The World That I Knew

Dublin-based duo VARO – singers and fiddlers Lucie Azconaga and Consuelo Nerea Breschi, from France and Italy respectively – are no strangers to their adopted home’s thriving contemporary folk scene. As well as releasing an eponymous album in 2020, they have also worked with many of Ireland’s finest, including Landless, Lisa O’Neill’s band and Ye Vagabonds among others. For their new album, they dig deeper into that spirit of collaboration. Five years in the making and born of the pandemic, the ambitious The World That I Knew pairs VARO with a glittering lineup of Ireland’s contemporary folk luminaries, from Ian Lynch and Junior Brother to Inni-K and Lemoncello. The result is a rich exploration of folk’s darker hues, touching on grief, displacement, loneliness and political unrest. There’s a definite echo of Lankum here – unsurprising with John ‘Spud’ Murphy (of Lankum and ØXN fame) as producer – but VARO carve their own space across the ten tracks through more delicate textures and a lighter touch. Highlights include the aching grace of ‘Heather on the Moor’ with Inni-K and bouzouki player Libby McCrohan and the dreamy ‘Alone’ with Branwen and Slow Moving Clouds. And it’s always a pleasure to hear the lush signing of John Francis Flynn who contributes ‘Green Grows the Laurel’. My only criticism is that the album on a whole feels more like a curated compilation than a cohesive project. But that’s not to say that there isn’t some beautiful music on display here, and there is certainly something special in witnessing this cross-pollination of talent.