Album of The Week

Yorkshire-born Bella Gaffney’s fourth solo album ‘Reflections’ is inspired by the connections she made during the lockdown period. Bella’s music is characterised by her distinctive voice, intricate guitar playing and her knack for storytelling where she dips into her own life experiences, the natural world as well as the rich history of folk music. In addition […]

  The title of fiddler Hanneke Cassel’s latest album, Infinite Brightness, isn’t derived from any of its nine songs, yet it perfectly encapsulates all of them. Rooted in influences from Scotland’s Isle of Skye and Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton, this irresistibly bright, sweet and tender, all-instrumental album taps into musical traditions carried to North America by immigrants and passed […]

  JKL DUO – Jacopo Lazzaretti and Kerry Lynch – play music straight from the heart, using the flute and classical guitar to deliver what’s been described as ‘a melting pot of creativity’ to present Robert Burns ‘as you’ve never heard him before.” Splitting their time between performing, recording and teaching from their studio in […]

Roseanne Reid’s life has changed a lot in recent times and this is warmly, imaginatively and gently reflected in her gem of a new album, Lawside. It is named after the district of Dundee where most of the songs were written and where she lives with her wife and baby son. “Lawside has influenced every […]

  There’s no doubt that Skerryvore have reinvented and reignited Scottish roots music with a modern alt-pop flavour that thrills an ever-expanding multicultural global audience. But developing their sound and approach remains part of their drive – and ‘Tempus’ proves it. This is a bold, vibrant album that the band feels is “epic of melody, […]

This is the second album from this renowed duo – Élan released on 18th May 2023. Liz caught up with Rachel and was in conversation with her about this stunning new album – all while Ron was on a flight to Barbados Celtic Festival! Take the oldest Scottish instrument, the clarsach (harp), and the newest […]

Beth Malcolm, Scots Singer of the Year, BBC Trad Awards 2022, immaculately delivers folk-inspired material embracing a delicious mix of traditional, modern and self-penned Scots songs. Beth Malcolm, whose 10-track debut showcases her singing and keyboard skills, is a captivating performer with a real zest in her delivery and a warmth in her style. Artists […]

Gnoss have delivered an album all about change. They thought that writing this record about ten different stories with change at their hearts might give them pause to look at the change that’s taken place in their lives over the past two years. Gnoss’ music has changed since the last time as well as they […]

Cala are a 6 piece trad band originating from Inverness.  The band’s choice of instruments and attention to detail in arranging and writing creates Cala’s unique spin on Scottish trad – a fresh, full, and exciting sound. Since their debut single ‘Causeway’ back in late 2020, the band has had high ambitions going forward. The […]

A five-year wait for Ímar’s third album is over and the result is hugely gratifying. All five band members are now based in Glasgow but they have musical backgrounds encompassing England, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland and on Awakening they flourish with a collection they clearly loved creating. The album’s emphasis is on […]