RENOWNED Belfast composer and musician Neil Martin has joined forces with Mary Dillon and Donal O'Connor to launch a new album, 'North of Here'.
The album was recorded in the Mourne Mountains, and is built around Dillon’s unmistakable voice, Martin’s cello and O’Connor’s fiddle and harmonium.
"We were speaking to Chris McCreery, the Director of Belfast International Arts Festival, and we said to him 'what about this, we'll have an album launch in festival,'" said Martin.
"The launch was announced and it was sold out before the festival's official publicity drive was even live! We didn't even have the CD done, but it was all under control of course."
The album was recorded over three days with very little editing on an analogue system.
"That's unusual nowadays," said Neil. "It's all digital. In the old days, when I was starting recordings it was on two-inch tape and we had an analogue desk in the studio.
"The tracks were recorded at the Analogue-Catalogue Studio in County Down. There's something wonderful about analogue sound. There's a warmth there that maybe isn't there on digital recordings sometimes.
"We decided that the three of us would sit together and do it nearly live. Instead of doing multiple layers and digital editing, we decided to record live music and do the record like that.
"We sat in the same room for three days and that was it."
The album brings together three of Ireland's most successful musicians; Mary Dillon from Déanta, fiddler and Belfast Tradfest founder Donal O'Connor, and Martin himself. Neil has known Mary Dillon for a long time, and Donal O'Connor lives just a mile or so from him in Belfast.
"I used to meet Donal's parents, Gerry and Eithne. They were in the group Lá Lugh.
"Sean Kelly from the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival asked Donal about three years ago to put together a trio for a gig. It sold out and we had another one the same day. We knew something was working.
"We don't gig together all the time, maybe six a year, but that's plenty. We have lots of other things going on so you don't want to spoil it by overdoing it."
The album has a distinct northern flavour, built on the title and familial connections of the three artists, and Neil said it was important to him to record the tracks in a quiet, rural environment.
"We were at ease in the studio. There was no traffic or anything like that. That's so important when you go into a studio to record."
"I listened to it last week from start to finish and sent Donal and Mary a message that I had a critical listen, and I think there's something magical about this record.
"You can never be totally satisfied, but for the most part I am happy with it."
There are ten songs in total on the album, with important songs such as 'An Londubh,' 'Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó' and 'Carolan's Receipt for Drinking,' standing out.
"I'd be happy to listen or play any of the ten songs on the album," said Neil.
