TWO sonic stallions from the Moshi Moshi stable are cantering around the shires on a co-headline tour, dismounting at The Basement, City Screen, York, on December 10.

At 8pm, York promoter Please Please You presents lyrical singer-songwriters Stephen Black and Johnny Lynch, who ride out under the names of Sweet Baboo and The Pictish Trail respectively.

Next month's show will be a Welsh-Scottish alliance, where Sweet Baboo will be armed with acoustic and electric guitars, piano and keyboards; The Pictish Trail will have his sampler, drum machine, keyboards, Casio and acoustic guitar; they might even share half a drum kit, and together they will perform 45 minutes of each other's songs.

"Sweet Baboo is something of a fixture within the burgeoning Welsh psyche-pop scene," says Please Please You's Joe Coates. "You'll recognise Stephen Black not only from his prolific solo output, but also as a frequent musical cohort to fellow Welsh musicians Euros Childs, Cate Le Bon and Gruff Rhys among many, many others.

"Across four albums, and even more EPs, Sweet Baboo's dry wit and melodic flair have seen him become a firm favourite with BBC's Marc Riley, who has featured him in session more than any other artist."

Meanwhile, The Pictish Trail's Johnny Lynch runs the runs DIY label and collective Lost Map – formerly Fence Records – from a static caravan on the remote isle of Eigg, tucked away within the inner Hebrides.

"As well as producing countless mini-albums, EPs and assorted LPs of self-professed 'wonky-pop', under his Pictish moniker, he has collaborated with a plethora of the greatest songsmiths across these fair lands, including James Yorkston, Malcolm Middleton, King Creosote, KT Tunstall and Adem," says Joe.

"When he formed electro-pop powerhouse, Silver Columns, with Adem, he proved his chops both as a versatile song-writer and as a leotard model."

Lynch invited Black to the island to help him record his latest Pictish opus, Secret Soundz Vol.2, which has now been given a nationwide release, alongside Vol.1, by London taste-makers Moshi Moshi.

"For this special Advent tour, the pair are reunited for a fortnight of song-swapping, thigh-slapping and local-ale gargling," says Joe. "Expect folk-tinged winter hymns, lo-fi audio wizardry and sweet Eigg-nog kisses under the Casio."

Prolific teen York singer-songwriter Luke Saxton plays from8.15pm to 8.45pm set; The Pictish Trail & Sweet Taboo follow at 9pm to 9.45pm, then switch to Sweet Baboo & The Pictish Trail from 1pm to 10.45pm.

Tickets cost £10 in advance from City Screen, in person, on 0871 902 5726 or online at picturehouses.co.uk, or from Jumbo Records, Leeds, or £12 on the door.