Perennial multi-faceted Glasgow combo How To Swim release a new single, or specifically, the lead track for their new album ‘Bars ‘n’ Loners‘.

‘Hustlin’ comes from what is a compilation of the band’s three Barcelona-recorded EPs, ‘Dill Pickle’, ‘Midnight Steak’ and ‘Unseasoned Dirt on Loose Skull’.

Following something of a hiatus the now-quintet have another two albums planned for later in 2024 and some shows in the summer, the first at the Glad Cafe on June 7th along with The Slackhead Incident.

Adam Stafford and Alan Bissett are set to revive a decade-old collaborative work – at the behest of Falkirk Council. (more…)

King Creosote, Steve Mason, Hannah Peel, Lankum, Chris Difford, Butler Blake and Grant, Mark Radcliffe, and Fatoumata Diawara are among the wide-ranging acts who will perform at the upcoming Celtic Connections festival. (more…)

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Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ has been announced as winner of The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award at a prestigious ceremony in Stirling’s Albert Halls. (more…)

Warmduscher, Wu-Lu, Forest Swords, LYNKS, and Chubby and The Gang are among the acts who will play the fourth edition of Glasgow’s new music festival The Great Eastern. (more…)

Aerials Up are to play a special fundraising show for their percussionist, Debbie Morton. (more…)

Paolo Nutini is the big wonner in the run-in to 2023’s Scotish ALbum opf the Year aAward.

The Paisley=born singer-songwriter was the winner of the public vote which helped whittle 20 longlisted albums down to the fial 10 from which the winner will be announced in Stirling on October 26th.

Among the nine other acts on the shortlist are Andrew Wasylyk, Hamish Hawk and Cloth, although Kapil Seshasayee, The Snuts, Comfort, Free Love, Su-a Lee, and Constant Follower’s collaboration with Scott William Urquhart are among the releases deemed surplus to requirements by the mysterious judging panel.

Coincidentally, Paolo Nutini’s 2006 debut album ‘These Streets’ has been announced as the winner of 2023’s Modern Scottish Classic Award (chosen by this year’s other Longlisted artists).

And the five finalists for The Sound of Young Scotland Award have also been revealed; an award which will allow the winner the means to create their debut album. In alphabetical order, these are: Danny Cliff, Pearling, Pippa Blundell, No Windows and Queen of Harps.

The SAY Award Shortlist for 2023 in alphabetical order is:

Andrew Wasylyk – Hearing the Water before Seeing the Falls
Becky Sikasa – Twelve Wooden Boxes
Bemz – Nova’s Dad
Brìghde Chaimbeul – Carry Them With Us
Brooke Combe – Black Is the New Gold
Cloth – Secret Measure
Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers
Joesef Permanent – Damage
Paolo Nutini – Last Night In The Bittersweet
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

Robert Kilpatrick, Interim CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said: ,“Congratulations to the 10 incredible albums that have made The SAY Award Shortlist, as well as to our Sound of Young Scotland Award finalists and this year’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner – Paolo Nutini’s iconic debut ‘These Streets’. This is a fantastic representation of the strength and diversity of Scottish music; past, present and future.”

The SAY Award winer for 2023 will be announced at a ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling, on October 26th – tickers are on sale now via www.sayaward.com.

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Hamish Hawk, Cloth, Constant Follower, and Kapil Seshasayee are among the acts to make the longlist for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – Scotland’s national music prize.

Andrew Wasylyk, Comfort and Free Love also rub shoulders with established acts like superstar Paolo Nutini and previous SAY and Mercury award-winners Young Fathers on the roster of 20 contenders in the running to take the crown for 2023.

20 acts have whittled down from a record-breaking 437 eligible albums by 100 impartial music industry nominators, with each Longlisted album isnow in the running for the coveted SAY Award title and £20,000 first prize, with the winner to be announced at The SAY Award 2022 Ceremony taking place at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 26th October.

In alphabetical order, The SAY Award Longlist for 2022 is as follows:

Andrew Wasylyk – Hearing The Water Before Seeing The Falls
Becky Sikasa – Twelve Wooden Boxes
Bemz – Nova’s Dad
Brìghde Chaimbeul – Carry Them With Us
Brooke Combe – Black Is the New Gold
Brownbear – Demons
Cloth – Secret Measure
Comfort – What’s Bad Enough?
Eyes of Others – Eyes of Others
Free Love – Inside
Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers
Joesef – Permanent Damage
Juliette Lemoine – Soaring
Kapil Seshasayee – Laal
LVRA – Soft Like Steel
Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
Scott William Urquhart & Constant Follower – Even Days Dissolve
The Snuts – Burn The Empire
Su-a Lee – Dialogues
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

The Longlist will now be whittled down to a Shortlist of 10 albums, one of which will be chosen by music fans via a 72-hour online public vote from 2 – 4 October. The remaining nine albums will be chosen by The SAY Award judging panel, who will then later reconvene to determine 2023’s winner.

The SAY Award winner will receive a £20,000 prize and walk away with the coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year, whilst nine runners up on the Shortlist will each receive £1,000. All artists will also receive bespoke prizes created by a Stirling-based artist through The SAY Award Design Commission; highlighting the enduring links between music, art and design in Scotland.

The SAY Award winner will be revealed alongside the winner of The Sound of Young Scotland Award and the Modern Scottish Classic Award. The Sound of Young Scotland Award aims to stimulate the future of Scottish music and provides a young and emerging artist with financial support to enable the creation of their debut album, whilst the Modern Scottish Classic Award recognises an iconic album from Scotland’s past that still inspires today.

Tickets for 2023’s ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling are on sale now via www.sayaward.com with 2022’s winner Fergus McCreadie set to perform before the winner of Scotland’s national album prize is revealed.

To keep up to date with SAY Award 2023 news, follow the award on social media across Twitter @SAYaward, Instagram @sayaward and Facebook@SAYaward, or visit www.sayaward.com.