Ross & Ali

Symbiosis ll

Symbiosis

Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton’s second album takes them further into the territory that their mentor, the late, great piping adventurer Gordon Duncan, encouraged them to explore.

As their teacher and pipe major in the forward-looking Vale of Atholl Pipe Band Duncan was keen for Ainslie and Hutton, as teenagers, to incorporate the pipes into arrangements that used whatever instruments came to hand.

Now, some twenty years on and given their own mastery of pipes, whistles, cittern, banjo and various guitars alongside supporting synths, electronic beats, percussion and a string section, they are creating music that uses traditional tunesmithery as the basis for ever more sophisticated music that has grandeur without being over grandiose and introduces exotic textures in an entirely natural way.

Some tracks, such as Donegal fiddler Tommy Peoples’ slow air Beautiful Goretree, use spare accompaniments to create atmosphere and strength through simplicity while others, such as the aptly named Action or the later Mink, showcase the superb fluency of their playing before building in intensity and colour.

It’s an album that’s full of ambition as well as musicality and repays repeated listening by revealing further shades and detail with every play.

ROB ADAMS