Inspired by the South Downs near Brighton, this selection box of new work from contemporary composers is English to its core – and yet defies tradition
Emmy award-winning puppeteers Manual Cinema occasionally pull focus from Sam Beam’s rich songwriting, but mostly enhance it with eerie and intricate staging
The multitalented Canadian renders his subtle songs in tasteful autumnal shades – but could have benefitted from more head-turning numbers such as Gaza Is Calling
With their golden voices, fertile soundworlds and evocative influences from across Europe, the Sheffield duo’s fifth album is admirably confrontational
This festival of heavier sounds from the fringes was a blast, from chilling Gazelle Twin to Daisy Rickman’s Krautrock-folk, noise icons Melt-Banana and locals Flesh Creep
With guests including Will Oldham and Anaïs Mitchell, this record’s island setting seems to bring extra light and warmth to stories of the sea, love, work, war and migration