Cian Ó Cíobháin has been broadcasting the eclectic spread found on this compilation CD for over ten years now on his An Taobh Tuathail show on RTE in Ireland. It may be one of the best kept secrets in music.

Cíobháin has put together a genre hopping collection to shame the broadcast output of most stations and DJs in this, the third such sampler for his show.

The common denominator is mellowness and this is definitely best listened to very late in the evening.

The mood is set with the opener, Loner Deluxe’s wintry instrumental Frozen Grass, complete with wind howling at the door and icy sounding glockenspiel. Other highlighlights include Rollers/Sparklers minimalist The Evening Station, the warped 60’s sci-fi theme sounding  Loch Raven by Animal Collective and the bleak soundscape of False Memory Syndrome by The Caretaker.

All in all, as soothing a collection of music as you are likely to find, An Taobh Tuathail Vol III will be released in February 2010.

For more information about the show, click here.