephen) return with Seeds I Didn’t Sow – songs and memorable melodies worth revisiting again and again. Unquestionably one of the best folk albums of the year.

Usher’s Island self-titled debut doesn’t disappoint, a first-rate album of Irish traditional music and one that is more than fit to take its place in the ranks of classic group albums in the field.

Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground is a quietly huge endeavour, a labour of love, full of valuable knowledge, surprising stylistic breadth and exquisite songwriting.

Sillion is a strange, affecting and beautifully realised album, one with many hidden (and manifest) depths. Johnny Flynn has made a captivating, exhilarating and sometimes unsettling album. Go and listen.

Artistic statements like The Gathering…are symptoms of change, and they are also its catalysts. Toby Hay’s album is a stunning turning point in what we have come to call folk music. A beautiful, frank and mysterious statement.

Monster Ceilidh Band are no strangers to experimentation, and with Mutation, they continue to demonstrate a great talent for producing innovative yet accessible music. They have created an album full of head-banging, glowstick-waving energy – and it’s epic.

Ex-ahab singer Dave Burn has thankfully found time to release this debut solo album. He draws on personal experiences and his Americana influences to weave a reflective web…a place marker in the debut albums of the year list has been duly assigned.

Kris Drever puts on a top performance at Fareham’s Ashcroft Arts Centre. Singing audience favourites from his first solo album through to the title track of his latest which has led to one of his two BBC Folk Award Nominations this year.

The musical idiom of The Straw Bear Band’s ‘Eccentric Heart’ is one of immediacy and power, bright and convivial garage-folk with pop-style hooks and melodies. This whole mini-album contains much that’s both appealing and memorable.

Taking inspiration from Arthur Miller’s landmark 50s play, Jason Steel’s Crucible Songs adopts a minimalist approach which produces a paradoxically rich musical tapestry. this is a limited-edition release so get it while you can.