Musician supports Scottish Wildlife Trust

‘Island Folk’ has been remixed by Skye band Niteworks to fuse Mairearad’s traditional instruments with an electronica sound. Mairearad, from Achiltibuie, will be giving 50% of all download sale proceeds from the single to the Scottish Wildlife Trust to help with its work protecting the environment and local species.

“Music is a great way to celebrate and draw attention to our natural heritage and environment.

“We’re so lucky to live by this coastline and among these hills. It’s a constant source of inspiration to my songwriting.

“The Trust has strong links with the Summer Isles through the Isle Ristol reserve and the work being done locally to protect a unique marine habitat so it just made sense to give something back,” said Mairearad.

Noel Hawkins, Living Seas Community Officer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “Like Mairearad, the landscape, sea and isles all play a part on me and the community and I like to think some of that influence can be found within Mairearad’s work.

“I love that she not only produces such beautiful music but is choosing to use it to help our efforts to safeguard and promote the environment around us for future generations that will hopefully live, work and compose here for years to come.”

‘Island Folk’ is the opening track of Mairearad’s ‘Summer Isles’ album which was launched earlier this year and cemented her reputation as a gifted songwriter.

Her first solo album ‘Passing Places’ was so successful that she won Composer of the Year at the prestigious Scots Trad Music Awards in 2009, a title she was shortlisted for again this year. She has toured with Eddi Reader, Karine Polwart and The Poozies and collaborated with King Creosote.

The single is a fresh direction for Mairearad and she hopes people will enjoy the Niteworks remix.

“I’m a fan of what Niteworks do musically and this collaboration was great fun. They have a different take on my music which lets it reach listeners in a new way. I listen to a lot of Martyn Bennett and DJ Dolphin Boy so to be able to have my music presented in that way is really exciting.”

Innes Strachan from Niteworks said the band had worked with Mairearad previously and it was a fit that worked well.

He said: “Island Folk immediately struck me as a track that would sit well in an electronic setting.

“It has beats which chug away in an almost hypnotic fashion with a beautiful melody on box and fiddle which lilts a top the backing.”