Described as ‘Ireland’s premiere project choir’, Resurgam make their first commercial recording in collaboration with The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble: a splendid programme of music by Thomas Weelkes, the 400th anniversary of whose death was marked last year.

Opening with the magnificent Alleluia, I heard a voice, Resurgam demonstrate the power and confidence of their ensemble, with bold lower voices and an attractive treble sheen from the sopranos. Their sound has plenty of room in Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton (Stroud), and their stately tempos often reflect this as they take overall a more festive approach than Jeremy Summerly and the Oxford Camerata (Naxos, 7/96), incorporating much instrumental grandeur. Mark Duley likes to lean into false relations with relish, and his pacing of the final cadence is particularly thrilling. There’s a notably rich moment as all voices come together on ‘Salvation and glory’ but the repetitions on ‘and to the lamb for evermore’ are oddly cold compared with Summerly’s phrasing.

There are fine soloists in the Evening Service for Trebles, especially in the witteringly beautiful passage ‘hath holpen his servant Israel’, and listen in the anthem Give the king thy judgments, O God for the verse beginning ‘Behold, O God our defender’. It’s one of the most beautiful moments on the whole album: sheer magic. I’m not quite sure about the trancelike blend on Most mighty and all-knowing Lord, though, which sits at odds with the expressive instrumental playing.

Speaking of which, I must give a big shout-out to The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. I’ve long had a fondness for viol-playing in this repertoire, especially from Fretwork under David Skinner (Obsidian, 7/12, shortlisted for the 2013 Gramophone Awards), but ECSE’s sound, coupled with the perky organ-playing of Silas Wollston, is so rich, warm and expressive that they continually drew my attention. A very welcome addition to the catalogue all round.