Jake Blount’s “Single-Footing Horse” has him coming full circle, returning to the old-time mountain music played by Appalachian string bands that first nurtured him. It’s a joyous and technically brilliant batch of tunes, every bit as potent – and, in a way, just as experimental – as his earlier forays into afrofuturism.

The Owl Service’s “Tied to the Land” is their first album in a decade, a lineup change bringing Dorothy Chappell and Rebecca Lievers alongside bandleader Steven Collins for a joyous rendering of traditional songs, instrumentals and an adaptation of a Cornish folk tale. It’s a potent brew that supercharges the album’s 10-year-overnight success.

From his forthcoming studio album Oceanic, due out on October 16th, Declan O’Rourke has shared a thought-provoking new video for Earl Grey and Edwin, his third album single. About two kindred souls brought together by a love of music and art, it’s one of the most beautiful videos and songs I’ve seen/heard in a long time.

Charlie Parr’s “Rooming House” is a seven-song suite that follows John, who inherits a boarding house and rents rooms to those on the poverty line. Opening track “Duluth 1964” drops us into unthinkable trauma, and the title track’s quiet meal scene turns into a real gut-punch. Twenty albums into a celebrated career, Parr may have delivered his masterpiece.

Scott Cook’s “Troubadourly Yours” is his eighth album, six years in the making, deeply autobiographical, and echoing the spirit of Woody Guthrie. Recorded in Edmonton, it moves from union solidarity to family history and from a critique of consumerism to a call for inclusivity and embracing diversity – this truly is a brilliant sign-off of the times.

Paris-based cellist, composer, and producer Gaspar Claus will release his new album Cells this Friday (September 25th) via InFiné. On the surface, his final album single, Ecstasy, appears to be the most obvious departure into electronic territory. But it’s less about departure and more about transformation – as all the sounds originate from his cello.

Lancashire songwriter Toria Wooff announces her new album, Aleister, which explores themes of grief, obsessive-compulsive disorder, infertility, and recovery. Lead single ‘The Morrigan’ takes its name from a powerful figure in Celtic mythology, inspired by an old belief surrounding voices heard in the woods. The video, from Manchester’s Light In The Tower, draws on 1970s folk horror to chilling effect.

South London saxophonist, singer-songwriter, electronic producer, and field recordist Laura Misch shares an intimate live rendition of Jealousea, joined on piano by acclaimed musician, composer and producer Alfa Mist. Stripped back to its minimalist form, they both breathe new life into the song.