With all their piercings and tattoos, the musicians from Lankrum look more like electro music fans than like performers of Irish acoustic folk. And yet these four Dubliners flirt closely with traditions. There’s no lack of reel, laments and polkas in their work, but the band’s sound is far from the orthodoxy that often dominates this music. To convince yourself of the originality of their approach, you just have to listen to the opening What Will We Do When We Have No Money?. From the first seconds, a deep buzz, created from harmonium long chords, develops like a mysterious sound screen, on which the poignant voice of Radie Peat rises, catches your attention and never lets it go again. Several times, this captivating buzz serves as a basis for the takeoff of one or four of the dulcet toned voices from Lankum. The Lynch brothers—Ian on bagpipes and concertina and Daragh on guitar—have founded this ensemble, first called Lynched, before welcoming violinist Cormac MacDiarmada and concertina and harmonium player Radie Peat. Aside from the particularity of including four singers, their association distinguishes itself by the musical precision of their playing, the care they put in highlighting the harmonics from their instruments and in letting the resonances blossom. This contemplative approach emphasizes the spiritual aspect of these often-ancient songs and brings a resolutely modern touch to Irish traditions, without any electronic effect. © BM/Qobuz