Clannad - Macalla (40th Anniversary Edition)

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Clannad's 1985 album, Macalla (meaning ""Echo"" in Irish), and newly remastered, this ninth studio album became their first international success and marked a significant point in the band's career, showcasing a blend of their traditional Irish folk roots with a more mainstream, pop-influenced sound.

Macalla was a hit, largely thanks to the iconic duet, ""In a Lifetime"", featuring U2's Bono. Bono, already an admirer of Clannad, collaborated with lead singer, Moya Brennan, on this evocative track, which became a significant hit. The collaboration came about through mutual admiration and their shared Irish heritage.

While some long-time fans of their purely traditional folk sound may have found the album's more pop and electronic-influenced production a departure, Macalla is widely considered one of Clannad's strongest and most pivotal albums. It successfully bridged their folk origins with a more contemporary, atmospheric, and new-age influenced sound, appealing to a broader international audience. The album features songs in both English and Irish, including ""Caisleán Óir"" and ""Buachaill Ón Éirne"" sung in their native Gaelic.