Lofty reviews: Translate from Irish band Jiggy

Translate is the debut album from Irish band Jiggy

Sometimes an album comes along and surprises you out of nowhere and for me ‘Translate’ the debut album from Irish band Jiggy is certainly such a record. The band are a collective formed in 2014 by Robbie Harris with musical elements drawn from all over the world.

On ‘Translate’ those elements are fused perfectly together, with traditional Irish music magically mixed with African and Asian rhythms with an undercurrent of hypnotic dance vibes. Not since the Afro-Celt Sound System or Mono Band have we heard such an effective high-octane blend of those ingredients.

Commencing with ‘Annch Cuain’ a clarion call sung in the traditional sean-nós style by Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin ‘Translate’ then explodes with ‘Taraka’ a riveting, pulsating beast of a track.

If there is one tune that perfectly illustrates what makes ‘Translate’ such a vital album it is ‘Dying of the Light’. With duelling vocals and treated fiddles driven by a backbeat that is surprisingly very reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ before the oileann pipes explode, add to that the mesmerising vocals of Aoife Kelly and it is an enticing invitation to move your body which you’ll find hard to resist.

And whilst there are stand out moments all over ‘Translate’, it is a long player that deserves to be listened to from start to finish to fully appreciate the journey that Jiggy bring you on; a musical odyssey that represents a confident, multi-cultural Ireland at its very best.

Listening to ‘Translate’ is a breathless, euphoric, spiritual experience that gets into your head and immediately mainlines to the rest of your body.

The post Lofty reviews: Translate from Irish band Jiggy appeared first on Ceol Caint.