“The best debut album from a Gaelic artist in years, Las is a beautiful, beguiling and irresistible mix of tradition and innovation. Alasdair writes with rare depth and integrity. Eloquent, impassioned and powerful, Las is a landmark recording that will appeal to fans of Runrig and Julie Fowlis while smouldering with a heartwarming intensity that’s all its own.”

Kevin MacNeil (Love and Zen in the Outer Hebrides, A Method Actor’s Guide to Jekyll and Hyde)

Watercolour Music is delighted to announce the release of one of the most significant Gaelic albums of the year. Alasdair Whyte was brought up on the Isle of Mull surrounded by the Gaelic music and song that have become his passion. He is at the forefront of a new wave of Gaelic songsmiths, writing with a sophistication and depth that belies his young age.

‘Las’ was recorded in the inspirational surroundings of Watercolour’s studios in the West Highlands, looking down Loch Linnhe towards Alasdair’s native island. It was produced by the highly respected husband-and-wife team of musician and broadcaster Mary Ann Kennedy and producer-songwriter Nick Turner. Nick said: “It was important that we got the right contemporary setting for Alasdair’s songs – he knows where his roots are for sure, but he’s definitely looking to the future with his own songs.” The album was recorded by Alasdair’s own band, fellow Muileach Ross B. Wilson on piano, and Allan Nairn on guitar, with special guests Louis Abbott and Joe Rattray (Admiral Fallow, Rachel Sermanni Band) on bass and drums, Megan Henderson on Fiddle, Gordon Gunn on Mandolin, Robert Robertson from Lochaber and members of Alasdair’s very musical family on backing vocals.

The ten songs on the album are a mix of rare and popular traditional Gaelic songs from Alasdair’s own background in Mull and Morvern, but the four songs written by Alasdair himself set the album apart as something of a special event. The tumult of young love, fulfilled or disastrous, a passionate attachment to place, and a rare ability to play with the richness of the Gaelic language mark him out as a significant new writer in the language. Eilean na h-Òige The Island of Youth) is set to become a classic in the mould of Calum and Rory MacDonald, while Tuathal – a tale of love going off the rails – is an indie hit in the making.

“It was a real honour to be invited to record this album as one of the first projects that Stòras Watercolour supported. I was fortunate enough to receive Nick’s encouragement and insight with regard to my songwriting whilst working together with the support of Creative Scotland’s Demo Fund and it was pretty exciting to see this project come to fruition within the unique environment at Watercolour.”

The album was made possible through Stòras Watercolour, a not-for-profit enterprise set up by Mary Ann and Nick specifically to encourage new Gaelic music.

Alasdair, who is currently a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, will be performing at:

Glasgow Skye Association Gathering, Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu – Fri 7th Dec (7.30pm)

Gaels Le Chèile, St Peter’s Hall, Hyndland St, Sat 8th Dec (8pm)

Source: Watercolour Music