In the media yoke this week is “Junction” from the band North by North West or NxNW. Although just their debut album, NxNW has been around for several years and is made up of four seasoned veterans in David Doocey (fiddles & viola), Stephen Doherty (accordion, melodeon, flutes, and whistles), Ryan Molloy (keyboards) and Kieran Leonard (percussion). Here, they blend a deep grounding in traditional music with contemporary textures and arrangements to create a modern sound that feels both rooted and fresh. The result is Irish music that respects its sources while reaching beyond them, offering listeners something familiar yet distinctly new
The caliber of musicianship in NxNW is extraordinary. Doocey is an award-winning fiddle and concertina player from Foxford, Co. Mayo. He’s earned multiple All-Ireland titles, the inaugural World Fleadh fiddle championship (2005), and the Feile Oriel trophy (2009). In addition, he’s recorded and performed widely with artists including Martin Hayes, Michael McGoldrick, Tim O’Brien, Sharon Shannon, and Lúnasa. He’s also a member of the band Gráda and released his debut solo album, “Changing Time,” in 2013 and in 2024, he recorded “The Yew and The Orchard” with Lúnasa’s Cillian Vallely.
Doherty, also from Foxford, is an outstanding musician with a strong reputation in the traditional music world. An All-Ireland champion many times over, he’s has been a member of the groups Gráda, Ragús, Slide, Atlantic Steps, Blás, the Salamanca Ceili Band, and The Sean Keane Band and has appeared on a couple dozen albums over the years, including “The Foxford Way” (2012) with brilliant guitarist and fellow Foxford native Patrick Doocey.
Readers might remember Molloy from the recent article I wrote about Fergal Scahill’s “The Gannet’s Dive” on which he appears. Molloy is both a keyboard and fiddle player and in those capacities he’s appeared on over thirty albums; in both 2020 and 2021 he was nominated for a RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards “Best Folk Instrumentalist” award. He’s also widely known as a composer. His work has been commissioned by both RTÉ and the BBC, and it’s been performed by a number of different ensembles the world over. In 2024, he was awarded the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Composer of the Year honor.
Leonard is a drummer and bodhrán player who has worked across Ireland, the UK, and the US. He’s performed with trad acts such as Stockton's Wing, Four Men & A Dog, and the Tara Breen Band. Since 2019, he’s toured worldwide with Celtic Woman and has performed with legendary groups such as Clannad (he was part of their 2023 farewell tour) and Riverdance. In addition, he’s performed with several major orchestras (including the English National Opera, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra) and is an accomplished studio musician who has appeared on several major film soundtracks, including “How to Train Your Dragon.”
These four come together here in the finest of ways. While Doocey and Doherty have unmistakable chemistry (which is natural as they’ve been playing together for most of their lives), it’s the addition of Molloy’s keyboard work, which adds harmonic drive, and Leonard’s percussion, which enhances the overall rhythm, that add real depth, giving the band a very expressive and mature sound.
Lots of great tracks on this one. The opener, “Lady on the Island,” has an upbeat sensibility with a great, laid back groove. Fiddle and flute fall right into the piano and drum background in a way that for me is reminiscent of some of the more “fusion-y” R&B/soul of the later 70s. I get the same sort of vibe from the album’s closer, “Hybrid Slides.” It consists of two tunes, the first composed by Doocey and the second by Doherty, both of which are lovely on their face. But their treatment – featuring Rhodes-style electric piano and real in the pocket drumming – elevates them to a different, more cosmopolitan place.
The approach on “Mystery Lass” leans more toward traditional Irish music. Molloy and Leonard play with a light, almost celebratory feel, but it’s David Doocey and Stephen Doherty (on flute here) who give the tune its forward momentum. “Harlem” follows a similar approach. There, Doocey, Doherty (this time, on accordion), and Leonard (on bodhrán) work together in an again traditional and thoughtfully measured way, with Molloy’s creativity drawing attention for the way it matches their intensity.
The album’s most intriguing track is “Rathlin.” Composed of three tunes (the first by uilleann piper Peter Browne and the last two by Doocey and Doherty, respectively) that are wonderfully played, it’s Molloy’s sensitive accompaniment that tells the track’s story. His music seems to embrace the potential in each tune, using what they offer to weave a dramatic and almost inspirational story arc. The music is superb, as is the arrangement overall. (Really good studiocraft here, too.)
“Junction” is an auspicious debut. NxNW takes both familiar and original material and frames it in ways that adds inviting warmth, often stretching the tradition in the process. This is boldly progressive playing that recalls boundary-pushing groups like the olllam and Notify in its willingness to try adventuresome new things. Unlike those bands, however, NxNW avoids a mercurial edge, favoring a steadier, more grounded approach that lets the music unfold with confidence and ease. “Junction” is an album that will appeal to listeners looking for traditional music with an enjoyable modern touch and I definitely recommended that anyone looking for something fresh and distinct check it out! To learn more and to purchase, visit here.
