Nearly ten years after meeting together at university, a part-Manx folk group have released their second album together.

Formerly known as ’Nish As Rish, which may ring more than a couple of bells with some on the island, the group reformed earlier this year under the name ’A’Nish’, and recorded The Way of the Gull’, a nine-track album consisting of new and original material, alongside a mix of traditional and folk songs.

A’Nish comprises the internationally-recognised singer Ruth Keggin and guitarist Karl Kramer, along with English guitarist Dave Pearce, singer and fiddle player Anna Goldbeck-Wood and bassist Vanessa Hutchinson.

They met during their time at York University, and quickly formed into a tight and effective folk group, who recorded an album under the name ’Nish As Rish’, and toured Europe, making successful appearances at the Lorient festival.

’It was one of those things where we met, and we found that we had this kind of musical alchemy,’ said Ruth,

’We all wanted to carry on after uni, and we formed properly in 2009, going on to represent the island at the Lorient festival, in 2011,becoming the second Manx band to win the Loic Raison trophy, presented to the best new band after King Chiaullee.

’After that, everyone went off and did their own thing.

’We kept in touch, and we always try to get together a couple of times a year, just to keep the ball rolling , and this time we decided that we still had so much great music that we should get some music together.

’We had some sets that are nearly seven or eight years old, things that we wrote in Lorient, and we also wrote music together when we toured in Norway in 2015.

’So we booked three days in a recording studio in the west coast of Scotland.

’It was just to see what we would be able to get recorded, and we just didn’t anticipate recording an entire album.’

They decided on the name change to reflect that fact that they have all changed since their formative years together, with A’Nish meaning, in Irish Gaelic ’of the now’.

The music contained in the album also reflects the many journeys they have taken, either together or separately, and Ruth said that they all brought many different influences into crating their songs.

’It is very much inspired by our patchwork backgrounds in music,’ explained Ruth.

’Karl is into prog and post-rock music, but he has a classical background too. He also played in the Reeling stones on the island, so he has a folk background there too.

’Anna has a baroque, violin and jazz background. Dave is a film composer too, so we have loads of different avenues and ways into the music.

’It is a real varied sound, with a bit of flamenco guitar in there, some medieval music, trad tunes, also some high-energy stuff and some almost jazz-type sounds in there too.

’About half of the album is original music, composed mainly by Karl and Dave, and the other is areal mix of music from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

’It is quite varied, and not your typical trad folk album.’

The decision to call the album ’The Way of the Gull’ reflects many aspects of the band, but they felt that it wasn’t appropriate to the make up of the group to give the title the full Manx Gaelic translation.

’We thought that, if we called it Raad ny Foillan, it roots it very much in the Isle of Man, whereas we really are a smorgasbord of all our sounds and influences,’ she said.

’However, one of our original tunes, written by Karl, is inspired by the island, and is called Raad Ny Foillan, which links to the album name.

’It is more that we thought that gulls are nomadic, and are everywhere.

’I like to think that there is an energy and a sense of flight to our music, and I think that there is a lot of similarity between music and birds.

’It can weave and go everywhere, and take you on a journey. And birds look effortless when they fly.

’Sometimes, when you see a musician playing, you like to think that it looks effortless too. Certainly with our music, you think it is going one way, and then it will veer off in another direction. So we felt that was nice title to for it.’

’I always thought we would get back together and record again,’ continued Ruth.

’But when we heard what we had recorded we all thought it sounded amazing, and we wanted to get it out into the world.’

A’Nish are planning to hold a series of concerts to mark the release of the album.

They appear at Noa Bakehouse on Saturday, April 28, from 7.30pm, with an afternoon family show at St Ninian’s church on the same day, from 3.15pm.

Tickets for the two island dates are priced £3 to £7 for the St Ninian’s show, and £10 for the Noa Bakehouse concert, and are available from ruthkeggin.com/shop

by Mike Wade

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