Ímar

Glasgow-based instrumental Celtic supergroup Ímar fused Irish, Scottish, and Manx traditions through virtuoso musicianship, delivering a fresh sound on their 2017 debut album Afterlight simply by returning to fundamentals. The group took its name from the ninth-century Viking king who once governed a vast stretch of Ireland and Scotland. Their roots trace to collective apprenticeships under Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Irish traditional music organization that instructs emerging players and runs the annual fleadh competition circuit. Ryan Murphy on uilleann pipes, flute, and whistles came from Cork, Ireland; Tomás Callister on fiddle and Adam Rhodes on bouzouki hailed from the Isle of Man; Adam Brown on bodhrán originated in Suffolk, England; and Mohsen Amini on concertina was raised in Glasgow. The five musicians, already acquainted through the Glasgow session scene, later joined major Scottish folk acts such as Mànran, Rura, and Talisk. Collectively they amassed eight all-Britain and nine all-Ireland titles, plus two victories at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge for Murphy and the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year award for Amini. When they first convened to perform in 2015, an instant rapport confirmed they had discovered something distinctive. Their sets centered on Irish material while exploring deeper shared Gaelic roots by weaving in Manx and Scottish melodies. In early 2016 the band posted two demo recordings, “Firebird” and “L’Air Mignonne,” which quickly attracted folk-press notice for the ensemble’s flawless technique and rapid-fire delivery. Both pieces resurfaced on the 2017 self-released debut Afterlight together with additional traditional and original compositions. Their follow-up album Avalanche appeared in 2018.