Emily Barker

possibly her most accessible album yet, barker's fourth record brings lush strings and warm guitars together with subtle synths and a light injection of pop hookiness into her bucolic folk stylings.

'A Dark Murmuration of Words' contends with a modern era built on racial and gender inequality, poverty and slavery, environmental exploitation and the climate crisis, finding them all connected by the dark shadow of patriarchy, pursuits of power, and the suppression of history. Throughout the album, all of our choices, our unspoken prejudices, our carelessness, connect us to the whole, but becoming aware and honest on a local, personal scale, can begin to effect change, allow for healing, and tease out beauty from chaos. A must for fans of seth lakeman, kate rusby and the unthanks. “a stunning ode to the romance between instruments” - meaww.