There may have been a time when the juxtaposition of Uilleann pipes and African drums would have seemed contrived or even cacophonous. However on this release the Afro Celt Sound System makes it seem as if it were inevitable.
With song titles such as "Inion," "Nil Cead Againn Dul," and ""Eistigh Liomsa Sealad," SOUND MAGIC, the band's debut album, arguably leans closer to its Celtic roots. However, a steady dance beat, electronic loops, and the presence of such performers as Kauwding Cissokho and Masamba Diop, both from Baaba Maal's band, mean that this is world music in the truest sense.
Professional Reviews
Q (9/96, p.107) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...mixes kora music, Celtic pipes and harp, African talking drum and clattering dance beats to produce the kind of album that gives collaboration a good name. The range of sound is broad and kaleidoscopic..."
