Folk for the future: four acts to listen out for.

John Smith (Proper/Charcoal)

With a voice that ranges from gentle growl to a bluesy roar and an inventive, fast-fingered and percussive style of playing guitar, Smith has gained a devoted word-of-mouth following, selling out solo tours and also supporting guitar heroes John Renbourn and John Martyn, as well as duetting with Irish songstress Cara Dillon. With two independent CDs and a DVD shifting thousands of copies through his constant live appearances, Smith has received critical acclaim from all quarters. Smith is still operating somewhat underneath the mainstream radar, but surely not for long.

www.johnsmithjohnsmith.com

Mary Hampton (Navigator)

An individual, timeless, almost otherworldly performer, Hampton has opened for acts as diverse as Saint Etienne, British Sea Power, Baby Dee and Bellowhead, and is now rightly poised to be recognised in her own right. Her spellbindingly poetic, intense, almost gothic songs, which often draw inspiration from traditional folk's dark tales and love songs, create a sense of drama like no other, and as a live performer she is among the most compelling, with a presence and ethereal voice that sends shivers down the spine. Her album My Mother's Children is released on Navigator Records on August 4. www.myspace.com/maryhampton

Martha Tilston (Squiggly)