Rating:
Genre:
Celtic
Release Date: 02/13/2001
The title has it correct;
Untamed represents the wildest and fieriest Celtic music coming out of Scotland and Ireland. Shaking off the dusty conventions of bearded men playing their bagpipes on the Highlands, the artists on this
Narada compilation represent the next generation of Celtic music. While the songs themselves are still based in the traditions of European folk music, youthful bands like
Lúnasa and
Peatbog Faeries infuse the music with electronic drumbeats and forward-thinking ambient drones, often buried beneath layers of organic rhythms, fiddle, and pipes. The mandolin-driven
"Bjork's Chauffeur" from Scotland's
Shooglenifty is grounded with a heavy electric bass, while
Kíla's album-opening
"Gwerzy" rips into a flute and fiddle reel, augmented by driving hammer dulcimer and arena-rock drums. This is not your father's Celtic music, but for listeners who are looking toward the new frontiers of world music, the future looks bright.
~Zac Johnson, All Music Guide