Latest releases reviewed

NIAMH DE BÚRCA  Where Your Heart Lies...  Gael Linn  ***

Dublin singer Niamh de Búrca has a voice that finds its own true home on her genteel debut. She's trawled an eclectic inventory for this collection, wedding contemporary songwriting and poetry to traditional standards with the ease of a singer who knows her home turf, and that of her near and distant neighbours, too. Andy M Stewart's If I Never Spend a Morning Without You is a standout, de Búrca's voice effortlessly burrowing under its skin, and her Irish-language repertoire is equally learned and lightfooted. Faoileán, the opener from Michael Davitt and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, hints at an appetite hungry for exploring new terrain. Máire Breatnach's surefooted production celebrates the contributions from a fine cast, including double bassist James Blennerhassett and Altan guitarist Mark Kelly. www.gaellinn.com
 
Siobhán Long