Shooglenifty

Traditionalists often argue that altering time-honoured music is an insult to the genre itself, because of the timeless quality of well-established folk music. On the other hand, progressive musicians and fans alike believe that musical rigidity diminishes creativity, because all the elements of the sound and its possible directions have not been fully explored. While both sides would probably agree that ELO’s "A Fifth of Beethoven” was blasphemous, they would be at odds with the progressive Celtic porridge dished out by Shooglenifty. While Radical Mestizo, the Scottish sextet’s sixth full-length and first live release encompasses both ends of the argument, each side would find something in this record worth treasuring. Either from the traditional melody of Angus Grant’s fiddle or the trance infused drums of James Mackintosh, Radical Mestizo is a clever hybrid that toddles both boundaries. While "Heading West” is as Celtic as a steaming plate of Haggis, "She’s in the Attic” toils through roving electronic guitar lines, deep funk, trance and bluegrass to create something that is anything but traditional. Still, whether the band are dousing their melodies in slurries of salty Scottish traditions or exploring the furthest realms of the progressive, they are damn good at properly satisfying both appetites.