Aisling 'Hold My Dream' - Album Review

Inspired by the haunting, ethereal melodies and groundbreaking sonic textures of the likes of Clannad and Enya, Wexford native Aisling also specialises in Celtic-influenced, dreamy soundscapes. Produced in his Suffolk studios by Andy Hill, who has worked with Cher, Katherine Jenkins and Westlife, and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig, her debut certainly comes with an impressive pedigree.
Blending traditional airs and more classically-styled melodies, Aisling’s note-perfect, crystal-clear vocals shine through over the dense, foreboding layers and heartbeat rhythms on the opener ‘For The Longest Time’. Meanwhile, lush strings punctuated with plucked staccato stabs underpin the hymnal ‘Angel’, while the choral vocals of ‘Hallelujah’ (which sounds as if it was recorded in the cloisters of a monastery) point to a strong spiritual element. Aisling is also clearly influenced by movie soundtracks like Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and there is a cinematic quality to the title track and the epic ‘I Will Make A Fire’. Elsewhere, ‘If Not For You’ is more of a traditional lament, while the strongest song, melodically and structurally, is kept until the very end. ‘I’ll See You Again’, recalls the atmosphere of Celine Dion’s Titanic theme, ‘My Heart Will Go On’: a fine conclusion to a highly accomplished album.
Out AUGUST 22.