Local favourite (and, hey, national favourite, too) Richard Dawson has been responsible for some of the best moments in recorded sound this century. From his out-there collaboration with Finnish rock band Circle, to the epic 41-minute track that opened hi…

This husband and wife duo from Newcastle are graduates of Newcastle’s Folk and Traditional Music degree and their second album is a real stunner. It’s a concept album of sorts – about how the winter period is necessary, giving the earth a fallow period be…

Multi-instrumentalist Moshe Fisher-Rozenberg has reimagined a music programme used by psychotherapists in the 1970s, in combination with LSD, in a way that feels sonically pleasing, trippy, and very much a balm for your soul. He’s converted the original s…

In 2005, the folk singer Vashti Bunyan released ‘Lookaftering’ – only her second album, 35 years after her debut. It was – and remains – a remarkable comeback record, featuring instrumental contributions from the likes of Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhar…

This Newcastle four-piece exude a lounge-pop vibe, a lo-fi-jazz feel, a hushed chamber-folk mood, all of which utterly enchants. Their songs unfurl around you like cigarette smoke and you can’t help but fall under their spell. The likes of The Blue Nile, …

Wife and husband duo Anna Miles and Matt Brennan are the movers and groovers behind Beautiful Cosmos, and their debut album is a thing of indie-pop joy. It’s been produced by Field Music, and Beautiful Cosmos’s stuff certainly shares the same kind of subt…

Maisie Marra (or Eve Turnbull to her mam) grew up in Newcastle but is now based in Dublin, and her latest mini-album is a thing of rare beauty. ‘1991’ features only five tracks but each is a work of art. Whole worlds are created in these songs, which comb…

On his eighth album, Bad Bunny has created some of his best music in years as he moves his focus away from appealing to the global masses, and zones in on his Puerto-Rican roots. Blending música jíbara - the country-folk music of Puerto-Rico - with genres…

Moonchild Sanelly popped up all over the festival circuit last year, so I had a feeling she had something exciting on the way - she did not disappoint. ‘Full Moon’ is as bold as the chunky blue braids that have become an iconic staple of Sanelly’s image; …

Colombian artist Ela Minus first hovered onto radars with her super-charged 2020 debut release ‘acts of rebellion’, which was something of a techno-pop banger. Her second album sees her pulling some cutting-edge production moves, pushing her electronica i…

Father John Misty is a favourite artist of mine, yet I was underwhelmed on my first listen of ‘Mahashmashana’. Two of the singles released - ‘I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All’ and ‘Screamland’ - are total knockouts that stand on each end of his musical…

Considering the enormous success of Blackpink, the K-pop girl group where Rosé found fame, releasing a debut album is bound to be more than a little daunting. However, Rosé lands this leap of faith with grace. Her playful, pop-princess energy shines in up…

Anna B Savage describes her new album as “a love letter to a man and to Ireland” and as love letters go this is a doozy. It’s an album imbued with a rare intimacy (it was produced by John ‘Spud’ Murphy, who has worked with Lankum), the folky instrumentati…

Trans woman jasmine.4.t says the title of this, her debut album, is dedicated to the queer friendships that helped save her life when she came out. Queer people represent: “A fresh start, new days which are beautiful and cosmic.” Her album – which takes i…

These US indie-rockers hail from Fernandina Beach in Florida, and, yes, their stuff is imbued with a warming sunny vibe. This – their second album – while still infused with golden-hued melodies, sees them opening up their vulnerable side while not sacrif…

This is the original soundtrack to Robert Eggers’ new, well-received, film ‘Nosferatu’ and it’s been put together by Robin Carolan, who provided such a memorable score for Eggers’ previous film ‘The Northman’. As you might expect, it’s a release that drin…

Pete Kosanovich is an up and coming psych rock artist who has already received plaudits from luminaries such as Dave Davies of The Kinks and Liam Gallagher of Oasis. This mini-album, recorded live at Paper Dress Vintage in Hackney, shows Kosanovich at his…

The New York duo featuring Marilu Donovan (harp) and Adam Markiewicz (violin) straddle sundry worlds that take in drone/electronica, ambient and contemporary classical. This six-track EP – their first release since 2022’s ‘Eyeline’ – sees them paring back…

Seven albums in, Kendrick Lamar still isn’t taking his foot off the gas. Though less rich in narrative than previous releases, Lamar’s wordplay in GNX is razor-sharp, enhanced by his chameleon-like ability to adapt his vocals and add a variety of emotiona…

In case you’re not clued up on mythology, Aquilo is the Roman equivalent for Boreas, the Greek god of north wind. This fifth album from the Lancashire-based duo of the same name feels much like the north wind - it’s light and airy yet powerful; it carries…

The Afrobeats genre has been thriving lately, but Nigeria’s Wizkid may have just delivered the icing on the cake. Striking that perfect balance between laidback and vibrant that I love so much about Afrobeats, Morayo blends traditional elements of the gen…

‘CHROMAKOPIA’ is an eclectic deep-dive into Tyler, The Creator’s psyche, exploring everything from aging, to his relationship with his mother, to white supremacy, to sex via his signature, razor-sharp lyrics and commanding flow. The range of genres and so…

This is Pixie’s eleventh album - an incredible feat in itself, with the band having a second of coming sorts when they reunited in 2020 after 22 years apart. It’s clear to see Pixies have been on quite a journey, though I feel that journey has hit the mid…

My god, Amyl and The Sniffers deliver with this one. There’s plenty of the Aussie rebellion that first demonstrated how they’re keeping modern punk alive - bouncing guitar riffs, groovy bass lines, thunderous percussion and provocative lyrics delivered vi…

The second long-player from Michael Head’s bassist reaches for the stars with a concept album of sorts exploring wide-eyed space exploration via the medium of folk-hop, progressive-psych, and full-bodied melodies. Belle and Sebastian’s Chris Geddes, and a…

The new album from this Welsh powerhouse folk outfit is, sadly, their last, but they’re going out on a real high. The interplay they demonstrate here is truly breathtaking and the twin girl/boy vocals dovetail perfectly with their drive. This is utterly r…

This Turkish singer, songwriter and composer has won a huge audience outside of her home country and with little wonder. She combines traditional Anatolian pop and folk influences with a real sense of grandeur that – even if you can’t understand the lyric…

Keyboard player, composer and producer Jessica Lauren has worked with all manner of legendary names – such as Jean Carne and Tom Browne – but she actually recorded ‘Film’ in 1997. It’s now been remastered and it remains a remarkable listen combining modal…

Durham’s Lowfeye – featuring Carol Nichol and Alan Rowland – wrap all their elements, including indie rock and melodic guitar-pop, into a widescreen aesthetic that is utterly compelling. They also do Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra like 60s pop (‘Valley Of Th…

This second album from Irish avant-garde punk artist Meryl Streek is a beautiful yet harrowing examination of social inequality in Ireland. It’s filled with politically-charged rage, delivered via the searing passion of Streek’s vocals and his slam poetry…

I was lucky enough to hear some of these songs live when I went to see The Cure two years ago, which gives you an idea of the time and care that has gone into crafting their first release in 16 years. ‘Songs Of a Lost World’ is one of few albums worth suc…

An Unthanks album – featuring classic Christmas and winter songs, as well as a scattering of new compositions – was always going to work and so it does, quite magnificently. They capture the shifting moods of the season including joy, reflectiveness and m…

This explosive new release from Spanish artist Metrika, in collaboration with producer and DJ D.Basto, is all thundering trap beats, distorted vocals and razor-sharp lyrics. The up-and-coming rapper’s take on modern hip-hop is full of bold and unapologeti…

Neo-soul singer Leon Bridges’ has created a musical scrapbook of sorts. With a distinctly 1970s influence running throughout, Bridges pulls from genres such as folk, pop, funk and jazz to create 13 songs that each offer something different. Charged with n…

FINNEAS is most known for being Billie Eilish’s brother, with whom he has frequently written, produced and performed music with, but what you should know him for is his incredible songwriting abilities. ‘For Cryin’ Out Loud’, though less experimental than…

‘Blind Faith’ marks the very welcome return of this Mercury nominated Irish singer/songwriter. Her last album was the very brilliant ‘Bones + Longing’ album of 2014, and her latest is another release designed to get you right there. Featuring tender guita…

North-east band Quarterlight are fronted by Gary Chaplin, who local aficionados will know as he’s a founder member of local punk heroes Penetration. And he – and the fluid collective of musicians who make up the rest of the band – are on sterling form her…

Huge melodies simply teem out of this Teesside fella and on his new album he’s packing plenty. His sophisticated pop songs have a gorgeous 80s vibe (I’m talking the sumptuous end of the 80s – Black, The Kane Gang, Everything But The Girl) and on his lates…

The third album from this Canada-born, London-based singer/songwriter is teeming with good stuff particularly if you’re a fan of louche decadence. Tracks bubble up out of the ether, her dreamy vocals adding to the vibe, in a deft show of insouciance that …

‘Cutouts’ is The Smile’s second album in just nine months, so they’d be perhaps forgiven if it didn’t quite hit the same mark as January’s ‘Wall Of Eyes’, which came out to much critical acclaim. On the contrary, I may even prefer this third release from …

Nina Nesbitt’s fourth album is her best yet, and one of my favourites of the year. It’s a beautiful folk-pop record, with gentle acoustic guitar and piano melodies and light, airy vocals that evoke the ethereal mountain scene on its cover. Inspired by her…

Sunderland’s finest return with a new album and suddenly the winter months don’t seem quite so bleak. It’s a release that is packing delights wherever you look, with those delights slowly revealing themselves to you with each new listen. The band have mas…

This one was a nostalgic listen for me, as Falling In Reverse were one of the bands that caused me to fall in love with rock music back in my early teens. Their first album in seven years, it’s clear to see that the band have used this time to hone their …

‘Short n’ Sweet’ has seen Carpenter rise to astronomical heights seemingly out of nowhere, despite this being her fifth album. She has definitely found her sweet spot as an artist - fun, flirty pop anthems charged with a wicked, at times filthy, sense of …

Little Hag have previously referred to themselves as “bitch rockers”, and this third album of theirs is full of bitch rocker energy in the best kind of way. Bold and unflinching, the lyrics cover uncomfortable, taboo subjects unapologetically - including …

UNIT 8 are a fabulous band from Alnwick/Cullercoats who have a very easy on the ear classic rock sound that is given extra oomph by some excellent progressive stylings. This – their second album – has all the melodic nous of Michael Head’s outfits (includ…

This north-east duo conjure up a rare kind of alchemy as they skip gleefully between trip-hop and dream-pop. Sam Nixx takes most of the vocal duties (she nails everything thrown at her here) and Conrad McQueen provides that all-important and enticing latt…

The first album from this Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter in ten year has certainly been worth the wait. Featuring vocals that veer between sturdy and lean-in-close, and a mesh of beguiling sonics – taking in enchanting guitar picking, other-wor…

I’ve long loved this Manchester band. Led by the fab Heather Baron-Gracie, they’ve always looked like dodgy goths, but they make fab indie-dream-pop. Their latest album – let’s call it their fourth – is their best yet. They’ve amped up those glorious and …

Durham’s Tim Head IS Faithful Johannes and he paints the most wonderful pictures with his languid raps. His third album – in which he teams up with producer Neocia – sees him tackling childhood and parenting (among other stuff) in his own inimitable style…

This is the third solo album from this Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist and it’s a real beguiling delight. Its eight tracks – apparently an ode to Mariam’s respect and devotion to air, breath and space – conjure up rhythmic enchantments featuring …

This is Norwegian-American artist Okay Kaya’s sixth album in six years, so it’s safe to say she’s been busy since she first broke onto the bedroom pop scene. If that isn’t already impressive enough, ‘Oh My God - That’s So Me’ is entirely self-composed, an…

If you’re unfamiliar with Foster The People, you will at least know them for their breakout hit ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, but I highly recommend you get to know them beyond this. This fourth album (their first since 2017) indeed invokes a Paradise State of Mind,…

Martha Hill has cemented her reputation as one of the finest artists working in the north-east today with this, her superb debut album. Her pointed and often bruised lyrical concerns – that take in many different kinds of loss and longing – are sung above…