Kíla: Suas Síos | Album Review

It's their 10th studio album, and Kíla have lost none of their verve. Suas Síos is a surprisingly medit- ative and reflective collection, despite initial impressions to the contrary, where the aural clutter of the opening track distracts from the fluidity of what follows. The hero is piper Eoin Dillon, who marries a natural effervescence with an enviable discipline. His tune compositions and pipes are the band's backbone, imposing structure on Kíla's character- istically blue-sky ensemble playing, where percussive forces careen outwards like Catherine- wheel fireworks to hypnotic effect. Rónán Ó Snodaigh's lyrics both act as and echo the curative qualities of the spoken word, although his rap-like delivery can at times bleed life from his inventive lyrics. What's remarkable is Kíla's capacity for evolution. Best played witht the amp turned to 11. kila.ie