Dutch artist Jurre Timmer chooses mostly acoustic guitar, with some nonverbal vocals and flute to create an Icelandic sylvan setting, to go along with the title of the release (which means the practice of sitting out in the open air, possibly at a significant site for a magical purpose). My favourite track is the epic, Endrborinn, which references reincarnation.

This quartet performs traditional music of the Occitan region of France. It is often dissonant, with a Gypsy flavour and fervour. They combine some electric instruments in particularly whimsical ways into the pieces, making them very contemporary in feel.

Kalandra finally returns with a full-length release after a single and an EP. A couple of the tunes continue on in their Nordic/Celtic/World tradition, but this time they are stretching out into Post rock territory as well, with forays into singer/songwriter material for good measure. Katrine’s compelling voice is to the fore, and she is capably backed by the band.

Blistering desert psych from Niger, this Taureg artist is just fantastic fun. However, he does have a serious message on this release, as the title would suggest. It’s a diatribe against the practice of uranium mining, colonialism, and slavery. In addition to his wildly psychedelicized electric guitar, he sings in his native tongue of Tamasheq, Berber dialect. This is raw, and powerfully political statement, and is just mesmerizing.

The enchanting duo of Chantelle Smith & Richard Wileman offer up some delicate folk on this EP. The 3 tunes are originals, penned by both, with Chantelle providing vocals, harp, guitar, and shruti box, while Wileman plays guitars, keys and synths, bass, percussion and also adds his vocals. My only complaint is that it is too short, and I hope they have a full length release planned in the near future. IN SHOW: To give a full idea of the EP, I am going to play 2 short tunes.

Canadian atmospheric dark neofolk duo evoke brooding forests, crystalline waters, and stark mountain landscapes. The music is paganistic and Nordic in feel, with tinges of dark metal. Acoustic guitars, soft percussion and mostly wordless vocals comprise this phantasmagoric release.

Elkhorn’s Drew Gardner plays zither, mbira, and guitar here, and is inspired by constellations, stars, and galaxies. Each one is as gorgeous as the last, perfect for spacing out to. Silvery, shimmering, and scintillating.

Here, Andy creates a mythical gorge and the creatures that live within it. Andy’s harp is to the fore, with him also on vocals, lyre, and synths, and others assist on hammered dulcimer, bowed guitar, steel string guitar, violincello, and some choir vocalization. This is on pretty constant rotation for me, and I think it will also be, for you. I love the epic final track, but for brevity’s sake going with Waters Above, Waters Below

Dark is right, and dreamlike. This is music that explores a mythical place (or maybe several). There is a definite narrative sort of feeling to the pieces. Wherever it is, it is surely haunted and mythological. The soft, whispery vocals of Patrick Ason and Mari Randle perfectly add to the sense of mystery that pervades this release.