Albums

★★★★★ Emily Portman’s new EP ‘Hinge of the Year’ is a stunning release that mixes tradition with dark fairytale like twists. Wherever she takes her inspiration from I hope it is bottomless!

Jeffrey Foucault’s Cold Satellite finally sees a European release. The songs are based around unpublished poems and fragments from the young poet Lisa Olstein.

★★★★★ Read our latest interview with Three Cane Whale, a multi-instrumental trio from Bristol with a fresh, innovative approach to music.

★★★★★ The Woodbine & Ivy Band are a group of Manchester musicians who have gathered the cream of British folk singers to create one of the best folk albums of our time.

★★★★★ Few bands manage to combine playfulness in melody with heartfelt lyrics in the way Goodnight Lenin do.

★★★★★ Iarla Ó Lionáird proves he still can reach new levels of expression on his latest release ‘Foxlight’, which features a fascinating group of collaborators including Jon Hopkins.

Catherine MacLellan, one the finest voices in North American folk music, makes her first performance in Scotland. Rachel Devine was there for the prestigious gig.

Karine Polwart is at the very pinnacle of Scottish music. If ‘Here’s Where Tomorrow Starts’ is anything to go by, we can look forward to her reaching even greater heights in the future.

★★★★★ Tylwyth Teg are a new young and promising band from Wales whose self-titled debut album is out now!

★★★★★ Mancunian outfit Rough Fields (James Birchell) draws strength from classical and minimalist roots in his latest venture The Harbour Wall.

Melanie Mcovern managed to catch Mercury nominee Anna Calvi at her sell out show at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire earlier this month.

★★★★★ Angela Penhaligon’s moniker Piney Gir releases a stomping countrified affair of lovable (for a time) circa ’60s pop numbers on Geronimo!