Islands, the title of this recording, is taken from Seóirse Bodley's work for guitar. However, it also reflects that the CD comprises a set of disparate and varied works, recorded at different times and in different venues on a variety of instruments. The collection encompasses a wide variety of compositional styles and approaches to writing for the guitar and offers a good overview of the contribution to this genre by Irish composers. The seven works presented are all world premiere recordings.

Dzama Stories is a collaboration between the award winning Irish composer Ed Bennett and the legendary British saxophonist Paul Dunmall. Featuring an ensemble of ten exceptional performers, including Decibel, Ed Bennett’s composition draws influence from the work of the “outsider” Canadian artist Marcel Dzama. Through the combination of pre-composed and freely improvised sounds, Bennett and Dunmall have created a work of huge energy which spans from the wildly rhythmic, noisy and chaotic to music of great subtlety and quiet reflection.

First Construction in Nylon is the title track on Greg Caffrey’s latest release. The album features a collection of solo guitar works composed over the last twelve years, performed by the renowned Australian guitarist Craig Ogden.
Also available from www.cactusrecords.bandcamp.com

Grá agus Bás is the label debut from Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy featuring two works performed by the Dublin-based Crash Ensemble, conducted by Alan Pierson. The title track, which translates as ‘love and death’, is inspired by sean-nós or ‘old style’ Irish vocal music, the vocals performed by Irish singer Iarla Ó Lionáird. Soloist, Dawn Upshaw features on the song cycle That the Night Come, six settings of poems by W.B. Yeats.