Kim Carnie Trio Queen's Hall Edinburgh 18th September 2025 Review
Kim Carnie Trio at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh were the headliners of tonight’s programme of folk music, one in a series of events curated for the venue by Malin Lewis. Also on on-stage tonight with their own sets were Malin Lewis Trio, and Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl.
For me, this is a difficult night of music to review simply because there are three very distinctive musical voices to be heard here, but there are also connective threads between all of them. Each deserves their own more in-depth review space, but unfortunately that would make this review too long to be read without many people losing interest in it along the way. The only solution here is to provide a brief overview of each musical project performed on tonight’s stage.
First up, and possibly the most complex (on-stage) of all three works tonight, was “Heal & Harrow”, a work based on one of the darkest periods of Scottish history, the witch trials from the late 1500s through to the 1700s, by Rachel Newton (harp & vocals) and Lauren MacColl (fiddle). This project is the musical response to commissioned stories by Scottish author Màiri Kidd with on screen visuals by Alison Piper.
Sadly, other than confessions made under torture at their witch trials, there are few, if any, surviving records of who most of these women were in their lifetimes, and these stories are a mixture of the few facts that have survived, imagined scenarios, and old folk lore stories. “Heal & Harrow” is a broad based project that included an audio book, podcast, printed book, and music album. The 45 minute set tonight was a live performance of the 10 tracks on this album. More information on the “Heal & Harrow” project is available online.
The programme for “Heal & Harrow” informs us that the last woman executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1563 was Janet Horne, but it has to be noted here that the last woman convicted in Britain under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 was Helen Duncan in 1943. Helen lived for some time only a few streets away from the Queen’s Hall.
Musically, this is a diverse sound from Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl that gives a voice not only to the women of these witch trials, but also to women in general who for whatever reason have faced discrimination and persecution in their lives. This at times ethereal music draws inspiration from both traditional folk music and the landscape of Scotland itself.
Also drawing much inspiration from the landscape for music was Malin Lewis’s set. This time, however, the landscape was that of Finland and the debut album 'Halocline' (May 2024). From tonight’s notes, “A Halocline is a visible layer that forms between salt and fresh water and is home to a unique microbial ecosystem.” Belonging in an in-between space is also a very personal one to Malin Lewis and this, as much as anything else, was also reflected in the music performed tonight.
Finland and its landscape are not all from this country that holds the attention of Malin Lewis. Reviving their tradition of extinct Finnish bagpipes is, as we could all clearly see and hear tonight, is another passion. An often evocative, but still firmly rooted in traditional folk music sound from Malin Lewis’s work was augmented with performances from Sally Simpson (fiddle) and Ali Hutton (guitar).
Award-winning singer and composer Kim Carnie also has a new album out, “A’ Chailleach”, the title taking its name from the old woman or hag of Gaelic mythology. She is associated with the creation of the landscape and the weather, holding a particular place of prominence in the storms of winter-time.
As you would expect then, much of the music performed from this album tonight was a reflection of both traditional Scottish music roots and the Scottish landscape which has so often shaped its creation. Kim Carnie has a unique, pure vocal range which is no doubt why she is so much in demand both as a live performer and in the studio, and although many of these songs were sung in Gaelic, Kim’s often evocative telling of the stories behind them dissolved many possible language barriers to non-Gaelic speakers like myself.
Music and the landscape of both Scotland and Finland was one thread connecting the music tonight, but another was giving a voice to people throughout time and now who, for whatever reason, are marginalised by too many people in society for their chosen identity, sexuality, or simply their views.
Review by Tom King © 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
For me, this is a difficult night of music to review simply because there are three very distinctive musical voices to be heard here, but there are also connective threads between all of them. Each deserves their own more in-depth review space, but unfortunately that would make this review too long to be read without many people losing interest in it along the way. The only solution here is to provide a brief overview of each musical project performed on tonight’s stage.
First up, and possibly the most complex (on-stage) of all three works tonight, was “Heal & Harrow”, a work based on one of the darkest periods of Scottish history, the witch trials from the late 1500s through to the 1700s, by Rachel Newton (harp & vocals) and Lauren MacColl (fiddle). This project is the musical response to commissioned stories by Scottish author Màiri Kidd with on screen visuals by Alison Piper.
Sadly, other than confessions made under torture at their witch trials, there are few, if any, surviving records of who most of these women were in their lifetimes, and these stories are a mixture of the few facts that have survived, imagined scenarios, and old folk lore stories. “Heal & Harrow” is a broad based project that included an audio book, podcast, printed book, and music album. The 45 minute set tonight was a live performance of the 10 tracks on this album. More information on the “Heal & Harrow” project is available online.
The programme for “Heal & Harrow” informs us that the last woman executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1563 was Janet Horne, but it has to be noted here that the last woman convicted in Britain under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 was Helen Duncan in 1943. Helen lived for some time only a few streets away from the Queen’s Hall.
Musically, this is a diverse sound from Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl that gives a voice not only to the women of these witch trials, but also to women in general who for whatever reason have faced discrimination and persecution in their lives. This at times ethereal music draws inspiration from both traditional folk music and the landscape of Scotland itself.
Also drawing much inspiration from the landscape for music was Malin Lewis’s set. This time, however, the landscape was that of Finland and the debut album 'Halocline' (May 2024). From tonight’s notes, “A Halocline is a visible layer that forms between salt and fresh water and is home to a unique microbial ecosystem.” Belonging in an in-between space is also a very personal one to Malin Lewis and this, as much as anything else, was also reflected in the music performed tonight.
Finland and its landscape are not all from this country that holds the attention of Malin Lewis. Reviving their tradition of extinct Finnish bagpipes is, as we could all clearly see and hear tonight, is another passion. An often evocative, but still firmly rooted in traditional folk music sound from Malin Lewis’s work was augmented with performances from Sally Simpson (fiddle) and Ali Hutton (guitar).
Award-winning singer and composer Kim Carnie also has a new album out, “A’ Chailleach”, the title taking its name from the old woman or hag of Gaelic mythology. She is associated with the creation of the landscape and the weather, holding a particular place of prominence in the storms of winter-time.
As you would expect then, much of the music performed from this album tonight was a reflection of both traditional Scottish music roots and the Scottish landscape which has so often shaped its creation. Kim Carnie has a unique, pure vocal range which is no doubt why she is so much in demand both as a live performer and in the studio, and although many of these songs were sung in Gaelic, Kim’s often evocative telling of the stories behind them dissolved many possible language barriers to non-Gaelic speakers like myself.
Music and the landscape of both Scotland and Finland was one thread connecting the music tonight, but another was giving a voice to people throughout time and now who, for whatever reason, are marginalised by too many people in society for their chosen identity, sexuality, or simply their views.
Review by Tom King © 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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