ACID CROFT SINCE 1990
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW
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NEW ALBUM OUT NOW 〰️
“30 years together and still one of the most exciting bands on the scene”
- Billy Rough, Folk Radio UK
Shooglenifty was formed in 1990 by musicians from the Scottish Highlands, Orkney and Edinburgh. Its bright spark was the idea of fusing traditional and traditional-sounding melodies with the beats and basslines of a mixed bag of more contemporary influences. As happy playing a small highland village hall as they are on an outdoor festival stage playing to tens of thousands, the Shoogles (as they’re known to their fans) have promoted Scottish music all over the world for three decades.
In a career spanning many firsts – the first band to incite a stage invasion at the Sydney Opera House, the first UK band to play in Cuba, and the first Scots to perform in the Borneo Rainforest – Shooglenifty blazed a trail that many other top Scottish traditional bands have followed. But they are still the original and best. They will get you on your feet with their electric new tunes and a full-on set of old favourites.
Shooglenifty reached the ripe old age of 30 in 2020. Hopes that they would finally settle down to the quiet life were dashed when they accepted an invitation to start the year in style by performing at midnight for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. The band played gigs in the north of Scotland in February 2020 before all dates for the rest of the year were cancelled, postponed or put on hold due to the Coronvirus pandemic.
Since emerging from the pandemic in 2022, the band have consolidated their amazing new lineup over a headline Scottish tour, two tours of Canada, and dozens of festival and concert appearances across the UK and Europe.
Joining the funky percussion and emotive Gaelic and English vocals of Kaela Rowan, Shooglenifty’s #10 frontline features the virtuosic skills of Eilidh Shaw (The Poozies) on fiddle and Ciarán Ryan (Dallahan / Ciarán Ryan Band) on banjo and mandolin.
Adding to this heady mix is the phenomenal bass and hair of Euan McLaughlin (Valtos / Ann Dansa Dub), who joins founding members James Mackintosh (drums) and the inimitable Malcolm Crosbie (guitar) in the rhythm section. What could possibly go wrong?
Their 10th studio album, Stamina Island, was released on 18th September 2026, and celebrates their 35th year.
“Shooglenifty, self-styled as “Acid Croft”, have the musical wanderlust as well as the rocking electric bottom end to summon their audience to a world ceilidh. ****”
-The Scotsman
Stamina Island is our tenth studio album and the first full record made by the line-up that has grown around the band since the death of our founding fiddler Angus R. Grant in 2016. It is a celebration of endurance, longevity and joie de vivre, and the nine original tracks are full of the vitality and imagination we have always chased.
Every track was written collectively by the six of us, and the album was produced by Andrea Gobbi with the band at GloWorm.
Guests on the record include Gary Finlayson (banjo), David Horne (electric guitar), Mark Crawford (acoustic guitar) and Staffan Lindors (Omnichord).
"…the energy and groove remain unabated." The Scotsman
Tracklist
Up the McFud (6:19)
Dig Deep (5:43)
Sausage Gate (7:34)
Old Pal Aonghas (6:21)
Bairns 'O Gaza (5:54)
Puirt (4:51)
Tronach (5:35)
Airborne (6:16)
Stamina Island (6:42)
Released 18 September 2026 on The Bothy Society. Cat. no. SHOOGLE20260.
Pre-order. Ships by 18 October 2026.
There was a problem with the test pressings, so the vinyl is running behind the CD and digital release. The pressing plant is putting it right now and we expect to ship all pre-orders by 18 October.
Stamina Island is our tenth studio album and the first full record we have made as the line-up that has grown around the band since the death of our founding fiddler Angus R. Grant in 2016. It is a celebration of endurance, longevity and joie de vivre, and the nine original tracks have all the vitality and imagination we have always chased.
The line-up is Kaela Rowan on vocals, percussion and ukulele, Eilidh Shaw on fiddle, Ciarán Ryan on banjo and mandolin, Euan McLaughlin on bass, and founder members James Mackintosh on drums and Malcolm Crosbie on guitar. Every track was written collectively by the six of us, and we made the album with producer Andrea Gobbi at GloWorm.
The cover art, Sea of Tranquillity, is by Scottish artist Ashley Cook, who also painted the cover for Acid Croft Vol. 9.
"...the energy and groove remain unabated." The Scotsman
Side A
Up the McFud
Dig Deep
Sausage Gate
Old Pal Aonghas
Side B
Puirt
Tronach
Airborne
Stamina Island
Released on The Bothy Society, Cat. No. SHOOGLE20260.
SHOP
"An epic, cinematic set ... it moves the spirit as much as the body *****" – Oz Hardwick, RnR Magazine
"A zest and zeal that lives up to their reputation as modernisers of traditional Scottish music ****" – Colin Irwin, Mojo
"If this doesn't rock your ceilidh nothing will ****" – Billy Rough, Songlines
"West Highland musical mayhem" – Alex Monaghan, The Living Tradition
"The magic is brighter than ever" – Johnny Whalley, Folk Radio
"It's just pure dead brilliant" – Liz Lochhead
Shooglenifty's 9th studio album is the first to feature the new permanent line up including Eilidh Shaw on fiddle.
Including tunes and songs by Eilidh, Ewan MacPherson (mandolin), and Kaela Rowan (vocals), the album also includes compositions by Shoogle pals Ian Carr and Tia Files (The Poozies).
Recorded in November 2019 at Watercolour Studios in the Scottish Highlands, Acid Croft Vol 9 was produced by Andy Bell, with assistance from Barry Reid.
Limited edition green vinyl version. Comes with download code.
Side A:
Billy's | Black Dog | Air Chuairt | Caravan Up North
Side B:
Hunting For Angus| Squat Lobster | Brutus | Trams
Band:
Fiddle: Eilidh Shaw | Mandolin: Ewan MacPherson | Banjo: Garry Finlayson | Drums and percussion: James Mackintosh | Vocals: Kaela Rowan | Guitar: Malcolm Crosbie | Bass: Quee MacArthur
