Classical accents have proved fruitful for British folk in recent years (Lau, Unthanks). Piper and fiddler Kathryn Tickell has played her part, founding the Folkestra and mixing genres at the Proms. Her new group join harp, cello, accordion and pipes on a mix of originals, traditional airs and pieces by Purcell and Percy Grainger. As usual, atmospheric soundscapes inspired by Tickell’s beloved Northumbria dominate – Dark Skies Waltz and Ad Gefrin are especially evocative of its raw beauty – but there is also a nod to the Penguin Cafe Orchestra and a languid setting of a Swinburne poem. An elegant, beautifully played fusion.
