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Flook’s latest album, “Sanju” is officially released on CD, vinyl, and digital on Flatfish Records on March 21, 2025. The word “Sanju” is Japanese for “30,” which is fitting as this year marks the band’s 30th anniversary of their formation. The album was recorded over a period of three days.
The band was formed in 1995 and is an Anglo-Irish band. Over the years, Flook has undergone personnel changes, but the current lineup has been together for a while. They have released four previous albums that have broken the mold of what Irish music can be. Sanju is the band’s fifth studio album.
“Sanju” was produced, engineered, and mixed by Stevie J. Jones and John Calvert. It was mastered by Kevin Tuffy at Tuff Mastering in Berlin. On the album, Brian Finnegan plays whistle and wooden flute. Sarah Allen plays alto flute, Ed Boyd plays acoustic guitar, and John Joe Kelly plays bodhrán.
All of the songs on “Sanju” are Flook’s original compositions. Although the songs are all instrumental, they all have meaning behind them. “The Farther Shore/Winter Flower” encompasses the feel of the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland’s western coast and the idea of love. Other topics represented include the war in Ukraine, battling cancer and other adversaries, and the joy of summer.
The album starts out with “The Farther Shore/Winter Flower.” It is a bit more mellow but is a beautiful start and a great way to start the album. Listeners are immediately transported to Ireland’s shores and are taken on a musical journey like no other. Listeners can picture the ocean tides and have a feeling of love rising within them.
In my experience, Irish music can go from joyful celebration to mourning and difficult situations, and this album is an excellent depiction of this. It is an instant classic for Irish (and Celtic) instrumental music. The variety of topics represented, even in instrumental music, is impressive. Listeners are drawn to Celtic music because of the stories, and Sanju has jammed lots of stories into a small package. There is truly something for every Celtic music lover in these five songs.
While there are only five songs on this album, this is all the album needed. It is difficult to tell such poignant stories within a few songs and be able to do so concisely. Flook has accomplished this with “Sanju.” The end of the album feels like a good ending point without leaving listeners on a cliffhanger. It leaves the listener wanting to go check out Flook’s other music, but the album itself is complete with just these five songs.
Overall, this album is gorgeous. While the songs are a bit more mellow than some of Flook’s other material, they represent a maturity the band has gained over the past 30 years. These songs have meaning behind them and represent something beyond the individual self. However, there are moments of fun and upbeat tempos. The album is complete with just five songs, with Flook packing a lot of stories into just a few songs. The album is satisfying and an instant classic in the Celtic music world. It truly encompasses Flook’s journey over the past 30 years and leaves listeners looking forward to what is coming for the future of the band.
Track List:
1. The Farther Shore / Winter Flower
2. Jig For Sham / The Dawn Wall / Johnny D’s / Timewaver
3. Koady / The Burning Lion
4. Tie The Knot In Georgia / Ed's Big Five-O / Faqqua
5. Where There Is Light / The May Waterway / Ninety Years Young
(Photo by Eddie Kavanagh)
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