British singer-songwriter Hamish revisits the enduring appeal of “Singing In My Soul,” an affectionate folk song originally featured on his 1999 debut album, Picture In My Bag. Produced by Les Penning, known for his work with Mike Oldfield, the track pairs warmly strummed acoustics and heartfelt delivery with a timeless romantic glow that has made it a favorite at weddings and other celebrations.

A timeless-sounding acoustic warmth emanates right away, with those steady strums quickly accompanied by Hamish’s radiant lead presence: “Picking me up, and down. Spinning me round, and round.” A clearly smitten quality emanates from the lyricism, descriptive in the “can feel you falling into my arms” adoration and ensuing “I got you singing in my soul” proclamation. The further descriptions of love’s ultimate power, able to take “away all my pain” and “bringing the sun through the rain,” continue its affecting glow.

The second half consumes in its familiarly inviting, ongoing use of acoustic guitar and emotionally gripping performance. The calming bass-laden infusion following the “I can feel you calling my name” line is riveting and wonderfully atmospheric, while the ensuing beckoning “so sing on” is repeated in lovable form as strings enter the mix. It’s easy to hear why Hamish’s “Singing In My Soul” is such a beloved track, and a staple at events like weddings, with its affectionate folk sound and collective, hymn-like qualities.

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The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Folk.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

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Obviously just like Robert Milkwood is the 12th studio album from Swedish singer-songwriter Jon-Olov Woxlin, featuring 14 tracks built around his guitar, harmonicas, and introspective songwriting. Following our coverage of memorable albums Junk Trunk and One Way Ticket from Earth, the new release continues Woxlin’s affecting exploration of personal direction, change, and belonging.

“Where do I begin” opens the album with a timeless warmth, mingling trickling acoustics and expressive harmonica into Woxlin’s memorable lead introspection. “Somewhere we stand, with our future at hand, looking to find some promised land,” he lets out, lamenting on the “corners we have trapped ourselves in” while seeking that form of personal sanctuary. The title-bearing punctuation thereafter and flourish of harmonica lend a further compelling quality. The track’s lyrical ruminations engage as well, depicting one trying to find their path while their world is “in a spin” and they “don’t know where I’m bound, or where I have been.” It’s an impactful, relatable piece of folk songwriting exemplary of Woxlin’s artful lyricism, resonant delivery, and memorable interplay of guitars and harmonicas.

The high-quality songwriting is abundant throughout the release. “Closer to closure” provides more specificity on the aforementioned “promised land,” as Woxlin depicts “there’s no place I’d rather be” in portraying the act of letting go and making new trails. Another reference to being “bound” continues a reflection on personal stagnation and growth, also captured on the impactful “Need of changes.” “There’s something vicious spreading its wings,” Woxlin phrasing emotes amidst tender acoustic work, emitting a perspective of how we can learn from a history of ample suffering and tumult, yet still find difficulty adapting to change and betterment. The album’s outlook on navigating amidst chaos, both internal and external, propels onward with artistic entrancement.

Elsewhere, “Born in sin” embraces particularly vibrant guitar finger-picking and more riveting societal realities, exuding that “either you’re a Samaritan or a thief” in a world that’s often seen in black and white. “I’m trying to get closer to the truth,” he admits, coexisting with others in a world where we are all supposedly “born in sin,” again stirring in pairing relatable depictions of self with age-old thoughts on morality and existence. “Traveling abroad” is another highlight, fusing effervescent harmonica flutters alongside fervent acoustics, reminding here of The Tallest Man on Earth. The train-set recollections are conveyed with lyrical power, of “feelings that have haunted me since birth.” The song’s basis of “reminding me of where I belong” continues to deliver a thematic ethos of personal belonging and direction. A no-frills, affecting folk success through all 14 tracks, Obviously just like Robert Milkwood is an excellent full-length from Jon-Olov Woxlin.

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Wichita, Kansas-based singer-songwriter and guitarist John Ross McEwen presents Late Bloomer as a deeply personal full-length shaped by intimate acoustic songwriting and atmospheric arrangements. Following 2023’s Sinking From the Shore, the album pairs folk-rooted guitar work with subtle textural elements, allowing its detailed storytelling to take center stage.

“Late Bloomer intimately explores cosmic themes of grief, humanity, technology, and existence by blending influences of American Primitive guitar, minimalism and ambient textures,” McEwen explains. “This album is the product of years of floundering as a human and artist, a failed relationship, the physical loss of friends, and ultimately finding the love he so longingly searched for.”

Opening track “Paco” quickly showcases McEwen’s ability to craft stunning folk-driven soundscapes. Simmers of woodwinds combine with sporadic, impactful caresses of acoustic guitar, before a serene lead presence asks “Anybody got eyes on Paco? He is a very bad doggo.” A pastoral sound is achieved via the calming delivery and smitten lyricism, conveying the love for a dog and his mischievous adventures on the farm. The ensuing “Agaitha Fae” shifts to more somber haunts, opening with “she died on a cold Sunday, no one was around” in depicting the passage of time and the loss of memories and people we hold dear. The album’s opening one-two punch is certainly captivating, and the quality songwriting doesn’t let up from there.

“Wither” continues that strong opening stretch, here emitting a dreamy rock subduedness with electric guitar glistening and a sense of heartfelt yearning, phrasing: “I think I know your smile, can’t see it here.” Elsewhere, “Cosmic Hum” aptly conveys a blissful spaciousness, with cello adding well to the flickering effects and memorable phrasing. Album finale “Context” is another standout, reminding of Sufjan Stevens in its gorgeous delivery and electro-folk intrigue, here immersing with gently interwoven guitar drones and an adoring “I’d give anything for thee” proclamation. Abundant in riveting songwriting and atmospheric emotion, Late Bloomer is an excellent album from John Ross McEwen.

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“Wither” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The post John Ross McEwen – ‘Late Bloomer’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter River Holland conveys the power of enduring love alongside fellow Melbourne artist Eadiella on the indie-folk duet “Higher Love.” Known for songwriting centered on change, love, and self-discovery, Holland finds an ideal duet partner in Eadiella, whose warm presence complements his soulful melodies and heartfelt storytelling throughout the collaboration.

Serenely affecting acoustic guitar opens “Higher Love” with fluttering immersion. Soft strums and a leading finger-picked clarity drive into an affecting lead presence, aspiring to find a “higher love” through a dual-layered caressing. “The one you fight for, the love you can’t let go,” the lines continue, artfully describing an undying love with an aptly unified duet allure; Holland and Eadiella combine their gorgeous singing styles with lush folk guitar stylings for a wholly resonant listening experience.

“You can’t live without love,” Holland and Eadiella continue to intertwine their harmonies, depicting the process of growing old with a beloved at your side. The peaceful, introspective quality of the acoustics and melodies make for an inviting, heartrending sound, particularly in the concluding “it never grows old” refrain. “Higher Love” is a beautiful display of songwriting and performance, made even better by the organic live setting, captured in a single take. The duo’s combined musicianship and chemistry bolster memorably smitten lyricism on this standout track from River Holland and Eadiella.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post River Holland – “Higher Love” (feat. Eadiella) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Strutting an excellent folk sound, Chris Murphy‘s newly released album Songs From The Trees blends atmospheric, often spoken-word verses with sweeping string arrangements and grounded acoustic rhythms, expanding into melodically resonant expanses. Co-created alongside Seth Lakeman, the seven-track project moves seamlessly between quiet, meditative folk storytelling and emotionally charged vocal harmonies, framing themes of personal renewal and mortality with ample depth.

“I was blown away by Seth’s power and beauty as a folk musician,” Murphy says. “I thought his records were very compelling and well-written, channeling something both ancient and modern. I love his approach to traditional melodies and themes, at the same time bringing something contemporary and relevant to the music.”

The album’s title track opens the release in gorgeous form, expanding from a hazy, sunrise-like ambience into soaring strings, lending a spine-tingling chill. Ruminating acoustic strums and head-nodding bass pulses follow, while Murphy’s delivery then emerges with solemn spoken-word narrations. “Down on my knees, songs from the trees,” he intones, with the ensuing “could see her coming” momentum building to a tonal shift, where his phrasing momentarily embraces a singing, title-bearing clarity. Murphy’s talent for both atmosphere and lyricism is on full display here and throughout the album.

Next up, “Clean Break” channels a more familiar folk outpouring in its initial ascent. Descriptions of “dusty roads” and a “heavy load”; exuding a sense of personal tumult and striving for a “clean break”; delight alongside steady acoustic and string interplay, centering around a multi-voiced “clean break!” exultation. Elsewhere, Murphy and Lakeman lock into a seamless groove on “The End of Charlie Lee,” culminating in an affecting “can’t you see?” questioning in the chorus, remarking that “the night is young” in the context of one’s life. A carpe-diem urgency shows alongside the titular depiction of a memorable character. Songs From The Trees is a wholly immersive, narratively rich standout from Chris Murphy, who was born and raised in New York and is now based in Los Angeles.

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“Clean Break” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Chris Murphy – ‘Songs From The Trees’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A haunting folk standout from New York-based artist K Abby Jasper, “Separate the Sage” artfully traverses themes of personal hardship and staying afloat in a hectic, tumult-filled culture. The project, representing the alias of Joey Fasolino, achieves a haunting entrancement in its infusion of ambient and experimental elements amidst a solemn folk arsenal.

Accompanying the introspective lyricism and Fasolino’s ghostly lead performance is an array of striking ambient textures and vocal processing. Chilly electronics move with intriguing allure, particularly when set alongside murmured vocal fragments just past the one-minute mark. The subsequent “not sure” refrains prove moving, as does the expanse of glistening, trickling guitars thereafter when the intricate, layered harmonies re-emerge. Piano-laden additions pair with hopeful lyricism for a lovely send-off. “Separate the Sage” is a wholly affecting, atmospheric folk success from K Abby Jasper.

Stream the 3-song EP, below:

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Rock.

The post K Abby Jasper – “Separate the Sage” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Zurich-based indie-pop artist Ana April delivers a stirring, metaphorical journey on her single “Revolution.” Seamlessly blending lush folk acoustics with atmospheric, progressive pop structures, the track captures the realization that real change begins within. April’s background in dramaturgy shines through the song’s organic escalation, building toward a vibrant, harmonious climax celebrating personal sovereignty.

The production unravels with gorgeous momentum, from initially lush and trickling folk ethereality to escalations in vocal emotion, rhythmic ruminations, and illuminated layers. “He found a home somewhere out in the suburbs,” Ana April’s vocals let out as lush acoustics open, expressing a sense of solitude but cathartic independence. “Landscapes on the wall…” the vocal presence then assumes a greater vibrancy, while the “put the kettle on” introspection continues that intrigue, eventually blossoming into an enthralling “he starts a revolution” hook

That title-bearing sequence is wholly impactful, thematically navigating from quainter initial descriptions — of a new home and storied furniture — and into a cherishing of “being the creator” and starting the “revolution.” Lovely vocal harmonies combine with twangy guitar gestures as the track’s final minute approaches, culminating in a swelling conclusion that highlights the main chorus with further heart. “Revolution” is an enveloping folk delight from Ana April.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Ana April – “Revolution” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Chicago-area artist Ben Aubergine explores the weight of relational fatigue on “Farewell.” Reimagined from a 1996 composition, the minimalist folk track pairs solemn cello with atmospheric acoustic guitar, capturing the gradual realization and eventual relief when a stagnant partnership finally dissolves. The track beautifully demonstrates Aubergine’s versatility, proving his acoustic-forward storytelling is just as impactful as his recent, rock-oriented productions, like the previously featured “Spoke For What I Knew.”

“In the end, I was free, we were finally enemies,” Aubergine’s resonant vocal presence lets out amidst trickling acoustics and a gentle rhythmic backing, thematically representing a cathartic sense of liberation following a relationship. “You knew me better than I’d wished,” his vocals then exude with chilly retrospection as heartrending cello enters, overall capturing a sort of post-relationship analysis — further evident in the “as the air began to turn, no living spark was left to burn” lyricism. Gorgeous acoustics and solemn cello combine with these vulnerable accounts of deterioration, where two people find themselves falling out of love.

Depictions of uneven perspectives, where one partner is ready to move on before the other, are emphasized in subsequent verses. “You held on longer than I’d wished,” Aubergine sings, with “I tried to leave you” laments following — showcasing two people that truly did their best, though found themselves eventually breaking up. “Farewell” is a riveting piece of folk songwriting that tactfully balances melancholic recollections with forward-looking liberation, where hearts are less heavy and personal freedom has returned.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Ben Aubergine – “Farewell” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Dan Strauss captures the bitter isolation of deep winter with his excellent folk single, “January Wolf Moon.” Strauss wrote the track during this frigid past winter, echoed in the chilly acoustic strums and opening lyricism. “Winter is always on my mind, stripping down the landscape and taking its time,” Strauss sings amidst lush acoustics, driving into a memorably melodic vocal ascent with gorgeously glowing piano additions. “The sparkle of the New Year’s lost its touch, blistering grey skies say as much,” Strauss continues in the vivid scene-setting, relatable in tracing that brutal period of winter — when the snow remains stubbornly present and the holidays have passed.

Another magnetic moment arrives in the “windshield wipers crying self-defense” introspections, furthering those wintry descriptions with a lovely mixture of twangy, heartfelt guitars and mellow keys. An enveloping harmonica swell bolsters the track at its midpoint, continuing the absorbing momentum. “January Wolf Moon” is a captivating folk success from Dan Strauss, who caught our ears earlier this year with the track “In The Morning.”

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The post Dan Strauss – “January Wolf Moon” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

An excellent track from Gregory Ackerman‘s upcoming album Challenger Deep, “Lost In You” delights in its warming mixture of plucky acoustics and vibrant piano flourishes. “When the love starts to turn, I feel lost in this world,” his soothing vocals let out during a gorgeous bridge, as lovely strings bolster the serene soundscape. The lyrical perspectives of falling in love is artfully accomplished, adoration flowing as “smoke fills the pyre, with thoughts of you” and a spine-tingling woodwind hits. “Lost In You” is another standout showing from the Los Angeles-born, Amsterdam-based Gregory Ackerman.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The post Gregory Ackerman – “Lost In You” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.