World fusions don’t come more unlikely than this meeting of Scots folkie James Yorkston and Indian sarangi maestro Suhail Yusuf Khan; mournful northern lyricism meets eastern classicism. Unlikely, but with Lamb’s Jon Thorne bringing jazzy bass, the trio have cooked up an odd but engaging album. The mood is mostly contemplative, with Khan embellishing songs like the wistful title track with sinuous cello-like parts, while he gets his own devotional outings (Knochentanz, Sufi Song), where Yorkston “just did my best to keep up”. Ivor Cutler’s Little Black Buzzer is the standout, its drollery – “I’m sitting on top of the world and my bum is cold” – captured with help from Irish singer Lisa O’Neill. A heart-warmer.
