After receiving an invite to attend the annual Lake of Stars festival, Christopher Conder heads to Malawi, finding local musicians en route to international stardom and others proudly fulfilling roles as social historians and bearers of their nation’s richest traditions
Robin Denselow speaks to Malian singer and musician Rokia Traoré, who is finally able to return to performing after a custody battle that led to her imprisonment in several countries
Erin Cobby heads to Japan in search of records that are well overdue some extra attention
The English actor chats about her musical side projects, her love of folk horror and the mysteries that only music can answer
Russ Slater Johnson speaks to Richard Thompson about one of his most covered songs, a spiritual composition which arose from a period of surrender
Tracy Chapman recalls how Stevie Wonder’s lost hard drive inadvertently gave her debut album the extra exposure it needed to kickstart her career and become a still-loved classic
Thomas Newell speaks to a Scottish singer threading Scots Traveller songs with a grassroots DIY aesthetic
Elliw Iwan talks to the Welsh singer and musician whose latest album goes from protest songs about lost valleys to a collaboration with one of Rajasthan’s finest folk groups
Emma Rycroft talks to the Dublin duo about a project that saw them work with some of the city’s finest musicians to alleviate the pain of lockdown
Sophie Parkes sits down with a collective intent on finding different ways to approach and interpret traditional music. They still don’t have a formula worked out, nor do they want one
Huw Hennessy sits down with a Scottish smallpipes innovator who has been patiently biding his time before releasing his first solo album
Ahmet Ozan Baysal investigates the role of ritual, music and the bağlama in Alevi identity formation within the UK
Simon Broughton heads to the Orkney Folk Festival for a breathtaking and inspiring finale
Fresh from the release of her ambitious ensemble album, In Between, the singer-composer waxes lyrical about cultural life in her new home of Valencia
Vincent Moon heads to Japan for an incendiary encounter with the enigmatic howling poet, Kazuki Tomokawa
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