Energy Islands

Originating from Orkney and taking inspiration from the renewable energy innovation of their home isles (track titles relate to their key topic with tunes such as ‘Solar’, ‘Excess Electric’ and ‘West Tide Story’), four-piece FARA deliver a characteristically feisty and toe-tapping set with their third album release Energy Islands.

Self-penned tunes and songs cannily play with the album’s key theme and the history of their home. ‘Fair Winds’, for example, which also engages a fiddle solo from Seonaid Aitken, takes as its story the tale of Bessie Millie, the ‘weather witch,’ cleverly blending the theme of weather with Orkney’s own history. Energy Islands also sees a new addition to the band; Rory Matheson bringing his piano to the fiddle playing and vocals of trio Jeana Leslie, Catriona Price and Kristan Harvey. The quartet’s fresh and dynamic sound is a delight – the play of three fiddles is sublimely accompanied by Matheson’s piano. There are beautiful touches of tradition here too with some melodic nods to Orkney’s rich musical tradition. Energy Islands delivers exactly what it set out to do, with a fiery, vigorous and thoroughly rewarding, and fun, listen. This is fiddle music at its very best – an absolute joy.