I was delighted to witness Nuala Kennedy and Eamon O’Leary perform at the Edinburgh TradFest 2022. It was an intimate and lively set and I well remember the warm atmosphere and the brilliant musicianship of these Irish masters.
And now they have released an absolutely magical album. I believe this is the first time they do an album as a duo, having collaborated otherwise often over the years.
So what makes Hydra so magical in my ears? Quite a few things, really. First, they are in top notch form as musicians and singers here, the performances are just impeccable.
Second, their choice of songs is great and makes for a nicely flowing experience, with the sequencing of songs just right.
Third – and this is important – Hydra is produced and engineered to acoustic music perfection. All Nuala’s flutes and Eamon’s stringed instruments are very much alive, up close and personal, full and rich with every nuance intact.
I also like the steeply divided audio panning: the string instruments are clearly in the left and right channels and the flute mostly in the centre. With the headphones, I feel like I’m surrounded by these fabulous people, and it makes it easier to appreciate each instrument’s parts.
Old songs are given life and vibrancy throughout the album, but there’s also one original song here. Eamon’s As We Rove Out fits so perfectly into the set, both music and lyrics. you could be fooled into thinking it’s also a trad tune. I love it!
… as I love the entire album, now playing in our home, and me writing this with a cooling mug of coffee on the table beside me. Outside, our unusually long and warm, even bot, summer has today turned into the regular Finnish September as rain falls and autumn darkness draws nearer. But that’s okay when we have music like this to keep us warm.
FolkNotes 