Working Hands

Shetland Islander Jenna Reid is often seen involved with Blazin' Fiddles and fiddle quartet Rant, but here she has regrouped with pianist Harris Playfair and composed music to play with Mr McFall's Chamber quartet of violin, viola, cello and double bass. The result is a restrained album of elegant and high-quality music, with the tunes strong and each player giving the next plenty of room to breathe and manoeuvre. Indeed, it is a lovely moment when, on ‘Su-a Song’, namesake Su-a Lee's cello floats in, as light as air. Reid's creative touch is delicate throughout the album, but the pacing is changeable, going from the slowed down ‘Freddie's Tune’ to a short and speedy ‘Boys of the Borders’.

Elsewhere, the Celtic-tinged ‘Metronome Man’ has a beautiful tune running through its centre and Stuart Semple's brushed drums are a delightful texture, but perhaps best of all is closer ‘Hallgrimskirkja’, the longest and most off-piste tune here. With slightly eerie minimal percussion and beautifully mournful violin lines, and coming in after a great double piece in ‘McFall's March / Euan and Evie's’, it makes for a second side as strong and consistent as the first.