(Spit and Polish/ Shoeshine)

Urbanites often dream of escape to an exotic island, usually somewhere in the Caribbean. But Julie Fowlis invites you to dream of her native Uist in the Outer Hebrides with its love stories, betrayals and the power of the sea.

Though Fowlis voices tales of intense rivalries between North Uist and South Uist, she could be singing about Rawlplugs for all we know as she sings in Scottish Gaelic, a language whose beauty she brings to the fore.

The title means secret treasury, and Fowlis has dug up some gems. She collects songs from local schoolmasters and octogenarians, creating something completely new yet as timeless as the island mists.

The journey includes both wild jigs and deeply wistful songs, played by some outstanding musicians, notably fiddler John McCusker and bouzouki player Eamon Doorley. Guest mandolin virtuoso Chis Thile even adds bluegrass to the mix. As for Fowlis, her clarity and dexterity on rapid puirt-a-beul (which translates as 'mouth music') songs would shame all but the most fluid rapper.

On the cover, Fowlis look impossibly fresh-faced - but sometimes we need a break from pale and interesting. So what if everyone in Uist shops at the supermarket and watches X Factor; we can imagine a world of lost innocence among the whistles, fiddles and delightful singing, with perhaps the odd Wicker Man-type pagan sacrifice. The effect is strangely beautiful and utterly charming.

Download: 'Mo Ghruagach Dhonn'