Mike Vass

DecemberwellRusty Squash Horn Records ***

Going slightly off-piste, we arrive at a really cool place – Glasgow – at precisely this time last year. The month has always fascinated leading Scottish fiddle player Mike Vass. “The simple beauty of winter is the backdrop for cherished reunions with family and old friends and a celebration of our shared history and culture.” Armed with these thoughts, Vass composed a suite of instrumentals to “capture the widely differing magical aspects” of the month. He recorded them, playing everything from fiddle to various guitars, melodica, cittern, piano and the suitably seasonal glockenspiel. The mood shifts between the ruminative and the quietly joyous. Melody-rich tunes (Hallan, Looking Through, Cycles) contrast with the more ominous Pane. There’s no room for Shane McGowan or Bing Crosby in this tasteful seasonal treat.

Download:Hallan, Looking Through