DÚLAMÁN

The lifeline of Clannad may be divided into three unequal (artistically unequal!) parts. Part one, from Clannad to Crann Ull: folky sound, mostly traditional songs, singing mostly in Gaelic, usually Maire soloing, other singers assisting; arrangements more or less close to traditional, modest instrumentation. (Fuaim is a special case.) Part two, from Magical Ring to Anam: sound usually qualified as 'ambient' and/or 'new age' and/or 'electronic', musical material mostly composed by the band members (though still following Celtic tradition), singing mostly in English, vocals are still usually led by Maire but often by choir of all the five singers; arrangements closer to proggy than folky, rich instrumentation. Part three, from Banba: decline. Dulaman is undoubtedly the best album from the band's earliest, folky era, and no rave review can be enough to express how good it is. It's a quintessence of Clannad's folky skill. And, paradoxically, maybe due to this reason the band noticeably starts to feel cramped in the space of traditional Celtic folk. Looks (i.e. sounds) like since then they felt magnetically attracted to unusual and individual melody making (far from nice and unpretentious traditional motifs but based on them nevertheless), majestic reverberating choir vocals and non-traditional arrangement techniques. The embryo of the future Clannad's sound can be heard in the tracks like Eirigh Is Cuir Ort Do Chuid Eadaigh. That's why I think Dulaman may be considered not only the acme of Clannad Part one but also the precursor to Clannad Part two.