An Taobh Tuathail is a long-running, late-night radio programme broadcast on RTÉ Radio Na Gaeltachta’s Anocht FM. Presented by Cian Ó Cíobháin, it tends to focus on underground music of an electronic bent, and this is reflected in the track-listing for this compilation.
Indeed, it might be fair to say that Ó Cíobháin’s expertise lies almost exclusively within the electronic sphere, as the comp’s two guitar-based tracks are certainly among its worst. Thankfully, the remainder of the record is devoted to the downtempo electronica and texture-based instrumental music that Ó Cíobháin seems to have a strong handle on.
The standard rarely drops below decent, and there are sustained periods of excellence, too. Felix Laband’s opener ‘Down The Stairs’ sets the tone in fine style: the track is understated in the very best sense of the word, built on little more than gentle, puckering rhythms and light melodic touches. Phelan Sheppard’s ‘Weaving Song’ is a lavish, hypnotic slice of post-rock, while Fug’s ‘By Gadd’ is creepy and swathed in sci-fi melancholy.
Floating voters may be discouraged by the unfamiliar list of names Ó Cíobháin has put together, but this would be a mistake. The record is a veritable goldmine of quiet, hitherto-unacknowledged gems, which really do merit greater exposure.