A Cure for the Curious

This super-confident debut set from the masterful trio is unorthodox and fantastic. From the sharply abrupt end to opener ‘The Plate Smasher’ to Hannah Thomas’ wonderful cello lines running through ‘The Pirate Set’, this is an album that holds delights around every corner. There are hints of Spiro in places and Lau in others, but the players are so competent and the flair so apparent that A Cure for the Curious is as bold and imaginative as you could wish. Each instrument shines in particular places, with Jamie Leeming's guitar line underpinning the tune for ‘Lost and Found’ and Elisabeth Flett's fiddle bringing height to ‘Whitecaps’, but this set is a true trio piece and there is uncommon intuition and impeccable playing here.

The vocals are effective too on Ewan MacColl's ‘Terror Time’, but this is an album celebrating creating textures through instruments and even that piece is slightly overshadowed by the ‘Hornpipe Set’, which follows it. The closer, ‘Port na bPúcaí’, is spacious and ethereal, with the strings shimmering, the lines slow and considered and the tune itself beautifully minimal. Excellent, original stuff throughout.