Jason McNiff has announced the release of his latest album, Ten Blue Songs, his 10th, and, despite the melancholy title, he assures us it is a record of celebration, a celebration of the musical life he has spent years trying to build. It is released via Tombola Records on 28th August, 2026. McNiff is, amongst other things, currently curating weekly sundowner gigs in his hometown of Hastings, which are considered essential attendance for locals, details here. He will also be headlining the acoustic stage as part of a songwriters circle at Americana 25 with Elaine Palmer and Danny George Wilson in November – you can find more details on our event here.
Scared to Love, the single, is, he says, “the emotional heart of the album“. Featuring stripped-back classical guitar and layered vocals, it perhaps echoes the intimate feel of José González’s Heartbeats while exploring themes of masculinity, vulnerability, and emotional risk. The song examines the difficulty of remaining open-hearted in a culture that often rewards distance and self-protection. It could be one of McNiff’s most personal and affecting recordings to date.
He explains, “This is the song I nearly threw away. I realised after a bit of reflection that there was real embarrassment I felt singing that line, and that that was probably a good thing. It now feels applicable to many different situations, and I love singing it.”
The album was produced and recorded by Trevor Moss of Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou, and a long-standing presence in McNiff’s Hastings circle as well as producer of the recent Paul McClure album, at his Bexpop studio in Bexhill-on-Sea. Moss learned the craft from Ethan Johns, and the sessions chased feel over technical polish, beginning live in the room with clarinet, double bass, piano, and violin woven around McNiff’s vocal and guitar. It was the first time McNiff had let his friend of two decades produce him: “It was brilliant to not have to pussyfoot around or be necessarily too polite in the studio. He was quite comfortable saying that’s crap, do it again. That is actually invaluable.”
