by William CooperIrish vocalist Emer Kenny is essentially a folksinger at heart, but her combination of Celtic music with contemporary techno beats make her sound like a potentially unholy pairing of Clannad with Morcheeba. Surprisingly, her wide range of influences come together as a solid whole on her 2001 release Fades Into Day, the follow-up to her self-titled debut from 1997. Working with producers John Murphy (the Shoes) and Gardner Cole (Madonna, Michael McDonald), Kenny (much like fellow Irish songstress Sinead O'Connor) modernizes the traditional Irish sound by incorporating elements of techno, funk, and worldbeat. This marriage of sounds is made all the more successful by her spooky-yet-engaging vocals and an abundance of strong pop hooks. No sophomore slump here; Fades Into Day is a solid release and should please fans of Celtic, techno, and pure pop alike.