Pondelorum

Long celebrated as the founder of Irish traditional group Kíla, Eoin Dillon's lyrical uilleann pipe and whistle playing provides the justified focal point of this third solo offering. A personal approach is apparent throughout these ten new compositions, as colourful and at times innovative arrangements evoke a sense of storytelling and a celebration of history. The traditional feel of the album is laced with influences from elsewhere; djembé and darbuka drums feature alongside mandolin, banjo, bodhrán and harp, while the unexpected appearance of Alex Borwick's trombone adds a jazzy hint to the final track. The opening reel ‘Dancing on the Radio’ is wonderfully traditional, though it is not until the fourth track, ‘Christchurch Bells’, that Dillon's much anticipated virtuosic playing arrives. His expressive melodic writing can be heard in the melancholic ‘Uisce fé Thalamh’, accompanied by Mícheál Ó Súibhleabháin on harpsichord. Hopefully the title of the closing track ‘Swan Song’ refers only to this work, and there is more to come yet from Eoin Dillon.