The Scots are all over in here lately! Last week we wrote about Old Blind Dogs' new album (check it out!) which is sensational, and now I'd like to mention the great singer and multi-instrumentalist Julie Fowlis' new EP, “Source to Sea”. The songs were composed and arranged by Julie and some fabulous musicians for the radio/podcast series Source to Sea, hence the name of the EP, but also because the three tracks are inspired by Scottish rivers - River Dee, River Tay and River Clyde.
The first track “The Hill Burns (River Dee)” is inspired by a poem by Nan Shepherd and features incredible musicians such as Rachel Newton, Jim Molyneux, Éamon Doorley and Laura Jane Wilkie. It's amazing the way the fiddle and the harp were composed and easily bring us the feeling of being close to the water. This, together with a more modern sound of synthesizers and sounds recorded in nature, all in extremely good taste.
The second track “Craobh nan Ubhal (River Tay)” which means “Tree of Apples” in Scottish Gaelic is a traditional song and features Charlie Gray on fiddle and Joseph Peach on piano. Julie is one of the greatest representatives of Scottish Gaelic culture nowadays and as always, her interpretation on this version takes our breath away.
The third track “Silver in the Blue (River Clyde)” has a more “pop” vibe with acoustic and electric guitars, voices and nice percussion, which according to Julie were also inspired by the rhythms and patterns of nature. The track features Éamon Doorley, Kris Drever and Euan Burton.
Julie Fowlis is one of the greatest representatives of Scottish Gaelic culture today and has a very strong presence also in traditional Irish music and other Celtic regions. She was nominated “Folk Singer of the Year” by BBC Radio in addition to having a long discography and collaborations with other artists. Julie is also known for having her songs in the Disney-Pixar movie "Brave". No better artist for a Scottish-based movie soundtrack, right?
Make sure to listen to “Source to Sea”, this wonderful EP that takes anyone to the Highlands! Also, don't miss the vast work of Julie Fowlis, who is always very active on social media and keep her discography always up to date.