Family

Family, the second offering from the ridiculously young and absurdly talented Canadian siblings Qristina and Quinn Bachand finally reaches the UK in a blaze of glory. Released on home ground in 2011, it cemented a reputation secured by their 2008 debut, Relative Minors.

Family showcases astonishing technical ability from the then 19-year-old fiddler and vocalist, Qristina, and her 15-year-old brother Quinn playing guitar and banjo. The dominant Irish accent – a potent blend of foot-stamping feistiness and hushed poetry – sounds persuasively authentic throughout with splashes of Scots, Cape Breton and bluegrass influences thrown in for good measure. There's also a nod towards a different world altogether, with the Penguin Café orchestra's ‘Music for a Found Harmonium’ cheekily finding its way into the mix. The abiding impression is of a musical maturity well beyond the Bachands’ tender years. Both siblings are natural and intuitive talents who weave seamlessly in and around each other to joyous and thrilling ends. With strong support from a multi-instrumental six-piece that includes Zac Leger on flute, whistles and uilleann pipes, accordion from Adrian Dolan and percussionist Scott Senior, this is an album that impresses as much as it entertains.