IONA

"Iona" was a nice debut which set the tone for this great band. Its themes concentrated mostly on the history of the Scottish island of Iona, from which the band got its name. "Turning Tide" opens the album with some of the lovely ethereal textures the group is known for. The keyboards and Uillean pipes create a perfect atmosphere. Whilst listening, you can almost imagine yourself walking on the white sands of Iona.

Most of the instrumentals on this album do sound like soundtracks as some reviewers pointed out, but they are good. Pleasant is the best way to describe them. My favourite of those pieces is "A'Mhachair". I always found that the ambient keyboards and jazzy saxophone from this track creates an interesting fusion among some of the other Celtic folk influences.

The best pieces of all are the weaving of Joanne Hoggs gorgeous vocals. "The Island" and "Visions Of Naran" are very soulful. And the haunting closing piece "Colluncille" is another personal favourite.

In all, this is more accessible than the band's later stuff, and although there are many great changing paces and spacey moods, the best was yet to come. "Book Of Kells" turned out to be a better album where the music became more moody and atmospheric on many pieces. This is still a very enjoyable album and an important part of the group's collection.