Recorded in the heart of Dublin, ‘Ceol: Stories in Song’ and ‘Irish Trad: Old and New’, are warm and energetic albums invoking the true spirit of Ireland. A wonderful blend of old and new, they are bursting with lively interpretations of well-loved Celtic folk songs and stunning, original compositions from a band of local, passionate, young musicians.
Key to their sense of magic is the raw and authentic sound, which the band achieved by recording live; enabling their vibrant energies, performances and interactions to shine through in the music. Niamh Farrell’s beautiful and atmospheric vocal performances are nothing short of spine-tingling. Pianist, Jos, displays an exceptional sense of harmony; intuitively timing his chords to create a deeply emotional journey throughout the tracks and transporting the listeners to highs, lows and truly euphoric moments.
The band’s musicians are all Irish, except for fiddle-playing JC from Bordeaux who fell deeply in love with the music during his Erasmus placement! Elsa, Ted and Jos are siblings from Sligo, infamous for its rich, traditional music scene. Singer Niamh, also from Sligo, shares her passion between singing and working as a nurse and has toured with David Gray. Accordionist, percussionist and keyboardist, Darren, is a member of the highly rated Neo-Irish traditional band, Moxie, alongside Ted and Jos.
The connectivity between the musicians is magnetising and what shines through is their sense of fun, energy and passion for the music that is so deeply rooted within their souls. Instrumentally, both albums pack a punch – with piano, accordion, fiddle, guitar, banjo and the wonderfully traditional Irish bodhrán and harp working together to create a real sense of authenticity within the diverse array of tracks.
The extraordinary track, ‘Me, Myself’ on ‘Ceol: Stories in Song’, is a masterful reinterpretation of the well-known, traditional song, ‘Cúnla’ and features Gaelic singing backed by a fresh instrumentation arrangement. We were on hand to capture footage of the band recording the track at Dublin’s renowned Camden Recording Studios, which has played host to diverse musical talents from Ed Sheeran to Brian Adams and Snoop Dogg.
You can watch the behind the scenes video below:
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