HAMISH NAPIER
The Hill
Philippe Cousin
After two decades of travelling the world, Hamish Napier returned to his native region of Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands. It was there that an ambitious project began to take shape in his mind: the composition and production of five albums of music inspired by the landscapes around him.
These were, in turn, 'The River' in 2016, 'The Railway' in 2018 and 'The Wood' in 2020. Now, 'The Hill' is due for release this autumn of 2026, whilst the next instalment, 'The Sky', is slated for the coming years. Hamish enjoys a fruitful partnership with his long-time collaborator Duncan Chisholm. He has contributed to two of Duncan’s albums, and Duncan has, of course, lent his support to Hamish’s latest release. The album strikes a balance between tradition and innovation, celebrating Scotland’s rich musical heritage whilst transcending boundaries through techniques drawn from jazz, classical and modern music.
Focusing on the mountains and hills that feed the River Spey, the album evokes the wind, drawing inspiration from the Highlands, its wildlife and the living traditions of this region with its undeniable charm. Both a heritage project and a musical album, 'The Hill' is accompanied by a richly illustrated 36-page booklet that highlights the region’s specific vocabulary, as well as 70 local Gaelic terms for hills and other place names, and the heritage associated with them. The twenty tracks are titled Wind, Water, Arctic, Crag, Moor, Foothills, Glens, Faeries… and a few songs pop up here and there.
A great many musicians have joined the project, including Duncan Chisholm, of course, but also Iain MacFarlane, Ross Ainslie, Ewan Robertson, a string quartet and around twenty others whose names I cannot list in full.
Once again, the talented musician Hamish Napier has set the bar very high, treating us to nearly 80 minutes of pure joy.
Strathspey Records SRCD05 - www.hamishnapier.com