An acclaimed songwriter will release his ninth album next week – the first release on his own label.

Bridport-based Phil Dewhurst, known as Jinder – will release Traditional Dark on Monday, February 2 after leaving the Universal label in 2012.

Traditional Dark is a stark, stunning and concise album – showcasing Jinder’s unique brand of dark, storytelling song writing. The first single taken from the album, Boil The World, was released in December – and will be followed by Stations In The Valley in March.

Jinder is the former frontman of acoustic trio The Mercurymen – but his 2012 album, Crumbs of Comfort, saw his music reach a wider audience than ever before – helped by artists including Aled Jones, Henry Priestman and Lotte Mullan covering Jinder’s songs.

Since leaving Universal, Jinder set up his own label called Din of Ecstasy three years ago.

Last year, he filled a remote cottage with analogue recording equipment – and recorded Traditional Dark along and mostly by night.

The only outside contribution came from drummer Ryan Halsey, but the intimacy of the sessions is evident in the dark and emotional delivery of songs including Maps Of Hell, Stations In The Valley, Song For Jackie Levan and Gathering My Children Home.