Tune In Compass Records ****

Some albums reveal themselves in all their glory on first listening; others unpeel their layers with repeated exposure. Nuala Kennedy’s latest collection takes her flute, whistle and voice on a picaresque adventure that’s ideally summed up in its title.

A delicious mêlée of influences abound, without ever sacrificing musical identity to the mix. From the Iarnród Éireann samples on the opening track, Footsteps, to the Miles Davis- style nonchalance of Five Mile Town,Kennedy's intense hunger for musical exploration is everywhere. Her duet with Bonnie Prince Billy on The Waves of the Silvery Tideis a beauty, both voices entwining with vine-like ease. Other collaborators include guitarist Philippe Guidat and vocalist Norman Blake. Kennedy's original tune compositions are as cerebrally stimulating as they are melodically and rhythmically challenging.

A delight. See nualakennedy. com SIOBHÁN LONG

Download track: The Waves of the Silvery Tide