Folk Round-Up (Peiriant, Threaded, Fidra, John Spillane and more)

From Wales comes the mystical brooding sounds of duo Peiriant in Dychwelyd (NAWR Music ★★★★). Violin and electric guitar conjure a luscious tapestry burgeoning in dreamed landscapes and heartfelt mysticism. Samples, found objects, and improvised pieces complement Rose and Dan Linn-Pearl’s love of the folk and classical traditions – all cloaked in an unsettling yet beguiling air. More a piece of sound art than an album, Dychwelyd is eerie, modernist and irresistible. ‘Carreg’ (Stone) is particularly dark and haunting while closing track ‘Spoons’ leaves one feeling playful and optimistic.

It’s a softer, yet just as exciting, listen with Midlands-based trio Threaded (violin, guitar and clarinet) serving up an ambient slice of acoustic wonderment with As It Always Was (Threaded ★★★★). Occasionally chilled, at times sprightly spirited, As It Always Was plays with trad folk, world and classical music sounds to create a wonderfully accomplished and fresh fusion. A warm, comforting, listen. Single ‘Raven Road’ is a particular standout, where all three voices harmoniously come together in a powerful, energetic, almost anthemic, track. A beautiful, refreshing and charming listen.

It’s a feistier affair with Scottish outfit Fidra, a Leith-based folk music project, led by singer-songwriter Craig Salter. The Running Wave (Fidra ★★★) features electric guitars, fiddle and harmonium in a nostalgia-tinged listen which somehow manages to evoke memories of traditional Scots parties as well as the muscular 1980s Scots folk-rock sound, especially so in ‘By the Border’. ‘Follow Me Down’ blends the band’s indie sound well with more traditional melodies, while ‘Sounding the Depth’ closes things with an almost Runrig-esque inspired wistfulness.

Fraser Fifield (with Graeme Stephen and Elie Afif)’s Second Sight (Tanar Records ★★★★★) is the third release in Fifield’s trilogy exploring the low whistle. It is as stirring, invigorating and experimental as the earlier releases. As before, Fifield enlists two guests, in this case Stephen on guitar and Afif on bass. Opening with the rather funky title-track is a joy. The trio of instruments bounce and weave through the tracks with a freedom and fluidity perhaps more familiar in jazz. Cannily, Fifield’s collection of tunes – “quite simple” ones, he states – allows the instruments room to breathe and play. Adding to the sense of spontaneity, the whole album was recorded in one day. Listen to ‘Lolanders’, or ‘No Distance’; rarely has the low whistle sounded so thrilling.

Last but by no means least, tradition is at the core of Irish singer-songwriter and storyteller John Spillane’s Fíoruisce – The Legend of the Lough (John Spillane ★★★★). The ‘three-act Gaelic folk opera’ is ambitious and magisterial, with contributions from several sean-nós singers including Ríoghnach Connolly, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Niamh Farrell and Nell Ní Chróinín. Spillane’s concept album is his self-proclaimed ‘magnum opus’ where mythology, history and romance merge in a rich retelling of the Cork fairytale ‘Fior-usga’. The folk opera of Fíoruisce may not be to everyone’s taste but Spillane’s love of storytelling, traditional Irish music and language is palpably and passionately felt.

This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today