News
John Blek kicks off the year with “Better,” a poignant final single from his upcoming album, The Midnight Ache (Jan 16). Blending relentless drums with soaring strings, the Cork songwriter explores self-improvement and past shortcomings. Recorded in his hand-built studio, the track previews a beautifully intimate UK tour that begins January 29th at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections.
more eaze (Mari Rubio) announces her new album, sentence structure in the country, out March 20, 2026. While her background in traditional fiddle is long-passed, she imbues these new arrangements with a deep reverence for the evolution of folk forms. Lead single “bad friend,” featuring Wendy Eisenberg, navigates social alienation through a masterful, non-traditional approach to pedal steel and electronics.
Acclaimed artists ganavya and Sam Amidon share two new songs, “Would Be Better” and “Willow Street (feat Sam Gendel),” recorded at LEITER’s Funkhaus Studio. The double single traces a tender dialogue between distance and belonging, finding a way home through chosen siblinghood. Amidon’s experimental folk meets ganavya’s devotional depth, joined by Sam Gendel’s distinct ambient jazz.
French-Algerian icon Souad Massi returns with “Samt” (Silence), the hypnotic first single from her upcoming album Zagate, out March 6, 2026. Produced by Justin Adams, this Afrobeat-infused track redefines silence as a spiritual refuge rather than resignation. Accompanied by a video from Yann Orhan, “Samt” paves the way for Massi’s most liberated and outspoken work to date.
Multi-instrumentalist Colleen (Cécile Schott) announces her new album Libres antes del final, arriving March 20, 2026, on Thrill Jockey. Inspired by her journey overcoming a 30-year water phobia, the record serves as an ode to movement and resilience. Schott shares the euphoric lead single “Antídoto,” a “whirlwind of synthesis” acting as the album’s joyful centrepiece, alongside upcoming US and EU tour dates.
Irish folk duo Ye Vagabonds release “The Flood” from their upcoming album All Tied Together, out January 30, 2026. Recorded live in Galway with producer Philip Weinrobe, the track explores Dublin’s housing crisis. Its accompanying one-take video, directed by Ellius Grace and featuring dancer Jimmy Southward, portrays the struggle of urban survival through emotive movement.
North Carolina’s experimental folk collective Weirs have released a mesmerising live video for “Lord Bateman,” the centrepiece of their acclaimed album Diamond Grove. Captured at the FEAST festival, the performance features intricate shadow puppetry. This release coincides with the launch of their East Coast tour, which begins tonight in Washington, DC.
Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl, and Macie Stewart unveil performance film for “Stone | Piece,” directed by Derrick Alexander at The Land School. Blending strings with analog tape loops, the video captures a fresh, ambient take on the composition. The release coincides with their sold-out support dates for Andrew Bird’s Gezelligheid shows in Chicago, teasing a new album for 2026.
Sounds From a Safe Harbour has long been regarded as more than just a music festival; it is a creative incubator, a space where the boundaries between artist and audience blur in the historic city of Cork, something that is beautifully captured in ‘Echo in the Future’, a poetic short film by filmmaker Derrick Belcham, featuring Efterklang, Peter Broderick, and author Max Porter.
Analog Africa announces ‘Galaxia Tropical’, the second volume dedicated to Peruvian Cumbia legend Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical, out February 6. Following the artist’s passing in 2020, this 14-track compilation captures the fearless, psychedelic energy of Iquitos. Featuring the new single “Gitanita,” it celebrates the larger-than-life legacy of a DIY pioneer who helped to define the sound of the Amazon.