With a name aptly deriving from the old Irish for a grand master of a skill, the olllam is a Transatlantic collective of formidable talent, marrying stunning instrumental virtuosity, Irish tradition, and Detroit’s post-rock psych-sensibility. Their genre-defying compositions are lush with cyclical trance-like melodies, co-written by Belfast uilleann piper/whistle player John McSherry, his US protégé Tyler Duncan, and master-drummer Michael Shimmin, whose intricate, often complex, rhythms are then underpinned in recording by the phenomenal bass-playing genius of Joe Dart. Their 2012 eponymous debut album is now considered something of a cult classic, winning the 2012 Indie Acoustic Music Award for Best Instrumental Album.
Over the years the olllam has toured as a live collective augmented by additional master musicians and collaborators, including Dart’s Vulfpeck bandmates Theo Katzman and Woody Goss. Since the recording and release of 2022’s long-awaited follow-up album 'elllegy', which saw the olllam named as RTE Radio Best Group at that year’s Folk Awards, the band has featured Seán O'Mearaon guitar and Joe Hettinga on keys.
2024 marked an exciting change for the olllam as they welcomed renowned Scottish musician Ross Ainslie (Whistles, bagpipes) to the lineup, replacing founding member Tyler Duncan for live shows. Ainslie, known for his work with Treacherous Orchestra and Salsa Celtica, brings his distinct whistle-playing to the band, enhancing the already intricate interplay of long, cyclical melodies for which the olllam is famous
MÚLÚ (Miadhachlughain O’Donnell) is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Castlewellan, Co. Down. A fluent Irish speaker with a passion for curating and performing songs in her native tongue, she is dedicated to upholding the sean-nós tradition while fusing her own signature sound with Irish folk music. Her love and dedication to music began at the age of 10 when she began playing the flute, becoming an all-Ireland champion a few short years later at the age of 15. The flute is still integral to Múlú’s music today as she draws inspiration from both the Irish and Breton tradition. She accompanies her voice with the mesmerising drone sounds of the shruti box – an Indian instrument similar to the harmonium.
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