NEOMADiC ‘WAVES’ featuring shiv

NEOMADiC

NEOMADiC have released their new single ‘WAVES’ featuring shiv, alongside announcing the release of their EP ‘AFTER DARK’ due to be released this summer. The single ‘WAVES’ sees two of Ireland’s most up and coming acts join forces – with NEOMADiC having been championed by Highsnobiety, The Irish Times and Red Bull as well as making their TV debut on RTE’s Other Voices, while shiv was named by RTE 2FM as one of their Rising Artists for 2021 as well as capturing the attention of the BBC.’WAVES’ is the first release since NEOMADiC’s 2017 debut tape ‘The NEOMADiC Tape’ which caught the attention of the Irish Hip hop scene, resulting in headline slots at festivals such as Electric Picnic and KnockanStockan, as well as support slots with hip/hop legends Souls of Mischief and Pharoah Monch.

‘WAVES’ is a soothing and tranquillising tune brimming with chilled R&B soul, beautiful croons from shiv and delicate arrangements. NEOMADiC deliver precise, sleek rhymes that flow over bubbling beats and soft keys, creating a chilled night time listening experience. As the track drifts upon dreamy melodies and R&B elements, an icy twinkle on keys provides an almost eerie hue to the song, while shiv’s lush vocals add a sweet contrast to the deeper vocals. ‘WAVES’ is a sublime appetiser for the upcoming EP as NEOMADiC display their tight organic and spacious sound in all its glory.

Stream ‘WAVES’ below


Author :Danu

Ben Lazarus ‘Going to the Store’

Capturing the disorienting shift to a new normal of life in the pandemic, ‘Going to the Store’ is the latest single to be released from L.A based artist Ben Lazarus. Started in 2005, this upbeat song was left unfinished until 2020, when Lazarus found himself with time in his life to make music again. Lazarus recently signed to Napier Records, a new label founded by Academy award-winning filmmaker Andrew Napier. A keyboard player since the age of 7, Ben Lazarus has picked up several instruments along the way. Becoming part of numerous garage bands in the San Francisco Bay area, eventually completing the line-up for post-punk band Stunt Monkey. After five years of recording and touring, Lazarus moved to Los Angeles and became a production sound mixer for film and television. Over the next 15 years, he wrote and recorded songs at home while working quietly behind the scenes. 

‘Going to the Store’ is a bright and witty tune laced in Ben Lazarus’ catchy indie rock. The track floats upon a light zesty indie guitar refrain which bounces through the soft beat allowing the clever lyrics become the main focus. Lazarus’ warm vocals nonchalantly discuss how the mundane act of grocery shopping feels treacherous now, due to the pandemic. The track has a sun-kissed indie rock tone with smooth melodies and radiant guitars maintaining the song’s warmth and feathery lightness. With delicate and sprightly instrumentation creating a buoyant lift, ‘Going to the Store’ is an enjoyable listening experience.

Stream ‘Going to the Store’ below 


Author : Danu

A Chat With: Faye O’Rourke of Soda Blonde

Soda Blonde

Soda Blonde have announced the release of their debut album ‘Small Talk’ on July 9th with their new single and title track. I caught up with singer-songwriter Faye O’Rourke to talk about the new single, gaining confidence as a band and within herself, how she crafts her poetic lyrics and how Adam O’Regan is a “multifaceted genius”.

Soda Blonde are honing in on their craft, dropping alternative pop gems with each release. All four band members (O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) are seasoned musicians who have been perfecting their craft since their teens. The result is the Soda Blonde experience. Title track ‘Small Talk’ gives a glimpse at what the album has in store for listeners.

“I thought Small Talk was a very fitting title for the album in general as it’s a very self-aware title. In terms of what it’s about, it’s about loads of things. Initially when we wrote it, when you’re listening to it you think it’s about a dialogue between two people, but it’s also kind of talking about one’s inner dialogue. I think, especially now, in the times that we live, it seems like we’re beholden to one or two scripts. It’s becoming more and more polarised, and a lot of times it’s all talk and no action. So Small Talk just seemed like a very fitting title for the album as a whole and also for the single.”

‘Small Talk’ is a catchy alternative pop tune with a dark undertone, and this is something we see a lot within Soda Blonde’s songs.In fact, it could be what makes them so enticing. Sometimes it’s a deep bass groove, pulsing synth or mystical melody that tantalises the ears and entraps listeners in the band’s mesmerising sound.

“ We always set out to serve the song, and that’s one of the great things about the band and why the music is so diverse. So yeah, I guess there’s a darkness in the lyrics that sometimes, I feel is countered with the music. We’re making music that makes you want to move, but the subject matter can be quite dark. I’m definitely exposing parts of myself through the music that I wouldn’t necessarily do on a daily basis. I’m probably more honest in my music.  I’m exploring parts of myself that I wouldn’t want to discuss with somebody, you know. So I think the music does counter that but also there is a darkness to it as well, I guess, as you said”

I wondered if it was daunting approaching the band with all these very personal, emotional, honest thoughts within her head.

“That’s a good question. No I’m not because we’ve worked together for over 10 years and we’ve been through a lot as teenagers, and we have a very intimate relationship with one another. So No is the answer, I’m well used to it at this point. But I’m still always anxious about their reaction because I respect them so much as musicians and as artists. That’s still a very nerve-racking thing. I’ve gotten better at that over the years. When I was younger I would be kind of shaking because the first time you do expose those feelings is often the most nerve-racking, so I’m probably better at that now. It’s definitely something that I had to get to grips with over the years”

“We’re all very communicative and open. I think a lot of the time, because our lives are so intertwined, they can relate to what I’m talking about or, they understand it. When you expose yourself as a person, I used to see that as being vulnerable or a weakness. I felt like I was giving away parts of myself and I didn’t have anything left for me, but now I’m seeing that as more of a strength because I’m just more comfortable with myself. At the end of the day, it’s me living with myself in my own head. I suppose it’s therapeutic and I feel like I’m achieving a little bit more contentment, in that way. “

Soda Blonde’s music expresses and discusses universal, relatable themes and topics however they also have personal meanings for O’Rourke. A special result of this is fans and listeners can take away something meaningful from the songs. The manner in which O’Rourke crafts her lyrics and how the band creates the backdrop allows listeners to draw their own experience and value out of each track.

“That’s the whole point, especially with this song [Small Talk] in particular and with the album as a whole. I’m never trying to be didactic or tell people how they should live. I think the idea is that people take ownership of it and that’s what makes a good song. That’s what makes it stay with someone forever is If they insert themselves into it and derive their own meanings. So that would be my intention anyway… to open it up to people’s interpretations and for them to find themselves in it”

Catchy melodies seem to be something Soda Blonde are pros at creating. Every song the band releases grabs listeners ears with a bittersweet infectious melody and irresistible hook. I wondered if O’Rourke has a secret recipe to create these and if the melody comes when she is writing the lyrics, or if she writes the lyrics and then puts a melody to it

“I’ve always listened to pop music, and a wide range of everything, I don’t just listen to one genre of music. I think I listen to every genre of music but I don’t go out intending to write a pop jam or something really hooky, it’s just that I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I’m losing myself in it. It’s a subconscious thing and I always make sense of it after I’ve written it, but I feel that’s just my musical sensibility – to write things that are hooky, I guess, I hope.”

“I very rarely do the latter, it’s usually, I’ll sit down at a piano or with a guitar or something and there’ll be one moment or one line or one lyric that presents itself, and that’s usually through the hook or something like that, and then I’m like oh that’s kind of good, I’m a genius for like five minutes and then… my subconscious will begin the exercise, and then my rational self will come in and fill in the blanks after. I think it’s amazing when people can sit down and go, I’m going to write about this and structure out lyrics and then put it to music, that’s an incredible skill, but for me, not saying that I don’t know what I’m going to write about, a lot of times I will know generally what I’m trying to express but in terms of structuring the lyrics, it usually comes out as I’m playing”

O’Rourke is becoming known for her strong and poetic lyrical content. I find there are certain turns of phrase within Soda Blonde’s tracks that hit you when you are listening to them. For example, in ‘Small Talk’, the lyric “Do I suppress everything? Am I just too late to admit that I’m Ignoring myself? “. It’s an honest ponder eloquently expressed in two short lines

“Yeah, I suppose it’s a scary endeavour because I’m relying on something that I don’t have any control over at all and that’s why the guys are such amazing technical musicians. I wouldn’t really describe myself as a very technical musician, I can navigate my way and articulate myself, but musically, it takes me a bit longer because I’m kind of like I know what it’s supposed to feel like, but I can’t remember where this chord is you know. But yeah, that’s the thing, that’s why it is therapeutic and it is spiritual and something that I’m very grateful to be able to do because I didn’t train to do this, I didn’t go to college to do this, it was just something that I was always able to do so, I respect that process. I certainly do structure after. There’s a few parts that come that way but I definitely do sit down and crack the whip and, as you say, the rational brain comes in and structures it in a way that,  for me it should feel complete. It has to have a start, middle and end, and there has to be some kind of hard-hitting conclusion for me with songwriting”

Soda Blonde have been playing together since their early teens, with their previous band – the internationally renowned Little Green Cars, whose seminal debut album skyrocketed to number one on the Irish album charts. Soda Blonde stepped in a different direction to Little Green Cars. There is a more indie-folk sound that is enhanced by impressive synth-pop elements and 80’s influences within Soda Blonde. However, this wasn’t a surprise decision.

“Oh no, it definitely wasn’t we’ll give it a go and see what happens. It was kind of like, this is the only thing that I feel we’re geared towards doing and the vehicle of Soda Blonde has been just so rewarding because we can take control of things that we couldn’t do before. Little Green Cars was winding down quite gradually. I think people just see it as one big announcement and I think a lot of people were surprised by how quickly Soda Blonde emerged after that. But it had always been there, certainly for me in some capacity. These songs, they go back a couple years, they weren’t just all written as soon as we conceived Soda Blonde as such, I had these songs in me for five, six years, some of them. So it’s sort of everything really, you know”.

“Obviously we did have such big success with Little Green Cars and we were so young and everything but I think you understand a bit more in hindsight about, where and why those things happen and we were a great band and I think we’re as good a band, as we were then. It’s a different thing. I see them as two different things and Little Green Cars will always be a huge part of me, it’s all of my reference points. I grew up in that band. I do see it as one journey of my life, and I would love to have as much instantaneous success but that can also be against you in a way, I think when you’re working against hype. It’s quite difficult. I think that was kind of an invaluable experience because I understand it now. I understand the hype machine thing and how volatile things are. It’s a very volatile industry and you just have to be able to put your head down and make the things you want to make and push on. So, I don’t think there’s pressure for me necessarily to achieve the same things. I just believe that we will get there, whether it’s fast or slow, doesn’t really matter. I think I’m happier and more secure in myself with this debut. I was a nervous emotional wreck when the band started when we were teenagers and it was hard to enjoy it. Because you just felt like you were an imposter. You felt like you didn’t know where you were, what you’re doing, what you were supposed to say. I remember playing Coachella, when we were 19 or 20 and looking at other massive acts, going, I don’t look like that, I don’t wear those clothes, do I belong here? Do I even fit in here? and I feel that’s all part of being a teenager and part of growing up.I think this time around, I feel very confident and we love our music and we love each other so you know, come what may type of thing.”

The band create a musically rich and diverse sound, with each member injecting their own unique flair and musical talent into the songs to create ambient and gripping soundscapes. From bassist Donagh Seaver O’Leary’s swaggered elastic grooves and Dylan Lynch’s dynamic drumming coaxing you to bop and groove to Adam O’Regan’s virtuoso guitar, the band are the dream team musicians. However, one striking and instantly recognisable aspect of Soda Blonde is O’Rourke’s vocals. She has a wonderful command and ability to create emotion through her vocals.

“I always loved singing, it was always a big part of my life, since I was really small. I think I lost confidence when we were in Little Green Cars a little bit because I was very tense, and over the years I’ve learned to use my voice with a bit more diversity. I was always singing very loud and I’m kind of a belter, that was part of the expression, it was kind of like the pain was coming out through the vocal and through how I was singing, whereas now I can use my voice in different ways. I respect it more as an instrument. I feel I’m more connected with it, if that makes sense…that’s why, when I’m writing I can feel there’s a good version of that song just with me and the piano, or me and the guitar, and I think that’s going back to the songwriting thing, like the standards, it has to be a stand alone thing without all the arranging, it has to sound good with just my voice and one instrument.”

Soda Blonde have an Irish and UK tour starting in August. The prospect of live shows has been a pipe dream as of late due to covid, but the notion that live gigs could come back soon is an exciting prospect for artists.

“ Yeah, I just don’t know how I’m gonna feel, for me, this is life now, because musicians and artists were the first things to go and they’ll be the last to come back. I’ve just come to terms with this new world that we live in, in a way. And we’ve been doing so much visual work, and putting a lot of focus and energy into making visuals, yeah I’m just so excited to do something with people. All the live streams are an opportunity to do something different…but yeah the prospect of actually feeling the audience is just, it’s essential. It is essential to the creative process because a lot of it is so introverted and you’re using emotions that maybe people don’t want to use on a regular basis or in their day to day so the payoff of that process is sharing it and getting that audience connection. So I think it’s been a challenging time for artists in general, because they don’t have that other side of the coin”

Soda Blonde’s ‘Love Me World’ live stream was a real treat, with the band providing a unique and mesmerising visual as well as a standout performance. They made the most of this live stream freedom using various lighting effects to create a dazzling and atmospheric ambience to enhance their enticing alternative pop. Each song moved like a scene from a movie and added depth and perspective to their performance.

“They were what was getting us all through lockdown, and it was really great. I think there was that moment when that was kind of bringing everybody together and especially in the music community everyone was watching each other’s live streams and it was great, but at the same time, we wanted to do something that was next level. It was challenging though. We had no budget,  it was just us and two of our friends helping us out, there was no big massive crew, it was just what we could muster. But it was great. I’m really proud of it.”

“Adam and I are big film buffs, but particularly Adam. Since we were kids, he was recording our music and engineering it, I mean like from the age of 15. He directs and the two of us conceptualise but he mainly directs everything that we do so, he’s a multifaceted genius man. He really is our secret weapon when it comes to all that kind of stuff. It’s great, I love being able to explore different mediums, not just music, we’ve learned so much in the last year about so many different things, because we’ve had to”

For me, the unreleased track ‘In The Heat of the Night’ was my favourite from the live stream and I asked O’Rourke if there would be any more singles released before the album in the hope she would satisfy my craving to hear the song again

“Yes, we will have another single out in a few weeks, it’s called ‘In the Heat of the Night’’.

O’Rourke has experienced different aspects of the music industry, from the hype of Little Green Cars and the time of A&R’s to the fast-paced music consumption of modern streaming. I wondered if she had any advice for anyone who wanted to start a career in music.

“You just have to do it for you first of all, and it’s true now more than ever that you have to be able to rely on yourself a great deal, that would be my advice. I don’t think it’s one of these things where it’s like never stop working and you know you got to get your head down and just, be at the grindstone, but liking music, always exploring, looking at other artists, watching as many films, reading as many books and just living your life. I think experiencing life is one of the greatest tools for creating. Just get yourself out there. The landscape has changed so much since we started. When we started, there was A&R guys coming over and somebody did your social media and there was more people in these kind of industry jobs, whereas now it seems, everybody does everything themselves, you have to be able to do multiple different jobs now, so it’s harder in a way, but it’s also great because there’s more of a platform for people at a starting out level to get their music out there. But I think it’s just about meeting people and meeting people that you want to work with and just making connections and having relationships with people”.

“ I don’t have a thick skin, I’m an emotional wreck so if I can do it, anyone can do it, don’t think too much. Just do it, don’t think too much about it. Don’t analyse it, just keep making stuff”

‘Small Talk’ is a masterful tune and an intoxicating appetizer to Soda Blonde’s debut album. This band’s talent knows no bounds. Looking forward to the album.

Stream ‘Small Talk’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie Quick Picks Featuring 1000 Beasts, Alex Tierney, Deva St. John, JaYne and Scenes From A Break

1000 Beasts

Genre : Electropop

Bio : 1000 Beasts is the alias of Cian Sweeney, an Irish producer/artist who collaborates with different artists on every track (they are the “beasts” behind the name) to make soulful, indie pop & hip hop inspired tracks. His debut EP “On A Different Page” was released in July 2020 through Unity Group (Paris) followed by the runaway success of his remixes for Elaine Malone (You), Joshua Burnside (Noa Mercier) & Pollena (The Pool). 2021 will see 1000 Beasts release his debut album. ‘For You & I’ is the first release from 1000 Beasts upcoming debut album, due out later in 2021. The track sees the return of past collaborator Alex Tierney.

Track: ‘For You & I

Why We Like It: Boasting subtle melodies and moments of elegance that are injected into a vast pool of building electronics, ‘For You & I’ is a well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable tune. This laid back, R&B hued, alternative pop number has a smooth melody that flows over bubbling rhythms and ethereal electronics. The track pivots around the intricate beats as they slap, ripple and pulse while wispy synths create a brooding expansive soundscape. The track is fluid and chilled, with Tierney’s smooth vocals oozing soulful tones.

You can follow 1000 Beasts and Alex Tierney here 

https://www.facebook.com/1000Beasts/

https://www.instagram.com/alextierneymusic/

Stream ‘For You & I’ below

Deva St. John

Genre : Indie rock

Bio : Born in London to American parents and raised in Berkshire, Deva St. John’s sound harbours a true sense of trans-Atlanticism. Bridging the gap between the sleaze and swagger of ’70s British rock and its much more contemporary American counterpart. 

Track: Preacher

Why We Like It: ‘Preacher’ swarms in on a blaze of mighty rock n’ roll as Deva uses scorching instrumentation, powerful vocals and infectious hooks to create one hyper anthem. Featuring a rapid drum assault, resounding guitar shrills and relentless bass grooves, the track is lean, mean and ready to batter your ears with raw rock goodness. This adrenaline-inducing slap of fury showcases intense haunting verses and an enjoyable explosive chorus which creates that energetic mosh ready wall of sound sure to ignite a live audience.

You can follow Deva St. John on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/dayvasaintjohn/

Stream ‘Preacher’ below 

JaYne

Genre : Singer songwriter

Bio : JaYne is an Irish production-based songstress drawing a well of inspiration from experiences and observations on life, love, politics, travel and her home town of Limerick in the west of Ireland.

Track: Ego

Why We Like It:  Peppered with soul, jazz and R&B elements ‘Ego’ is a lush and sumptuous new tune from JaYne. With warm saxophone glowing between a bubbling groove on double bass and soft drum beats, the track exudes vaporous melodies, seductive harmonies, and sultry instrumentation. JaYne’s soulful vocals coo and lull over poignant lyrics, which discuss modern dating and sex culture in an age driven by social media and social status. ‘Ego’ is a beautifully crafted and refined new single.

You can follow JaYne on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jayne_music_/

Stream ‘Ego’ below

Scenes From A Break

Genre : Indie Pop

Bio :  Scenes From A Break is a collaborative project between songwriter/producer Luke Foley and singer/ songwriter Sally Ó Dúnlaing, who has spent the last number of years releasing music under the moniker of ÓDÚ and has previously been playlisted on RTE Radio 1, added to Spotify’s New Pop Revolution playlist, as well as being chosen as 2FM’s Record Of The Week.

Track: Silly Little Games

Why We Like It: Filled with light melodies and charming instrumentation, ‘Silly Little Games’ is an ethereal slice of indie-pop. Boasting lush harmonies, catchy chorus and a delicately weaved backdrop, it’s a soothing tune. The track flows upon a dreamy melody while twinkling keys and glittering guitar provide a soft radiance allowing the supple drums and rich percussion to provide the songs bounce and texture. Doused in airy tones and 80’s keys, ‘Silly Little Games’ is a sweet and tender new single.

You can Follow Scenes From A Break on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/scenesfromabreak/

Stream ‘Silly Little Games’ below 

You Can Follow Our Indie Quick Picks Below


Author : Danu

Pete Mac ‘Escape’ feat. Lisa Papineau

‘Escape’ is the latest solo single by Cork singer/ songwriter Pete Mac. Featuring the guest vocals of iconic musician/ artist Lisa Papineau. The track was written during the Covid lockdown period with Pete experimenting with different sounds. The track’s theme is about escaping into a world within a world.

Enveloped in dark melodious alternative rock, ‘Escape’ is a thrilling and passionate new single from Pete Mac. The song exudes an epic soundscape as Pete drapes a bittersweet melody in cinematic instrumentation. Dark, thumping beats and airy twinkles on guitars brood and simmer with eerie, shadowy tones before the chorus erupts with dramatic energy and grunge melodies. The building sonics create tension and shiver-inducing goosebumps while Pete’s rasped vocals surge with emotion. Lisa’s sweet vocals haunt through the song, creating a ghostly and ethereal contrast to the explosive instrumentation as it reaches a dynamic crescendo. ‘Escape’ is a powerful and expressive song that displays Pete Mac at his most compelling to date.

Stream ‘Escape’ here https://paradoxgrunge.bandcamp.com/track/escape


Author : Danu

Lautaro De Gobbi ‘El Valle’

A call to action to create a better future, ‘El Valle’ is the brand new single to come from Argentinian Punk Rocker Lautaro De Gobbi. After studying music at a conservatoire, Lautaro De Gobbi began his musical journey as a producer, helping bands to reach their potential. Discovering that he had a lot to contribute himself, Lautaro De Gobbi started making his own music at his home studio. Inspired by the closing of open-pit mining in his home region of Patagonia, ‘El Valle’ expresses the anger of seeing cultural heritage land being sold at a low price for mining and deforestation. 

‘El Valle’ is a dark track brimming with Lautaro De Gobbi’s raw alternative rock and refined musicianship. Lautaro spreads fuzzed guitar riffs over a tense drum foundation and dark soundscape to create a heavy wall of sound. With deep vocals and luring melodies entwined in intoxicating sounds, the track is a lean, mean slap of rock. As the guitars meander between distorted fuzz and slick desert-esque refrains, the track spirals into its edgy crescendo. Well crafted and tightly produced ‘El Valle’ is a compelling new single from Lautaro De Gobbi.

Stream ‘El Valle’ below 


Author : Danu

Barney ‘Le Vaudreuil’

Celebrating and reflecting on Britain and France’s cultural ties, ‘Le Vaudreuil’ is the latest single released by local Cambridgeshire singer-songwriter Barney. This is the fully-fledged version of a melody composed initially to mark the 20th anniversary of a local, Anglo-French Twin Town collaboration. On the musical side of things, Barney’s ‘other half’ is Barrie, who would usually take on the role of the lead vocalist as well as being responsible for instrumentation, production and recording. However, on this occasion Barney, having in his words ‘marginally the better French accent’ took the microphone himself.

Featuring elegant strings, soft beats and warm guitars, ‘Le Vaudreuil’ flows upon a supple bed of earthy light instrumentation while Barney’s smooth vocals caress the dreamy melody. The folk- esque melody teamed with reverb laced vocals gives the track an otherworldly ambience. Teaming swoon-worthy tones with heartfelt melodies, ‘Le Vaudreuil’ is a beautiful and compelling tune from Barney.

Stream ‘Le Vaudreuil’ below 


Author : Danu

nicha ‘saltwater song’

Photo Credit : Nathan Magee

nicha has released her new single, ‘saltwater song’. nicha (also known as Lucy Robinson) is a 23-year-old Northern Irish native, born and raised in Holywood, Co. Down. In July 2020, nicha took the scene by storm with her debut single ‘Devices’ – a song about our society being addicted to our phones. She has already been critically acclaimed by some big names, drawing attention from BBC Radio Ulster’s Stephen McCauley, RTE 2 FM’s Dan Hegarty, RTE 2XM, and more.

Cascading with delicate electronics, supple melodies and soothing vocals, nicha presents her deft songwriting and musical talent within ‘saltwater song’. nicha’s ability to layer and enrich her songs with unique sounds never ceases to impress. Within ‘saltwater song’, she unfolds lush melodies and ethereal soundscapes into a bedding of earthy elements and Asian influence to create a soothing and compelling tune. With eerie harmonies contrasting the pacifying warmth of her soulful vocals, the track ventures from a mellow lounge tune to a psychedelic mind melter with ease. This rich and diverse sound is why nicha has become a mesmerising artist to admire. There are no boundaries, no confines or genre rule she won’t bend to create a beautifully lush and captivating tune to indulge in. nicha is a talent to treasure.

About the song, nicha says…“saltwater song is liberating and empowering. It tells the story of someone who is struggling to overcome personal issues such as a bad relationship, addiction or an unhealthy habit. Weighted by these issues, they are unable to become their best self or reach their full potential. The lyrics of saltwater song express the passing of time and the fear of being swept up in distraction and forgetting where you are meant to be going. The music reflects this as well through a wash of melodies and dreamy instrumentals.”

Stream ‘saltwater song’ below


Author : Danu

Forty Foot ‘Zeros’

Following the release of their debut track ‘Drugs’, Dublin grunge band Forty Foot are back with their second track, ‘Zeros’. The band formed in 2019 following a friend and previous collaborator’s sudden death, with much of their initial work written and inspired by the bands’ loss. ‘Zeros’ expresses feelings of sadness, empathy, vulnerability and how people come together at a time of loss. 

Smothered in an intoxicating 90’s grunge soundscape, ‘Zeros’ surges with Forty Foot’s raw and passionate musicianship. The track is driven by a relentless drum rumble and rooted bass that boils and bubbles beneath a rasped eerie vocal line while a moody melody drifts upon a heavy backdrop of crashing guitars and mammoth rhythms. The contrasting elements within the song is a powerful stimulant to the senses as the band balances tender emotion with torrential instrumentation to create an intense tune for the listener to indulge in. The sombre lyrics display the band’s deft songwriting ability and is greatly enhanced by the tracks shredding wall of sound, ” Today, bury our coat of arms to, Hold on to it. She stands wasted, under armed to, Hold on to it”. ‘Zeros’ is a mosh ready grunge rock anthem that boasts Forty Foot’s talent and musical prowess. Keep an eye on these guys.

Stream ‘Zeros’ below


Author : Danu

A Chat With : Rory & The Island

Irish singer-songwriter Rory & The Island has released the video for his brand new single ‘Miss This’. ‘Miss This’ explores the basic little joys we all miss during this crazy COVID situation and has become a firm favourite during Rory & The Island’s successful weekly Facebook Live broadcasts. I caught up with Rory to discuss the new single, his live broadcasts and the exciting prospect of live shows later in the year.

As Rory was “having a bit of a meltdown trying to get Weetabix out of a table” which was delightfully “mixed in with Crayola and milk” we talked about ‘Miss This’ and its slightly different shift in tone compared with his previous release ‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla)’. With its subdued instrumentation, the song creates a warm ambient atmosphere. Obviously, the lockdowns due to covid sparked the inspiration for the song, but I wondered was it Rory’s personal experience that made him write. ‘Miss This’ or was it seeing other people struggling.

“Probably a bit of both, we just got old clips of me playing live gigs and merged it in with myself and the kids around the sitting room. It’s just the contrast of lockdown as opposed to being able to go out and play in front of a live audience and even just put in some footage of when I used to go and watch a Donegal game and just the contrast of that. That was the thought running through my head but it’s so weird, when I put the video together, I have to be honest and it might be because of my age, but it looks like it’s a midlife crisis. It’s almost like a pining for your youth. I try not to make it too sentimental either. There’s a positivity, as you say – it’s melodious and rich. I went for that because I didn’t want to do another sob story of the pandemic. It’s the kind of song that maybe in eight years, I would hope, that you could listen to it and it’s still this song about reflecting on good times, it could be about a missing friend or missing some days that you had when you were younger with your family, but I’d like to think that it’s positive, you know it’s not got bitterness to it. “

It’s easy to accept and get used to the “new normal”, but when I heard ‘Miss This’ for the first time, it hit me hard. Everything we are missing just came flooding back, and it does every time I hear the song. It’s the perfect little reminder of all we have lost without being sad. Instead, it’s wonderfully nostalgic. Rory seems to have captured a sense of history in the track, yet it has a timeless feel.

“Even just buying a glass of wine during the day and sitting down at a cafe or two friends just getting a couple of cans and sitting on the beach on holiday. That can’t be done anymore and it’s hard to get your head around that. You would never have thought that was a big freedom”

“ I wrote it in like nine or 10 minutes, and that’s the same with, ‘Wired To The Moon’ and ‘Valhalla’ [‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla)]  that kind of stuff connects well with people. Even with The Revs, we used to find that the stuff that we would spend three hours on would come out better than stuff we spent three weeks on. It’s really weird. So I just basically scribbled down on an A4 – sitting down for coffee in a restaurant, simply sitting down with a friend, having a conversation with a beer – you know, little basic things like going to a football match. I just wrote down about 10 things and then just started playing, the little old fashioned four chord rotation which is like a 1950s rotation really. It would be from ‘Blue Moon’, or ‘Stand By Me’ it’s just one of the classic chord formations. It’s kind of like that Bruce Springsteen thing of, can I get something really basic really quick? with a couple of chords. And sometimes, nine times out of 10 you can’t get that because after 20 minutes you do something that sounds like 20 other songs and it’s going nowhere and it’s not even interesting to me. But with this one, that was one of those where I was like wow! you know, the hair stands up a little bit on your arm. After five minutes, you know that you have a song almost complete which is so weird. “

This emotional and sweet sentiment that ‘Miss This’ summons within the listener makes you think of the live setting and how special this song will be live. It’s going to be a teary song with swaying and hugs when Rory finally gets to play it in a venue for the first time.

“This week I put out tickets for three gigs and the Glasgow one is almost sold out already and it’ll be 200 people upstairs at Malone’s in Glasgow, which is a lovely gig, it’s an Irish venue in Glasgow. Just the thought of being able to walk out with an acoustic guitar and kick drum and start off with that song. It’s exactly what you’re saying. It’s just going to have a totally different resonance. You could almost add an “ed”  at the end you know “I missed this”. For people that have been locked up for all these months to get that little release. Though August is still ages away and who’s to say there won’t be some variant from Mars or Venus to throw another spanner in the works but yeah that’s one of those songs that I think is going to work really well live. It was really hard to record it. I said to Josh who would do the co-production with me, he’s a friend of mine from Rock School in Ballyfermot. We went there in the late 90s and to be able to meet up again years later is mad. He has a recording studio in Yorkshire, that’s where I do all my stuff, it’s such a nice studio it’d be like Abbey Road quality.So I sat down and I just said this one I want it to be acoustic guitar, tambourine, vocal, and it’s just got that broken down at a festival type song. So we put that down first and after two and a half minutes we thought there’s something dull about this and we didn’t want to make it sound overproduced so we added a little bit of kick drum which is natural anyway because I use a kick drum, and then I thought there’s still something. It was so tricky. We’d say ok let’s try a string section, you put that in and all of a sudden you go, well it’s missing drums and bass now so let’s take that out. It was getting to the point where it was 10 o’clock at night and we’re going, Holy sh*t. It was so annoying because sometimes when you’re trying to find simplicity, like if you listen to certain songs that you would think they’re really simple, you realize there’s about seven overdubs in the background that are just making it glorious and that’s what we really struggled with so we managed to slice it down to moments of piano, moments of strings, kick drum, bass guitar subtly underneath the acoustic in the background and tambourine and harmony. But for the first two minutes of the song it’s really just the guitar, vocal, that you would hear. So,it was really tricky. The other song I did, ‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla), I flew through that much quicker because I knew it was going to be that kind of Neil Young, Meat Puppets type thing. I could hear the drum pattern, the bass pattern, the guitar pattern. So this one was a bit of a panic in the studio and I actually thought that we had blown it. When I got the mix back. I was like, I don’t even know if this is gonna get played on the radio. It sounds weird, you know, but yeah it’s going good so far”

Rory’s previous single, ‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla),’ reached Number 1 in early November 2020, and it kept Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, and Dermot Kennedy off the top spot for the weekend. He admits this success put a little pressure on the singer-songwriter as he approached his next release.

“I know yeah, it actually gave this one a bit of pressure, it was like oh my god, the last one went to number one if this goes to number six everybody’s gonna slag me oh you’re not as popular as you were in November. All these stupid things go through your head. So I was glad that it did go to number one for a day. “

Rory’s weekly Facebook Live broadcasts have built up something of a cult following with an average of 30,000 weekly views over the past year. These fun-filled nights of great tunes, fantastic originals and mighty covers have cheered people up and given them something to look forward to each week. There is a little community here, as Rory gives shoutouts, birthday wishes and requests. Along with his cheery and fun persona, there is something extremely charming about these live streams.

“Yeah, it’s been amazing, I suppose the only thing is that there’ll be a slight songwriter artistic guilt within me because when I started off I wanted to give it a real feelgood factor so I was taking requests, so I’m playing all this stuff, and I wouldn’t normally have a lot of it in my set, you know, but the fact that it was a keeping the spirits of the people up type vibe, it almost felt like well, if they’re feeling good, I’m serving a purpose this year. After all that time now it’s really hard to pull back and go, Okay, well I’ve done loads of cover versions now I want to do 90% of my own set which is kind of a dilemma but I think I’m gonna have to do it. I’m gonna have to shake off the people that are just watching it for, you know, having like 20 cans, and singing along with the screen.  That’s the one thing I’ve found a little bit tricky, just judging Facebook. As you say people tune in / tune out so much you would keep it more upbeat, more commercial than you probably would. It’s a weird line that you have to tread.”.

If anyone is looking for a short pick me up, they need to check out Rory’s 2021 Song on Facebook. It’s a catchy, cheeky ditty that will stick in your head for days.

That actually went viral, a few of them have gone viral like the one I did for Meghan and Harry. But I think if you’re clever and you make sure there’s just no narrow-minded malintent behind any lyric it will connect with enough people. You trust that people might be on the same wavelength as yourself. In the past, Ricky Gervais seemed so dark and rude but at the same time, he didn’t. It was the same with Steve Coogan, there was almost this, taking the p*ss out of himself type thing. It works you know, and I don’t like cheesy writing, I don’t like sentimental writing, but at the same time, I don’t like just rude for the sake of being rude. I like to have it with a bit of thought behind it, I think that’s connected with some of the more silly stuff that I’ve done”

Thankfully these live streams won’t come to an instant halt when the live shows return. Rory plans to keep them going as long as people want to see them.

“For me. Yeah, because I’ve built up a lot of fans that would be in the vulnerable type class, you know they’re like oh my god I can’t really buy tickets to your live gigs, because I feel too nervous or because I’m severely asthmatic and I’m not ready yet, so I just said back to the people until the view figures hit like, 190, 85, then I’ll know it’s time to call it a day and then maybe even if they’re hitting that figure and that’s on a Monday night and seven o’clock and I’m playing all my own stuff, there’s no harm in that. So I think it’s always gonna be there. I think every third week maybe just keep doing Facebook Lives and stay in touch with those people that have been really kind to me for the 13 months. I’m very lucky that I’ve built up a lot of followers in Canada, America, Japan and even Dubai and some random places…like in the Bahamas.”

Rory has been writing a lot over the last year and is hoping to release some more music this year. Along with his live shows booked for later in the summer, he’s got some exciting things planned

“ I’ve been lucky. I’ve had a good spell I’ve written about nine new songs so hopefully if we can get maybe the best 7 of those recorded and then put it with the four I’ve recorded this year. I would like to get a proper digital vinyl out, maybe like 1000 prints in November/ December this year. It’d be a nice way of just gathering all the stuff that I’ve done this year and then maybe not make it pandemic related. I’ve done a lockdown special EP with just a lot of the cover songs that were going down the best, mixed with my own songs and we just did an acoustic CD. Put out like 500 Copy limited edition and that sold which is brilliant. It got me through three months really from the old fashioned CD profits, it was like, 1998 again! So I’ve got an album of stuff ready to go. I just need to get enough days where it’s legal to go to the studio.”

“I think there’s a subconscious thing where people realize that even though we’re all trying to get as much for free as possible, a lot of people,at the end of the day they know artists are only getting maybe like a 90 quid cheque every month from Spotify at the very most if your doing quite well. Whereas if you buy a CD, it should be, when all is said and done, maybe eight euro straight to the artists. So I’m looking at the good side of people and I think that’s what a lot of people are thinking, especially this year. A lot of people even bought the CD and took a photo of the CD in the kitchen saying it ‘arrived today Rory! thanks a million, I don’t have a CD player but you know.’ People are almost doing the artists a favour just because they know it’s been a tough year. I think even indie bands and all that, their Spotify at the end of the year could be 300 Euro. So people will go, you know what, I like this band, I’ve seen them live twice, I’m going to get their vinyl, because it’s something to hold in my hand, and they might actually get some money from it. There’s a much sweeter sound off vinyl and if you have a nice vinyl player in the sitting room, it just looks really cool, if you have a few friends around, put on the vinyl, sit down, the tone is nicer. I wouldn’t have thought that when I was younger but the more you go into a recording studio and hear the difference in frequencies it does become apparent that there’s not really much difference between CDs, and mp3s, on Spotify, there’s really not much of a difference but there is with vinyl”

Rory has two live gigs in Glasgow and London for August (Dublin Castle, Camden) and he is excited to get some more booked in as soon as he can

“I’m trying to get a few gigs booked in Ireland but it’s just really difficult as I’m sure it is for everybody. I was hoping maybe August, September, but it’s just very hard. One problem is, the venues have such a backlog of bands that were meant to play that they’ve got like gigs on six nights a week, on paper, starting in July, and they’ve got to work their way back from like seven months of backlog gigs. So, for me, booking a gig fresh I might actually not be able to perform in Ireland until February or March 2022 which is just crazy to get your head around that, but over here in Scotland I’ve got Glasgow almost sold out for August and then I’ve got Dublin Castle in London and Camdon and that’s almost sold out as well and the Irish Centre in Liverpool so it’s nice to see gigs coming back and it’s great to see as well that people have a thirst for buying tickets which is a relief.”

Rory crafts beautiful tunes filled with earworm melodies and heartfelt emotion. He is proving himself to be a diverse and refined musician. His music exudes such an infectious sound, it is sure to have anyone singing along in no time. I’m looking forward to the earworms he releases next.

Watch the video for ‘Miss This’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.

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