A band like a lighthouse? It depends how you look at it. The tiny rocky islet of Skerryvore, with its lighthouse, is the namesake of the Scottish folk-rock band Skerryvore. But anyone who combines Scottish folk with rock and other genres has the makings of a trailblazer in their own right. Don’t you think?

The first impression of Beautiful Mistakes doesn’t shout: “Revolution!” Nor does it shout: “Evolution!” More like: “It fits.” Unhurried, without emphasis, completely natural. And that’s exactly how the music of this folk octet from Glasgow comes across – organic, effortless, approachable.

Skerryvore’s 13 (sic!) original compositions sound familiar, sometimes even as though you’ve heard them before. This is down to the genre and its offshoots, whose frameworks are built on very similar foundations, and experimental playing isn’t what drives Skerryvore either. It’s more a case of expanding the folk genre into a sort of folk fusion.

The up-tempo track Fly darts out of the speakers in just under four minutes, underpinned by a rock-style guitar riff. The Game also features a touch of distorted guitar, though here it’s used for accents, and the whole thing is groovy and laid-back, with bagpipes in the background. In Your Eyes features female backing vocals, and were it not for the prominent fiddle and bagpipes, it would pass for a pop ballad. This approach runs through all the tracks; Beautiful Mistake is straightforward, accessible and a lovely listen.

All of this is presented on a stage whose dimensions would fit even in a pub, allowing for a great deal of closeness and intimacy. The instruments are within reach and the recording is so dense that it’s almost as if you can hear the musicians’ fingertips; yet it remains transparent, clear and everything can be clearly localised.

Beautiful Mistake, Skerryvore’s tenth album in the band’s 20-year history, is a musical and technical delight for the ears. Beautiful? Yes. Mistake? Definitely not! (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Skerryvore