Albums

India Electric Co. takes a giant leap forward with Pomegranate, a highly textured and musically adventurous album. Just as the pomegranate symbolised death and regeneration, the album has a framework of contrasts and shifting states; the seeds within are glistening jewels.

With their name capturing both their affection for the musical past and the forgive-and-forget nature of many of the songs, The Bygones is a real delight of a debut and the foundation of a bright future ahead.

Featuring a glittering array of guests, Ben Nicholls’ ‘Duets’ is a highly immersive and, at times, illuminative listening experience…a great album from a musician whose talents go way beyond that of the sought-after sideman.

With Congo Funk!, Analog Africa have captured the essence and spirit of Congolese music, which saw the rumba elevated to new heights. The 14 tracks showcase the indelibly funky grooves that electrified audiences at the time and have obviously stood the test of time.

Six years after their last release, Traditional Irish band Altan return with Donegal, an album packed with energy, freshness, and virtuosity. The quality of the tunes, singing, and playing that they serve up on this release is unsurpassed.

Niamh Bury’s ‘Yellow Roses’ is a record that can lead the charge for the Irish Folk scene at a time when the competition is fierce. This is no small accolade, for sure, but with an album this strong, it is an almost unavoidable statement.

Martin Simpson’s Skydancers is a beautifully packaged album. The music exudes class and quality, but what impresses most is the restraint. No notes are wasted and all instrumental flourishes land, enhancing each song. It is an excellent record from a master of his craft.

Mind, Man, Medicine finds The Secret Sisters at the peak of their powers, delivering an album that fully deserves another Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album.

Daisy Rickman’s Howl is a wonder, an ancient pastoral dream of an album full of contemporary resonances existing at a kind of crossroads where the early freak-folk pioneers collide with a more recent strain of rural hauntology. The result sounds like a whole new genre.

While Moris Tepper’s life has taken directions far off the beaten path, his muse and music are legendary. Challenging and charming, Building A Nest marks a welcome return that adds to that legacy.

Sam Lee’s ‘Songdreaming’ pleases on so many levels, the significance of the stories told by the lyrics build in your mind while powerful arrangements do what music does best, evoking emotional response after emotional response.

Nobel Jacks frontman Will Page makes his solo debut album Still Standing featuring Cormac Byrne and Steve Knightley of Show of Hands. An impressive and, at times, inspirational album.