Allt Vol II: Cuimhne

This is the second outing for a supergroup connecting the pan-Gaelic traditions of Hebridean Scotland and Ireland. It unites Julie Fowlis, one of the foremost Scottish Gaelic singers of her generation, with husband and bouzouki player Éamon Doorley (of Irish band Danú), County Louth fiddler Zoë Conway and Donegal guitarist John Mc Intyre. Gentle, meditative and graceful, the plucked strings form the backbone on which Conway’s fiddle airs and Fowlis’ voice and whistle shimmer, with rich vocal harmonies. Essential to the Gaelic tradition is the setting of poetry to music. This is central to the Allt approach, lending further elegance to the tone. However, the pace is not entirely majestic. There is texture, with driving tunes such as ‘Pólcai: Cathaoir Dhonnachaidh’ and ‘Ó Éirich, Ó Éilidh’ interspersing the more reflective songs. The title Cuimhne means record or memorial in Gaelic, and this is a sensitive celebration of Gaelic culture, honouring tradition and its contemporary expression.