Katankin asks us, if we want to hear something old presented in a new way, which embodies the heart of folk music perfectly. The bright, buoyant and infectious viola in this song sets a beautiful pace which I find infectious. Set against Helens outstanding vocals and hopeful tone, this seems like the perfect way to launch the January playlist.

This whole album is a joy to consume. Maddie brings a contemplative, melodic and heartfelt rawness to social activism. “Live Off Roses” is a beautiful reimagining of the traditional song ‘Bread and Roses’ and as usual, Maddie’s poignant and brutal honesty is hard to ignore.

I love this version of the classic folk standard, written in 1854 by Stephen Foster. This has been covered by most of my favourite folk heroes, including Dylan of course. This version serves as a great introduction to Cole Stacy, who is doing amazing things with his new album ‘Postcards From Lost Places’ … This whole album is a blissful way to spend a few hours.

Rob is such a brilliantly open performer, if you have the chance to see him live I suggest you take it, as he is the embodiment of the troubadour spirit. Storytelling, joyous and accessible, his natural style and free spirit is an infectious watch. My Farther’s son stands out as wonderful way to meet Rob where is heart is.

Alicia Best and Robert Jackson, AKA A Different thread have been doing an amazing job of combining live music with their new album release, presenting their new songs at shows all over the world and setting hearts racing by holding back their releases in a defiant act of resistance. This track more than most embodies that ideal, a truly hopeful lyric, inspired by the Amaranth, a little red flower growing in a Brooklyn winter.

I love some of Lewis’s early work, with his 2022 album ‘feel the ground’, and also the 2024 released “A Hope in Fear” album which felt like a personal journey of personal growth for Lewis. But I feel like Trees is an example of his finest work and Lewis shows us with this track that the best is yet to come. This brilliant rousing and astute piece of writing is as brave as it is provocative and I love its bravery. Super Excited to see what’s next for this great songwriter.

There is something delicious about this blissed out and haunting new track from the wonderful Joshua Burnside. It’s a nice tune to the start the year, as it seems to balance hope with dread. There is something about the lines, “Keepin’ busy, Eating right, I’ll see you at, The end of time” which reminds me of promised made under the lights of the new year and never kept.

This lovely little ear worm has infected my listening so much over the last month or two… I have found myself on many occasions, staring deep into the void of a window just thinking about the things which are most important. I find listening to this beautiful new release from Nebraska based Hope Dunbar, that I can ground myself in what is possible.

This brilliant and enigmatic song tells the story of Oswald Laurence, the voice of ‘mind the gap’ on the London Underground, Steve Warner, is such a brilliant and prolific singer-songwriter from Hertfordshire and if you can get the chance to see him Live I would strongly recommend it….

This powerful and haunting new release from Susy Wall, really captures the essence of the album of the same name. including the darkly enigmatic spoke words of the sensational poet Martin Kennedy Yates. This is a truly delicious collaboration and is one of my favourite tracks on the January Playlist.

I am completely in love with this track. It contains such a strong message of love, written in response to the parable of the Prodigal Son. I feel this track can say as much about love for another human as it does about our faith.

Everything about this song and its story hurt my heart… A powerful and heart wrenching protest song about the genocide in Palestine cost Amy her job, after playing it only once in public. That alone would be enough, but if you don’t know Amy’s story, then head over to her website and read about the powerhouse of goodness behind everything she does. Every download of Sunbirds will be directly donated to some fabulous causes for peace.

I am completely in love with the safe travels album and the work of Christina and Alex. They appeared on my Podcast last year ( Link to Listen ) and this track brings such a warming tone to a winter morning. This spectacular album is never far from my listening list.

Regular followers of last year’s playlist will know I have a soft spot for The Blackheart Orchestra. They have been building their vast cathedrals of sound for many years and there is always something edgy an d progressive about their work.
Winter Majesty takes this to a totally new level, and I have to say it really triggers something in me, I think it might also be a slight nostalgia for an epic winter song from the 90’s by East 17 ?…
(when you know you know right?…)

How could I not include something from Queen of Folk Kate Rusby, in the new Jan26 Playlist. This rerecording – of a totally blissed out version of “The Wren’ epitomises everything I love about Rusby… Its glorious blessed our ethereal vocals, glassy and gentle electric guitar and a deep connection with the heart of folk music…

This is such a strong new release by the wonderful and endearing Lindsay Strachan… Produced by the genius Kris Drever who’s iconic fingerprints are all over this powerful track, which is sent soaring by the amazing fiddle playing of Dylan Cairns.

There is always something pure and beautiful about the songs recorded by Georgia, and this is a such a wonderful example of her simple and honest story telling… Her style of finger picking the fiddle, and layered with her open and airy tone, this heart felt story of a woman in search of a handsome man has been lovingly adapted from a version collected from the mid-Norfolk town of Attleborough.

I have become completely immersed in this stunning album from Ricky Damiani AKA Mock Deer. Lyrically outstanding and musically progressive, this is a love story to an alt-folk tradition that appeals to me greatly. Touching on themes of family, love and a rebellion to the order of things… Ricky says ‘ I want a world, where everything is wild!’ but regrets ‘by these commodities and styles’ which chimes so deeply with me… This is a gorgeous gateway track to Mock Deer and I recommend it highly.

Released posthumously and discussed in detail on my podcast episode featuring Amy Claire Scott, Pete’s music is touching, engaging and comes pre-charged with a sad and heart wrenching feeling that we can now only reach Pete through the historic recordings being lovingly released by his family… This beautiful album was found by Amy during search o fit house and it is stunning.

There is so much to be excited about with Jessie Reid. Her bright, sparkling guitar, infectious style and soaring vocals are winning hearts everywhere, with millions of streams, and musical placements all over the media she is a musician going places and I have chosen to end this months playlist with “Against the Tide” as Jessie describes a positive mindset against the challenges of life, which sounds to me like the perfect way to think about 2026… Love this.