News
24 October 2026 – Irish Folk Singer SAL Announces Intimate New Album Unfold After Returning to Her Musical Roots
By Editorial Team - October 24, 2026
Summary
Irish singer-songwriter SAL (Sara Ryan) announces intimate second album Unfold, recorded in three days at Malbay Studios with Martin O'Malley, releasing October 30.
Key Facts
- Irish singer-songwriter SAL (Sara Ryan) announces second album 'Unfold', out October 30.
- Recorded over three days at Malbay Studios in County Clare with co-producer Martin O'Malley.
- Features eleven intimate acoustic tracks exploring healing, new motherhood, and traditional folk.
- Entities: SAL, Sara Ryan, Martin O'Malley, Malbay Studios, Miltown Malbay, County Kildare, County Clare, Milan
- Tags: sal, sara-ryan, unfold, irish-folk, acoustic-folk, singer-songwriter, martin-omalley, malbay-studios
Irish singer-songwriter SAL—the performance moniker of County Kildare native Sara Ryan—has announced her sophomore studio album, Unfold, due for release on October 30. The eleven-track collection signals a return to stripped-down acoustic storytelling following a season of significant personal evolution and new motherhood.
Dividing her time between Milan and County Clare, Ryan tracked the entirety of Unfold in three intense days at Malbay Studios in Miltown Malbay alongside co-producer Martin O'Malley. Rejecting polished modern studio trickery, the sessions prioritized the immediate dynamic relationship between Ryan's expressive vocals, fingerstyle acoustic guitar, and candid lyrical reflections on recovery, domestic grounding, and emotional renewal.
The tracklist includes "Rain", "Love", "Shame", "Enough", "Jealous", "Space", "Charlie", "The Sea", and "Easy", alongside a poignant closing interpretation of the traditional ballad "The Parting Glass". Having claimed New Folk Artist of the Year honours at the 2017 Irish Post Music Awards, Ryan demonstrates the potency of minimalist arrangement.
In an era where independent releases frequently pile on excessive layers of digital ornamentation, Unfold reminds listeners of the singular power of one voice in a quiet room. Explore more acoustic discoveries across our folk section and keep up with new releases on our news desk.