Slow Town Clock is Jamie Leven. He was born in Glasgow but now resides in northern England (this, his debut album, was recorded in Newcastle). He wrote all the songs for this release on the islands that make up the Outer Hebrides and the atmosphere of those islands is very evident in these contemporary folk songs, from the creakingly dank ‘Walls That Were A House’ to the finger-picking joy of ‘A Giant Hand’. Leven is aided by a choice bunch of musicians, and the unobtrusive arrangements here are uniformly fantastic. An album to live with. DP

Out 11 August, self release