From the Margins : Essential Albums

This page features releases that have been well worn favourites, albums of the month or end of the year picks during the five years since the site started. The selection ranges from traditional folk to roots and Americana.

There are instrumental albums and songs sung in English, Welsh, Gaelic or Breton. What unites the LPs chosen is that they all have an enduring, soul-stirring impact.

The list started with an initial fifty picks - more will be added at the end of each year. First amongst equals, for now, is Mhairi Hall’s Airs - but any album found on this page should be a guaranteed step into a world of wonder.

  • Mhairi Hall : Airs
  • Gigspanner : Natural Invention
  • Gwilym Bowen Rhys : Arenig
  • Douglas MacGregor : Songs of Loss & Healing
  • Slow Moving Clouds : Starfall
  • David Ian Roberts : Travelling Bright
  • Kitty Macfarlane : Namer of Clouds
  • Harbottle & Jonas : The Sea is My Brother
  • Nick Ellis : Speakers Corner
  • Bendith : Bendith
  • Jodie Marie : Trouble in Mind
  • Toby Hay : The Longest Day
  • Edgelarks : Feather
  • Tom Blackwell : Memphis Volume I
  • Findlay Napier : Glasgow
  • Matthew Frederick : Fragments
  • Kirsty Merryn : Our Bright Night
  • Iwan Huws : Pan Fydda Ni'n Symud
  • Gwenifer Raymond : You Never Were Much of a Dancer
  • Plu : Tir a Golau
  • Michael Walsh : Quarehawk
  • Gwen Màiri : Mentro
  • Lisa O'Neill : Heard a Long Gone Song
  • 9Bach : Anian
  • Alden, Patterson & Dashwood : Waterbound
  • Bird in the Belly : Neighbours & Sisters
  • Blodau Gwylltion : Llifo Fel Oed
  • Sam Lou Talbot : Mer-Made
  • Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion : Dal i 'Redig Dipyn Bach
  • Lleuwen : Gwn Glân Beibl Budr
  • Colorama : Some Things Just Take Time
  • Chris Jones : Dacw'r Tannau
  • Findlay Napier, Gillian Frame & Mike Vass : The Ledger
  • Tom Kitching : Seasons of Change
  • Young Waters : Young Waters
  • Rowan Rheingans : The Lines We Draw Together
  • Huw M : Utica
  • Merry Hell : Anthems to the Wind
  • The Gentle Good : Ruins / Adfeilion
  • Aled Rheon : A Georgeous Charge (EP)
  • Llio Rhydderch : Enlli
  • Mike Vass : Save His Calm
  • Fiona and Gorwel Owen : Releasing Birds
  • Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage : Awake
  • VRï : Tŷ Ein Tadau
  • DnA : Llinyn Arian
  • The Goat Roper Rodeo Band : Tall Grass
  • Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog : IV
  • Cynefin : Dilyn Afon
  • The Wilderness Yet : The Wilderness Yet