10 Various Intermission GHOST BOX 2020, £7.99

A pause for thought that also provides the perfect sampler for where the label is at right now.

Ghost Box and their many friends adopt a ‘keep calm and carry on’ approach with this “response” to the global Covid pandemic and lockdown. In their healing

Intermission you’ll find 18 tracks of wonderful variety: from the beautiful pastoral symphony of Woodberry Vale by The Hardy Tree, AKA Clay Pipe label founder and illustrator Frances Castle, through the I Hear A New World madness of The Animal Door by former Broadcast keyboardist Roj Stevens (his first recording since 2009’s The Transactional Dharma Of Roj, which almost made this list), to the deep emotional connect of Tell Me Why by Sharron Kraus, and Plone’s joyful ident Running And Jumping. Soothing music for difficult times.