Caoir (pronounced koor) means a blaze of fire, fiercely burning, flames or flashes – imagery which comes across in the album’s undeniably vibrant and warming sound. Her pure, enthralling vocals burn brightest at the heart of it all, acting as the ember which breathes life to the skilled, heartfelt flames of musicianship that surround her on the recording. With its upbeat rhythms and captivating melodies and riffs, it’s easy to imagine the album’s sparkling tracks lighting a fire in listeners as Joy’s musical embers dance around venues and festivals across Scotland and beyond.

Having grown up immersed in the traditional music scene of Argyll, Joy was inspired by both contemporary folk acts and traditional Gaelic singers. With an eclectic taste and love of a good beat and catchy lyrics, Joy has combined her musical passions on her latest album, which sees her go for a bigger and bolder sound than ever before. Bringing the album’s buoyant sound to life alongside Joy’s sweet Gaelic song are Ron Jappy on guitar, Mhairi Marwick on fiddle, Gus Stirrat on bass, Ifedade Thomas on drums, and Euan Malloch on electric guitar, with drum and bass brought into the mix on Joy’s music for the first time.

Joy Dunlop said: “I’ve always loved music that pushed the boundaries of what was considered ‘trad’, without losing the soul of the songs. As a Gaelic singer, I’m always trying to make my music accessible to those who don’t speak the language. With this recording I wanted to capture the sentiment of the songs, whether the listener understands Gaelic or not, while adding new engaging elements to the music.
“Caoir started as a jam session with four fantastic musicians, and soon grew into something more – a selection of music that we all loved and a real friendship and bond between us all. I think that sense of joy really comes across in the recording. That mix of trust, creativity and drive for exploration eventually emerged as an album that will hopefully resonate with both trad fans and those who just love music.”