They are contemporaries of fellow Celtic artists Enya and Clannad; however, Iona's works are also influenced heavily by jazz-fusion, prog-rock and ancient Christian themes.
For Iona's 1990 debut album, the band added: drummer Terl Bryant, bassist Nick Beggs (former bassist of Kajagoogoo) and several studio musicians -- Fiona Davidson (Celtic harp), Peter Whitfield (strings), Troy Donockley (Uillean pipes) and Frank Van Essen (tuned percussion). The self-titled album received very little press, even in their home country, though a Dutch network compiled a documentary based on Iona, the band and the island.
Two years later, Iona returned with "Book of Kells", and the album was praised by North American critics
as well as those of the British Isles. David Fitzgerald left in 1992 to pursue a degree in music and, as a result, Iona lost much of its jazz influences by the following year's Beyond These Shores. The group made up for Fitzgerald's absence, however, by inviting Robert Fripp to guest on the album. Both albums also featured former Kajagoogoo bassist/stickist Nick Beggs. A contract with England's Alliance Music led to "Journey into the Morn"; the album was released in 1996 in the U.S. and Canada, and was listed among the top five folk albums in Q Magazine's Year End Review. "Heaven's Bright Sun", a live album, came the following year, then "Woven Cord" in 2000, and "Open Sky" in 2001.
Their latest release, new to 2007, is called "The Circling Hour".
iona has been a Leipzig, Germany based postrock-band from 2005-2010 that now reemerges as The Yuki Rush. https://ionanoise.bandcamp.com/album/a-noise
There is also a Romanian experimental / hip hop band who also go by the name "Iona",
And The Angels Dance
Iona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The pure desire for cleansing love
And a prayer for His healing touch
Any of these and the angels dance
And the angels dance
And the angels dance
Carried high to a realm of light
Wings that brush the air with motion
Soft as breath - when the angels dance
Hidden treasure in the waiting earth
Brought to life again, to dance like children
Free to feel again the warmth of heaven
Into love, and the angels dance
And the angels dance
And the angels dance
Spinning round in a blaze of colour
Carried high to a realm of light
Wings that brush the air with motion
Soft as breath - when the angels dance
The song "And The Angels Dance" by Iona is a beautiful piece that speaks about the power of repentance, healing, and renewal that comes through divine intervention. The lyrics convey a sincere confession from a heart that longs for purity and the touch of God's healing love. It is a prayer that asks for the grace to experience the dance of the angels that signifies spiritual deliverance and joy.
The phrase, "any of these, and the angels dance," emphasizes that when we seek God's forgiveness and healing, we open ourselves to a realm of light and beauty where the angels dance. The description of the angels' dance as spinning around in a blaze of color and motion of wings that brush the air is a metaphor for the freedom, joy, and grace that we experience when we let go of our burdens and surrender to God's love.
The lines, "Hidden treasure in the waiting earth/Brought to life again, to dance like children/Free to feel again the warmth of heaven/Into love and the angels dance," are a beautiful depiction of the redemptive power of God's love that resurrects the dormant beauty within us, enabling us to dance with freedom and joy like children. In essence, "And The Angels Dance" is a song that expresses a deep desire for spiritual renewal and the grace to experience the dance of the angels.
Line by Line Meaning
True confession from a heart that seeks
Honest admission from a person searching for truth
The pure desire for cleansing love
An earnest yearning for purifying affection
And a prayer for His healing touch
Requesting for divine intervention in order to be healed
Any of these and the angels dance
Angel's rejoice in any display of pure, sincere devotion
Spinning round in a blaze of colour
Moving in circles, surrounded by vibrant shades
Carried high to a realm of light
Elevated to a sacred domain of radiance
Wings that brush the air with motion
Feathers gently striking the atmosphere with movement
Soft as breath - when the angels dance
As gentle as breathing when the angels grace the dance
Hidden treasure in the waiting earth
A valuable possession concealed within the patient ground
Brought to life again, to dance like children
Revived to be able to move joyfully and playfully like youngsters
Free to feel again the warmth of heaven
Liberated to once more experience the comforting glow of divinity
Into love, and the angels dance
In the embrace of affection, the angels take flight
And the angels dance
The angels rejoice
And the angels dance
The angels celebrate
Spinning round in a blaze of colour
Moving in circles, surrounded by vibrant shades
Carried high to a realm of light
Elevated to a sacred domain of radiance
Wings that brush the air with motion
Feathers gently striking the atmosphere with movement
Soft as breath - when the angels dance
As gentle as breathing when the angels grace the dance
Contributed by Ella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thomasparry3566
great band thanks for the download