Lisa Knapp

As you can see, the cover to Hidden Seam has a lady laying across a small boat - seemingly asleep or dead, giving herself to nature's forces. And Lisa Knapp’s love of nature is replicated throughout this album with storms blowing and hares running, in a delicate exploration of our vulnerability in this huge and intimidating world. Knapp is looking to build on her strong debut Wild and Undaunted and has taken her time with the follow-up.

With a delicate but typically folky voice - which will not be to everyone's liking - Knapp has looked to expand her sound on Hidden Seam, with more expansive instrumentation. Shipping Forecast launches the album with its wide open spaces as Knapp reveals an obsession with BBC radio's late night updates. Like the forecast itself, the song is rather tranquil until a tempest arrives midway through, livening the waters up somewhat.

Elsewhere the watery themes continue on Seagiver's emotionally taught tale of death and the elements, with a thumping rhythm that slowly builds doing battle with viscous but gorgeous sounding violins. Black Horse is a song by Lal Waterson, which Lisa was originally invited to perform on tour with Scottish singer and guitarist James Yorkston. He features on the recording - as does Lal's daughter, Marry Waterson, while Martin Carthy guests on Two Ravens, a song about Alzheimer's disease, an issue that has closely affected Knapp in recent years.

Knapp has a gift for crafting open spaces within a musical soundscape - and there is almost as much to discover in the moments of quiet on Hidden Seam, as there are in the louder (which are few and far between) moments. This is a modern folk album oozing class, that within her field, is a notch or two ahead of the competition.