With this album, Sutherland introduced many unorthodox approaches to the band's music, including looped beats, scratching, electro-atmospherics and sampled 'discovered sounds' from industrial clanks and rumbles to snatches of telephone conversation and recorded pelican crossing announcements.

As of 2000, the members of Shooglenifty were Malcolm Crosby on guitar, mandolin and sitar, Angus R Grant on fiddle, Garry Findlayson on banjo and a self-invented electrified instrument he named the "banjax," bassist Conrad Ivitsky, who also performs harmonica and berimbau and the percussionist James Mackintosh, an "all-important drummer in a style that generally is done without drums", credited with "drums, percussion, bass, psaltry, programming and samples".

"[8] An avid sonic experimenter, trying all manner of effects devices and unconventional recording techniques, Sutherland is credited on the album as performing the synthesiser and for programming.

"[7] The album is typical of Sutherland touches, notably including many sampled 'found sounds', such as the Schipol Airport and Bern Railway Station, which are dropped into the mix.

"[2] The album continues the band's self-coined "acid croft" sound, featuring a blend between Scottish Celtic music, various other world styles and contemporary genres such as techno and ambient.

[1] Several critics pointed out an Eastern music influence,[5][3] and another bluegrass,[3] whilst The Chicago Tribune called it a "trippy blend of tradition, psychedelia and instrumental hip-hop.

"[1] The band made liberal use of distortion pedals and effects boxes in addition to pillaging DJ techniques, working in all types of looped beats, scratching, electro-atmospherics and sampled 'discovered sounds' from industrial clanks and rumbles to snatches of telephone conversation and recorded pelican crossing announcements.

[7] George Graham said that the band "is a mostly instrumental group whose members are adept as traditional musicians on fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and even banjo.

But they deliver their music through a battery of electronic devices from distortion boxes to synthesizers to sampling machines that create grooves that would fit in on the dance floor of a rave.

"[5] He said that on Solar Shears, "in general," "it's the kind of album that you can't help but being drawn into, with its irresistibly danceable grooves and sometimes downright wacky combinations of sounds and influences, including some hints of Middle Eastern sensibility.

"[5] Ann Flint of Rambles commented "I was surprised to hear a variety of styles and instruments all jumbled into the music, and all making for an interesting, yet confusing, mix.

"[9] Describing the album as "creatively combining Scottish folk underpinnings with techno and worldbeat, Dave Sleger of Allmusic called it "akin to a modern musical jaunt around the world," where, although the band's homeland Celtic roots are most obvious, hints of Mid-Eastern, Far Eastern, and American bluegrass are evident, with a foundation that alternates between groove-heavy techno or ambient with progressive rock & roll arrangements.

While the music clearly hints at Celtic, the swirl of sounds from the distorted mandolin to the drum loops makes for kind of other-worldly dance groove.

We need to bring their music out from the underground and make it available, at least for some of the more eclectic programs on public radio, so that we can hear, and appreciate the fun and mystery of this most enigmatic group and this CD.

Ironically, as I prepare to send this, for the first time that I can recall since listening to our local public radio station, Shooglenifty had a song being played, and it sounded great.

However it's still the elements of banjo/mandolin dueling with Angus Grant's fine fiddle technique which remain the real musical engine room, and is still one of the most refreshing aspects of their whole approach to recording.

Shooglenifty make music which reaches parts other bands never knew existed…a compelling set dripping with high energy club vibes.

Although there was a lot of creativity shown by engineer/producer Jim Sutherland, sometimes the heavy distortion used on the instruments can reach the point of being a bit irritating, while at other times, the sonic juxtapositions are downright brilliant.

But where undistorted acoustic instruments are heard, they are generally rather clean, and the overall dynamic range of this album is considerably better than one might expect for as concocted a recording a this one.