Una Quinn - 2025 - Little Anthem
(35:17; Una Quinn)
Track list:
1. Secret Getaway 2:58
2. Those Roads 3:46
3. An Coolin 2:45
4. Network 3:09
5. World to Come 3:06
6. Blue Skies 4:12
7. Little Anthem 3:33
8. Upshore 2:51
9. Shamrock 4:24
10. Storm 4:33
Line-up:
Úna Quinn - vocals, guitars, keyboards, various instruments
Neil Campbell - guitars, keyboards, vocals
with:
Paraic O'Brien - violin
Fergal O'Brien - bodhran samples
Ian Cantwell - vocals
Martin Atherton - guitars, electronics
Edward Moore - vocals
UK based artist Una Quinn released her debut album back in 2019, a self released production that became popular enough for the artist to proudly be able to proclaim a "sold out" status of this album on her Bandcamp page. Now in the spring of 2025 Quinn has returned with her second solo album "Little Anthem", and has once again chosen to release this album herself.
This is one of those albums that probably can be designated to a few different styles and traditions, although the word acoustic probably merits a specific mention no matter the category of choice. Or possibly electroacoustic. And while perhaps not totally correct, for my sake I'd probably file this album somewhere under the folk music designation.
Wandering acoustic guitars is a mainstay element and a staple throughout this production. The good, old singer/songwriter tradition appears to be at the heart of many of these creations, songs that one would imagine being developed with the acoustic guitar and vocals alone and that most likely could be performed in such a stripped down manner too. Quinn will usually expand upon this foundation though, with keyboards and often subtle electronic effects being the main additions to the landscapes explored, and sometimes with a mainly careful percussion element added in to boot.
Some of the songs come with what I'd describe as a little bit of an Americana undercurrent, but as Quinn originates from Northern Ireland and the differences between Irish folk music and Americana can be ever so subtle at times, this may as well be an influx of elements from Irish folk music. Whether it is one or the other is perhaps less important than the fact that these expansions add some additional flavoring to these creations.
The most distinct aspect of this whole experience are the lead vocals of Una Quinn though. She has a light toned, high pitched and very careful expression in her vocal delivery, carefully soaring with an ethereal quality that isn't too far removed from being characterized as a whisper. This gives these compositions a most striking ethereal quality, reminding me ever so slightly of Kate Bush when she use her vocals in the most careful and delicate manner.
While we do get some compositions with a more melancholic mood and atmosphere here, the general vibe of this creation is a light toned and uplifting one. With a little bit of a pop music sensibility being prevalent, albeit with a song or two that has a little bit of a more progressive and expressive nature to them too. If careful modern folk music with a likely singer/songwriter foundation and pop music sensibilities explored inside of a light toned framework with a prevalent ethereal quality sounds like your kind of music, then this is a production that you probably will find to be a rewarding experience.
Olav M. Björnsen, June 2025
Links:
https://uquinn.bandcamp.com/
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