One of Canada’s most exciting and innovative Celtic bands, Orealis successfully blends traditional and contemporary influences and instrumentation, forging a unique upbeat sound that pulls from the realms of Celtic, jazz, rock and world music.With the addition of bass, drums, and percussion, Night Visions marks a change in musical direction for Orealis. The first notes introduce a dreamy, female chant/harmony vocal that gives way to a spoken-word "Introduction" by producer/fiddler Johnny Cunningham (who shows up with his strange quips in three more "Interludes" plus a "Closing" -- not unlike his live show antics). Lead vocalist, expatriate Scotsman Kirk MacGeachy delivers rich mellifluous vocals thematic to dreams, visions, and night thoughts in general (with one unexpected yet really nice tangent into music of the Andes -- "Armero"), while Dave Gossage’s electric guitar pyrotechnics and Thom Gossage’s percussion provide an undercurrent of energetic rhythm. From haunting ballads and slow airs to driving instrumentals and songs, Orealis delivers innovative arrangements combining low whistles, percussion, electric and acoustic guitars with sparse, tasteful fiddle, keyboards, organ and synthesizer.
