Discography

Clann

Released 2025

With the release of Clann, Solstice have rounded off The Sia Trilogy in fine style. The trilogy began in 2021 with Sia disliked by my colleague Stefan, but very well regarded elsewhere. It was joined in 2023 by Light Up which received a recommended rating from Geoff. Now Clann is with us, and it sees Andy Glass' collective pulling out all the prog stops and more.

The well-bedded in line up remains the same as for the other albums in the trilogy, except for the addition of two more vocalists (Ebony Buckle and Dyanne Crutcher) and a guest vocalist Nick Burns on Twin Peaks. Clann sees Solstice continuing to bring a joy to music making.

Solstice move effortlessly between symphonic prog on Firefly, cross-over prog on Life a track that wears its folk elements lightly. While Plunk and Frippa see Robin Phillips (bass) and Pete Hemsley (drums) bring the funk with delicate and twisting rhythms that add pace and space for the horns (samples or real I can't tell) and Steven McDaniel's organ playing. The less intense Frippa gives space for Jenny Newman's wonderful violin solo, then a synth solo before Andy Glass's scorching guitar solo. I'm not sure that he's been better than he is here.

The closing new song Twin Peaks is a long form piece in two halves. The first section starts with gentle Hackett-like guitar and a delicious violin melody building leisurely into a powerful ballad with singer Jess Holland, who is no slouch on the rest of the album incidentally, absolutely shining. She is supported brilliantly by the other vocalists with beguiling harmonies. These come to the fore after the hallway point where sequenced synth and atmospheric instrumentation brings to mind the opening bars of Yes' Close To The Edge. The vocals evolve into harmonised chanting, summoning something wonderful from the ether. A return to the opening melody rounds this off beautifully.

There is a CD-only bonus track Earthsong. It is a re-recording of the song that featured on Solstice's debut album Silent Dance from way back in 1984, reviewed in these pages on its 2007 re-issue. The song feels new and refreshed with this line up and the superb production values that cover the whole album with a sparkling sound.

Solstice's Clann sees a band that keep giving their fans headaches trying to work out which of their albums, from Circles onwards, is now their best. Newcomers can start here too as the album stands by itself as well as being part of a trilogy. Clann's songs are a joyous commendation of the power of love and connection.