Shooglenifty
Album: The Untied Knot
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.shooglenifty.com

Any band that's still together and gigging after 25 years must be doing something right. With their latest CD, The Untied Knot, Shooglenifty show just what it is that has kept their audiences coming back for more year after year.

The band was formed in Edinburgh in the late 80s / early 90s when the electronic dance craze and acid house music was at its height. Shooglenifty were clearly influenced by this but merged it with traditional Highland dance music to form what has been referred to, somewhat tongue in cheek, as 'acid croft'!

This is a high energy blend of traditional and contemporary music brought together with great intelligence and panache.

The album opens with the title track, a gentle, almost hypnotic tune that lulls you half asleep before sliding seamlessly into a sharp, foot-tapping tune called 'The Fall' and 'Mile Marbhaisg Air a' Ghaol', featuring the vocals of Kaela Rowan. This is followed by another couple of tunes, 'The Scorpian' and the dark and strangely disturbing 'Devil's Breath Hornpipe'

The next track was written by the band's mandolin player, Ewan McPherson. It's an affectionate homage to some of the traditional piping tunes, wryly entitled 'Somebody's Welcome to Somewhere' and features Ross Ainslie on pipes. As in all Shooglenifty's work the traditional theme is mixed with electronic cleverness. However, the effects are never gimmicky and show genuine respect for the tradition in which they are rooted.

With such an abundance of fine musicians, it seems unfair to single out particular individual within the band. In fact, part of the magic of this album is not the pyrotechnics from individual players but the ensemble playing; the ebb and flow of tunes and riffs passed back and forth between the band members.

The album ends with 'Fitzroy's Crossing' by Angus Grant, Shooglenifty's fiddle-playing front man. Named after the town in North-western Australia, this is the perfect way to close the CD as the main theme is one of those ear-worm tunes that loops over and over in your mind long after the CD has stopped spinning!

This is a band that defies pigeon holes. They are highly accomplished, intensely innovative yet remains true to their Scottish tradition. After 25 years there is no sense that Shooglenifty are resting on their laurels. On the contrary, they continue to experiment and evolve. They are trail blazers that others will follow and I look forward to hearing where their imagination takes them next.

Tim Goodwin