Just revealed at a suitably haunting moment, precisely one year later, is the final installment of a collaborative endeavor between Ume Sámi vocalist Sara Ajnnak and the British folk-improvisation group, the Ciderhouse Revolt. This artistic project, named Landscapes of the Spirit, has unfolded over four releases throughout 2025. It explores themes ranging from Geärkakame (Cradle) to Gárránis (Raven), Hálluo (Desire) to Jábmieájmmuo (Shadows Between Worlds), merging evocative folk improvisations by fiddler Adam Summerhayes and accordionist Murray Grainger with Ajnnak’s vocals in one of the world’s most endangered Arctic languages.
Ajnnak demonstrates her expertise in one of Sámi culture’s oldest vocal traditions known as joik, which expresses musical representations of people, landscapes, or animals through concise lyrics or even non-verbal sounds. In Jábmieájmmuo’s title track, her voice shifts between piercing high notes, deep ululations, and breathy gasps that culminate in growls reminiscent of heavy metal—all supported by haunting drones interspersed with intricate fiddle melodies. Here she embodies the nåejtie, a crucial figure within Sámi society who acts as an intermediary between realms during a time when commerce and climate change threaten her cultural heritage.
The various components within this project are immersive yet less overwhelmingly intense than one might anticipate. For instance, Geärkakame (Cradle)—the least impactful among its counterparts—features Vuöstiebiegga (Whirlwind of Whispers), which skillfully evokes a sense of gentle unease despite its slower tempo. Meanwhile on Gárránis (Raven), Geärkkie – Whispers Thru Stone presents a vocal motif ripe for reinterpretation in an ambient rave context; Hálluo (Desire), conversely portrays Ajnnak as an intriguingly softer presence while summerhayes’ and Grainger’s more customary playing style provides supportive undertones filled with yearning emotion. Ultimately though it is this series’ darker finale—filled with frantic whispers—that resonates profoundly with listeners long after it concludes.
Fresh Releases This Month
This month also introduces Orkney native Merlyn Driver‘s debut album It Became Also Sometimes Daylight—a remarkable introduction following his collaborative effort last year titled Simmerdim: Curlew Sounds; his singing style alongside guitar work evokes memories reminiscent of legends like Dick Gaughan or Nic Jones.
The collaboration between Jake Xerxes Fussell and British guitarist-producer James Elkington, titled Rebuilding (Stout Possum), serves as a soundtrack for Max Walker-Silverman’s film about a rancher piecing his life back together; however their collection often flirts dangerously close to excessive prettiness amidst heartfelt instrumentals.
A six-track EP by Lisa O’Neill, The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Beautifully (Rough trade Records), showcases her striking talent while gaining traction globally; it features her stunning rendition of Bob Dylan’s “All The Tired Horses,” which notably closed out Peaky Blinders’ final season along with politically charged tracks like “The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Beautifully” and “Homeless in Their Hundreds,” reflecting contemporary issues through raw emotional delivery.