Vicky Gray releases her debut EP, ‘Atlaness’.

The four tracks by the fiddler and composer were recorded by Garry Boyle at Slate Room Studios, and are available to download via Bandcamp.

The EP was produced by Boyle and Gray along with Seán McLaughlin, who also contributed drums and percussion plus additional instruments, while bass was performed by Alex Johnson.

Once of Edinburgh indie act Aberfeldy, the Shetland-born musician is a founding member of indie-folk rock band Dante, and combines her traditional roots with contemporary production – the tracks on ‘Atlaness’ being reworked tunes learned from her late grandfather, Gilbert (Gibby) Gray, a noted tradition-bearer and fiddler.

She has also toured extensively in the UK and Canada as a professional musician, performing at a host of major music festivals including Winnipeg Folk Festival, Glastonbury, and Heb Celt.

Of the tracks on the EP, she says: “I still love listening to the old recordings of my Grandad Gray playing the fiddle and am fascinated by the history of the old tunes and the stories that go with them. He was a great storyteller and had an infectious rhythm to his playing.

“My friend (visual artist) Jenny Deschenes’ family gave me an old recording of her great grandad, Glybie, playing some wedding tunes and talking about the old traditions that went with them. His playing is beautifully ornamented and full of character. Jenny is also an incredible artist, and created the artwork for the EP.

“By making a new recording of these tunes, I didn’t want to try to replicate them, but retell them. The four track EP moves from a fiddle-only arrangement, to the last track (‘Tief on the Lum’) which has no fiddle on it at all.”

More at facebook.com/vickygraymusic.