Foxlight Real World****

Iarla Ó Lionáird has ploughed an idiosyncratic furrow for so long that he stands alone in Irish music. Often dismissed for his attempts at enhancing his sean-nós stylings with experimental touches that hint of too much exposure to the avant garde, Ó Lionáird breaks new creative ground with Foxlight, his second solo album. A collaborative process lends effective nuances: Jon Hopkins, Leo Abrahams (who also produced), Leafcutter John, Graham Henderson, Caoimhín Ó'Rathalliagh and Neil MacColl each add their creative tuppenceworth. The result is not so much a fusion or synthesis as a melting pot of sublime pure- note singing, a charming sense of almost monastic oddness, and some of the most sky-kissing melodies you'll hear all year.

Ask me if I understand what Ó Lionáird is singing about and I’ll say I haven’t a clue – the language is as much an instrument as any that features on the record. See iarla.com

Download tracks: The Heart of the World, Foxlight, For the Heaven