Whittling a month’s worth of releases down to just five records is not an easy task – especially the way 2019 is going! But here are the five albums that have made the biggest impression on us in June. Click album cover for full review.

‘Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest is a twenty-song travelogue into the amorphous consciousness of Bill Callahan whose recent history has been a microcosm of the whole tapestry of human experience and what is left is a vast document of great beauty in the pain and pleasure of simply being human. And as we get to spend more time in its splendour, the more we are starting to think it could be Callahan’s best record yet.’

‘Big Dread Moon is rainy day or night time music. You decide. Either way – close the curtains, switch off from the real world and drift off into Claire Cronin’s haunting, gothic, poetic paradise.’

‘There’s a real beauty in Alexandra Sauser-Monnig aka Daughter of Swords’ blend of lo-fi instrumentation and folk melodies – a fine example is Dawnbreaker‘s most aptly named song, Gem, which a shining ray of sunshine pop that will entangle you with its gloriously chirpy melody.’

‘Palehound’s Black Friday is a cathartic voyage through the emotional complexities of everyday existence. It is a cool refreshing statement of intent that refuses to compromise – instead laying out a vital soundtrack to life in 2019. Magnificent.’

As Island‘s title track depicts, the eight tracks on Erin Durant’s sophomore effort deliver stories of longing, loss, determination and the dreams of escapism that continually walk back and forth over the line between fiction and reality – backed by soft, blended arrangements of tinkled piano and folk-led acoustics. Islands is a place that’s an absolute pleasure to visit.’