Dawn

Headed by the charismatic Mohsen Amini on concertina, the blistering Talisk have been taking the Scottish folk scene by storm since the band’s founding in 2014. Recently, the trio (which includes Graeme Armstrong on guitar) underwent a slight refresh with the addition of Benedict Morris on fiddle, replacing Hayley Keenan.

Dawn, the band’s third album, continues with their dance-inspired sound which defies musical borders. This may not be to everyone’s taste, but there is no denying the superb musicianship and power palpably on show here. Single ‘Aura’ is a fun, joyful piece of spirited vigour – concertina, fiddle and guitar dance and bounce superbly, while ‘Beast’ will undoubtedly get the blood pumping, and the album comes to a sweaty conclusion with a pair of pieces, ‘Dystopia Pt I’ and ‘Dystopia Pt II’. Indeed, the album is characterised by the enthusiasm and sheer fire of the trio’s playing. ‘Interlude’ allows welcome time to breathe – a sweet, reflective piece that offers a hypnotic moment of calm, which comes, literally, before the ‘Storm’, a pounding and driven track. Talisk are an invigorating and exciting live act – Amini’s playing is a majestic sight to behold – and it is impossible not to be swept up in the trio’s fiery energy. An exhilarating welcome to 2022.