Editorial Reviews

There are basically three schools of Celtic music: Irish, Scottish, and Breton (as in the French province of Brittany). All three schools have both traditional acoustic artists and modern/contemporary explorers, and in the neo-Celtic realm, there are so many variations. There is Irish rock, Scottish rock, Irish new age, Irish hip-hop, Scottish electronica, Breton dance-pop, Breton folk-rock -- the list goes on and on. The focus of this generally interesting, if uneven, compilation (which Survival Records assembled in 2002) is modern, experimental neo-Scottish sounds. During the course of the album, Scottish-Celtic music is fused with everything from Middle Eastern music on Big Sky's "Las Temporadas" to techno on Martyn Bennett and Martin Low's "This Sky Thunders" and electro-funk on Nusa's mostly instrumental "S'Fhada Buhuainn Anna." Meanwhile, Salsita Celtica's "Yo Mi Voy" (which is performed in Spanish instead of English or Gaelic) manages to combine Scottish elements with Afro-Cuban salsa -- an unlikely combination, but one that works. Electronica is a big influence on this CD; its influence asserts itself on Shooglenifty's "Schuman's Leap" as well as Paul Mounsey's "Reel Slow" and a club-friendly remix of Capercaillie's "Inexile." Some will no doubt prefer the original version of "Inexile" -- which was more organic -- but for club purposes, this remix does the trick. The Future Sounds of Gaeldom is far from the last word on neo-Scottish sounds, and those who aren't heavily into electronica and club beats may prefer to look for a more rock-minded Scottish compilation. Nonetheless, there are more hits than misses on this CD, which provides some intriguing examples of Scottish artists who are doing their part to help Celtic music forge ahead. Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

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