Staran

Meaning ‘Path’ in Gaelic, Staran are a new five-piece consisting of a considered collective of musicians. Featuring Kim Carnie on vocals, John Lowrie on keys, Innes White on guitar and mandolin, James Lindsay on double bass and Jack Smedley on fiddle, with Megan Henderson’s backing vocals, the pedigree of the band is certainly impressive. There’s a fine mix of traditional tracks and it’s where the collective is at its strongest. ‘Dà Làimh sa Phìob’ sets the scene well with a haunting version of the Gaelic song, while ‘Horò gun Togainn air Hùgan Fhathast Thu’ is delivered with an ethereal softness and confident key change that plays with the waulking song tradition. Some rather reflective, and perhaps a little too many, chilled instrumentals populate the recording. What stands out is Carnie’s lush voice, a genuine rising star of the Scots music scene. Listen to the pure velvet in her voice on ‘Gaol a’ Chruidh’ for example, it’s hard to resist.

Beautifully produced, Staran concludes with one of the strongest tracks, a lovely bluesy little number. ‘Settle, Honey’ is delivered simply with Lowrie’s piano accompanying Carnie’s effortless vocals. More of this energy throughout would have been welcome.