Lauren MacColl - Haar (2023) [Hi-Res]

'Haar' is the 5th solo album from Highland fiddler and composer Lauren MacColl. A self-penned and produced collection of music drawn from coastal tales and happenings around the eastern firths of the Scottish Highlands. It has all the elements of her darkly-huen signature sound; melodies which sound ancient yet at once contemporary, a rich fiddle sound equally at home with an achingly poignant air or sprightly dance tune, and a dialogue with her fellow musicians that reflects her open-hearted approach to collaboration. It also marks 15 years since her first recording 'When Leaves Fall'. Following on from raw simplicity of the 2020 release 'Landskein', this album features regular musical associates Rachel Newton (Spell Songs, Heal & Harrow), Mairearad Green (The Poozies, Mairearad and Anna) and Anna Massie (Blazin' Fiddles) along with new musical friends Alice Allen, James Lindsay and Jennifer Austin. "Haar or sea mist/fog is synonymous with our eastern coasts. It creeps onto the coastline and its communities, and brings with it an unsettled atmosphere, with no sense of horizon. Everything is void of colour and light. This music was written during a year of huge personal loss, when it often felt like the haar had engulfed me and those closest to me. Working on this album has been a solace, and at the heart of it is a strong pull towards the coast and both its fragility and strength. Haar - to me - is a reminder that after the mist, always comes light. "