Following the release of their debut album,’Small Talk’, Soda Blonde are back with a special stripped-back EP, ‘I Still Have Feelings for You’, via Velveteen Records. The EP features four beautiful, never-before-heard versions of four tracks from the album. All four band members of Soda Blonde (Faye O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) are seasoned musicians, despite their youth. They 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.
‘I Still Have Feelings for You’ presents a new facet to Soda Blonde’s exquisite sound. Featuring the single version of ‘I Still Have Feelings for You’ and swoon-worthy string versions of ‘Tiny Darkness’ and ‘Choices’, the band create a lush listening experience while highlighting the richness and warmth of O’Rourke’s vocals ( her subtle vibrato floods the melodies with incomparable passion and emotion ). The deftly placed strings within ‘Tiny Darkness’ and ‘Choices’ exudes elegance and a cinematic effect that enhances the tracks poignant lyrical content while at the same time highlighting the diversity within the band’s musicianship. An early demo of ‘Swimming Through the Night’ strips back the dark disco soundscapes we know from the album version. The track is an absolute gem to the ears that oozes ethereal synths, chiming guitars and intricate rhythms. This version sees the band brood within the tracks delicate soundscapes allowing the earworm melody to take the main focus.
Just when you think you can’t love these songs anymore Soda Blonde waltz in and lather our ears in a new and glorious way to enjoy their tunes. Press play, sit back and enjoy.
Cork native Lyra has recently released her new single ‘Lose My Mind’ via Rubyworks label. I caught up with the singer-songwriter to chat about the new single, the haunting events in the spooky Loftus Hall where she filmed the video and what we can expect from her upcoming, as-yet-untitled new body of work.
Lyra packages a song that is about losing all your inhibitions and being free in the most exhilarating manner. ‘Lose My Mind’ is a cinematic, dark pop dance tune that is sure to get people up to dance.
“I had an idea, a vague picture of sonically how I wanted the song to sound while I was writing it. This song came very simply because it is more of a stripped-back, I suppose, more pop song than I usually write, which is the bigger, hard-hitting, anthemic, quite high choruses. So for this one, the sound was easier to come up with. I knew that I wanted to keep my drums which I always reference Riverdance for because I love that big Celtic feel. But in this one, I wanted to also put the electronic sounds in. So, a lot of drum samples I went through. I don’t know how many, oh my god ! if I heard another drum that day, I think I was gonna drum my own head off. I knew that I wanted to have this pulsing beat and I knew that I wanted to have that intro that, like you said, kind of grabs you. That’s why I decided to put the chorus at the start because then, it kind of gets locked in their minds before they realize that it is the chorus, but without giving it away too much. I said “you know, I think we need to pitch this down a bit and make it sound a bit weird” or I was like “kind of Kanye West vibes”. The producers were like are you referencing Kanye West?. I know it sounds strange coming out of my mouth, but I did I just dropped that bomb. So I always had that vision in my mind when the song was being created that these were the rules, the bass notes of the song was something cool, beating drum, a kind of a weird vocal effect and putting the chorus first. And that’s how I made my baby.”
The singer-songwriter has a knack with catchy melodies, and the chorus in ‘Lose My Mind’ is a glorious earworm that just keeps on giving.
“I actually wrote the verses first, because they’re quite conversational kind of talkie you know. It was after this night out that I had and it was very fresh in my mind and I wanted to relay the story as natural as I could for people when they listened to the song, that they really got a sense of what I was talking about. So I started with the, “ I can see you looking,From across the room, you want me”, and it is like I’m talking in a singing voice. So that actually came first and normally I like to, in my choruses go a lot higher than the verses so it’s a bit more impactful. Then I was like, you know what, actually this one, I’m gonna keep it simple and I just randomly started singing “I keep losing my mind”. I kept repeating it and I was like, is this too simple? to have this just repeating in the chorus and then I tried out other things and I just kept going back to it. The chorus just came very naturally after I had sung the verse.”
Lyra’s voice is a recognisable factor in her music. She has impressive control, expressive depth and power in her vocals. Lyra explained to me that finding her voice and being comfortable with it wasn’t easy initially.
“It definitely took a lot of time for me to be confident in my voice. I suppose because – I call it a Marmite voice. You either love it or you hate it kind of vibe. Which I always say is fine by me. I don’t expect to be loved by everyone. It’s not how life naturally goes. But I suppose when I was starting out I was told a lot that my voice was too loud or that it was too brash, or I was told my diction was shocking and you know, I just went through this a lot. Anytime I got my demos back I’d almost be scared pressing play – what’s this gonna sound like now? because they would have as they will call it, polished up my voice a lot or there will be, a lot of autotune on it, a lot of reverbs, a lot of delays. A lot of the diction would have been cut into place and stuff like that so I always felt my voice wasn’t good enough if they had to change it so much. It took me ages to be actually ‘eff this, this is how I sound. I can’t have a CD and then get up on stage and then sing naturally the way [ I ] naturally do. It just doesn’t work. So when I wrote ‘Emerald’ I was very true to myself because I did it very much by myself. I took that time out of the music institute to find myself, I was like, this is who I have to be. Whether it works or not. I just have to be myself because I can’t be anyone else or I’ll be absolutely miserable and I won’t enjoy the time in the music industry anyway. So that was my big changing point where I was like, just sing how you actually sing and if people like it, they like it. If they don’t, then they don’t. And I’m okay with that.”
Anyone who sees Lyra live is blown away by how impressive her performance is and how her songs come to life in the live setting. She takes the passion in her music to new heights while still maintaining a fun and charming stage presence. We discussed the Kilmainham pilot music festival during the summer this year as that was my first time seeing Lyra perform live.
“I loved that. That was so scary. It’s so nice to hear that because you know a lot of people do say to me, “I follow you on Spotify and I came to my first show of yours and, it’s actually better in real life than on Spotify because you go for it” and I’m really singing and I suppose I can really get that passion out of the song, what it means to me and what it means to be in front of an audience. It’s just in that moment factor. So it’s always so nice when people say that because that’s why I want to be in the music industry, for the audience more than anything else. So thank you for saying that.”
The music video for ‘Lose My Mind’ was filmed on location within the infamous haunted corridors of Loftus Hall, situated at Hook peninsula County Wexford. It’s an impressive, fun and powerful video that makes use of the grand venue with rich lighting and multiple wonderful costume changes.
“ I knew with this song that I wanted a simple music video, I didn’t want to overcomplicate this and then I went working with this amazing girl called Debbie Scanlon. We worked together and we went back and forth and you know [to see] how we could develop [it]. Then it was actually my manager Caroline Downey who said “oh my god Loftus Hall would be amazing for this”. It’s a really big grand open space and I wanted somewhere where I could really show off my outfits as well, because originally the music video was going to be in a nightclub. Then we were kind of like, you know this space isn’t letting me artistically express myself and these outfits, I need a bigger space. So it’s actually my manager who came up with Loftus Hall.”
“Debbie was the director of the whole thing and she was amazing. She made me feel so comfortable on set and allowed me to be myself which I think always brings out the best in an artistic person and we went into the room and she was like, “well, we’re just gonna play the song and you, just do you and you know, this can be a test run and it’s fine”. And it’s actually the scene where I’m wearing the black outfit and we literally just put the music on and I just went crazy. I was just living in the moment of the song. It’s about losing your mind, being free, having no inhibitions in life. The song is about just living in that moment and just really enjoying yourself and that’s exactly what I did and she was like, okay, there it is. The music video is done. I just stopped and I was like wow, I just lost myself in that song for that moment”
“I call them my different colour characters in there where you start off with the lady in green, who has been left in the shadows and is this shy person that kind of meek person. Then she starts finding herself through the music video, and then you meet the girl in the blue tulle dress and the tulle dress is pretty but then you have like this diamante bra underneath it. That’s sexiness, like her transition from becoming this kind of meek little person who’s a bit shy and a bit timid and maybe a bit scared to express herself. This is the transition into the black outfit who was this badass b**ch who is like, this is my domain and I’m f**king living life how I want to f**king live it. Then you go into the Red Room, which is the final scene. She is the goddess sprawled across the bed with her diamante eyebrows on and, she’s like, I’ve arrived and you know, this is my domain and its that kind of full circle.”
“It was really good fun because I decided actually to style that myself. So I was literally arriving in Ryanair and there were like Fifteen thousand bags and theywere like, where are you going your flight is for a week and I was like, it’s just clothes. Customs everywhere stopped me and they pulled me aside and tried to open my bags thinking I’m smuggling something. I was like I swear this is just massive tulle dresses in here that’s all. They were like who is this bloody girl?”
Loftus Hall is a famously haunted mansion located along the Hook Peninsula, County Wexford. It is said by locals to have been haunted by the devil and the ghost of a young woman. I wondered whether Lyra had experienced any spooky incidents.
“Sandra [Gillen] on makeup and Katrina [Kelly] on hair said that they heard banging on the wall like somebody was knocking on the other side of the wall, but it wasn’t a wall that was dividing anything and they said they kept hearing stuff. I was like “you need to stop saying this to me because I’m the scarediest scaredy cat ever, you can’t say that to me cuz I’m going to shit myself”. But the thing is, I [ spent ] the whole day concentrating on doing a performance, getting out of the outfits, changing the entire look and going back in. I could have been standing next to a ghost the whole day and I wouldn’t have even noticed. I genuinely wouldn’t have had a clue. I was just – next outfit, next look, next this, next that. The ghosts are there like “who is this spooky b**ch she’s scarier than us” and there’s me with my ass out walking up and down, Jesus Christ, oh mortified.”
‘Lose My Mind’ is the first new single to come from the artist’s as-yet-untitled new body of work due for release later this year. Lyra explained to me that the song teases the sound to come from this collection of work.
“Yes, it definitely is. This is me developing. All my music has been a development from something. l started with ‘Emerald’ which is really Celtic. It was very much inspired by Enya [ and ] it was you know quite Kate Bush. They were all my influences back then when I was writing and I suppose I’ve just developed as a songwriter. I’ve developed my tastes and developed what I’m like singing on stage and you know, how I see the audience interacting with different types of songs. Then, I went on to ‘Falling’, which has that more commercial sound but still being very true to me as an artist with my drums and stuff like that and I feel ‘Lose My Mind’ is a very nice step up from ‘Falling’. So they all have [ been ] stepping stones to where I’m going. ‘Lose My Mind’ very much is a taster of what’s to come. I’m so excited, I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised.”
Lyra is set to perform at this year’s New Year’s Festival, Countdown Concert in Dublin Castle. She told me what else she has planned for the year and how much she is looking forward to the festival.
“ My Christmas EP, that I produced myself in lockdown last year. I’m going to bring that back out for Christmas. Just because everyone loves an old Christmas song and then in New Year’s, I’m playing at Dublin Castle with Picture This and Ryan Sheridan and that’s going to be amazing because I did Dublin Castle last year on my own, literally in the middle of Dublin Castle on a podium by myself singing ‘New Day’ ringing in the new year. So it’s amazing to go back. I’m really looking forward to that it’s going to be quite an emotional event for me, just from comparing it to last year. That’s what I have planned for this year, obviously a lot of mulled wine drinking. I’m going to my very first bingo loco which I’m so excited about because I’ve heard so much about it so I need a Christmas outfit for that.”
“Then next year I’m going bloody nuts you will find me everywhere. I’m going to be touring, releasing loads of new music and new stage setup. I’m just ready to take that extra step towards where my dream goals are so big bloody year. There’s no bloody stopping me. Nobody will be able to stop me next year. I’m working my ass off as we speak just to make sure that everything’s ready for next year. I missed out on a year and a half already. I’m making up for lost time and I can’t wait. I just can’t wait.”
‘Lose My Mind’ surges forward with an effervescent sonic wall of sound that is filled with elements of dark electronic and pulsing Celtic drums. Lyra’s incomparable vocals remain at the helm, strong and evocative as always. It’s a tantalising and exciting glimpse into what the singer-songwriter has planned for her next collection of work. Fuelled by ambitious vision, Lyra is an artist forging her own path and the result is engaging and exhilarating tunes that exude passion, lyrical depth and impressive musicianship.
Irish electro/pop duo Elephant in The Room has released their new single ‘Hollywood Hills’. Hollywood Hills is a personal account of how Elephant in the Room struggled with expectation versus reality, moving from Ireland to New York. Elephant in the Room is an electronic/soul/pop duo comprised of Ireland natives Marty Mullally and Keenan Copas. The group has worked with a number of artists as ghostwriters and producers, most notably Josh Gray, co-writing and producing his track ‘Come Home’, which has reached over 370,000 streams on Spotify. After college they moved to New York City, where they have honed and refined their sound.
Filled with bittersweet melodies and an ethereal synth-driven backdrop, ‘Hollywood Hills’ is a sublime example of suspenseful electronic pop. Deft lyrics express themes of doubt and loneliness that is enhanced by a lamenting piano feature and mournful undertone. The track is irresistibly catchy and a passionate display of musicianship from Elephant in The Room. Boasting smooth vocals, catchy pop hooks and pepperings of R&B ‘Hollywood Hills’ is a compelling new single that marks Elephant in The Room ones to keep an eye on.
Jack Hughes has released his new single ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’.The track follows the release of his hit single ‘Crossed The Line’ which garnered support from RTÉ 2FM’s Track of the Week with Jenny Greene, Track of the Week on Spin South West and huge support throughout Spin 103.8, Today FM, Cork’s 96FM, WLR, 8 Radio and many more.
Wrapping delicate, tender melodies in dark washes of electronics and intricate rhythms, ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’ fleshes out Hughes’ engaging and passionate sound. Light percussion twinkles over an emotive melody while cinematic soundscapes ebb and flow throughout. Warm vocals move from brisk croons to sing-along outbursts that are destined for arena crowds to bellow back. With dark heavy rhythms creating an eerie tone between twinkling keys and layered backing vocals, ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’ surges with emotion and hair-raising musicianship. Hughes is a musical talent, he balances moving tenderness with refined and, at times, explosive arrangements alongside polished production to create an impressive and compelling listening experience.
Speaking about the single ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’, Jack said: “It’s a song title that speaks for itself but the song alone hinders a story that is worth searching for.”
Mexican singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julian Lamadrid has released his sophomore album, ‘Rebels of The Neon God’, on Arista Records. ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ serves as the follow up to Julian’s 2019 debut, ‘Mala Noche’. To compliment the album, Julian launched the ‘Rebel Universe,’ a virtual world inspired by the album. Fans can immerse themselves in the world of the Neon God and unlock different rooms by purchasing limited edition NFT keys.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is a diverse and enthralling listening experience. The impressive depth of this album is achieved by soft but rich electronics, overlaid by thick beats and the smooth, emotive vocals of Lamadrid. Free from the confines of just one genre, the album meanders between indie, alternative pop and electronic with psychedelic and tropical flirtations displayed throughout previously released singles ‘Teenager’, ‘One More Trip’, ‘Cigarette’, ‘Patience’ and ‘The Neon God’. Lamadrid’s musical prowess is in fine form on the album. Expressive soundscapes filled with bubbling beats, jaunty guitars, sweet steel drums, heavy synth pulses and washes of reverb flesh out his exhilarating treasure trove of songs, with each track’s musical arrangement complementing the overall tonality of the album.
There are many moments of excellence on ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ that display Lamadrid’s artistic talent and masterful songwriting. ’Blue’ is a sublime example of this. Lamadrid sets a dark, harrowing yet grand instrumental backdrop of jarring strings between deep piano thuds, while distressed vocals pine, “I woke up with you on my lips, Harder than a rock, I try my best to cover my ears. But the noises wouldn’t stop”. The coil of tension created for the verses evokes a sharp sense of unease before the track finally loosens for the short chorus. The emotional power ballad ‘Bang’ follows this potent lyrical thread “You’ve got a gun, You took your aim, And that gun went “Bang”, And stole my heart away, And all that I know it’s all that I gave”. Once again, Ladmadrid spreads these striking lyrics over cinematic instrumentation, uplifting brass embellishments and driving pop melodies. Lamadrid manages to whack out some infectious boppers aswell, ’Pressure’ deals with self-doubt against a glittering 80’s synth-infused backdrop that peppers the song in dance vibes, ethereal atmospheres and adrenaline.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is richly and carefully constructed to display Lamadrid’s exceptional knack for melody, production and poignant lyrics and the result is a passionate collection of tracks that reveals new exciting sounds, textures and lyrical undertones with each subsequent listen.
About the album, Lamadrid said: “The album is centered around the dichotomy between frustration and dance, vacancy and ecstasy; enlightenment through pain. I have glimpsed into the eyes of The Neon God, pierced through the void and come out the other end, desperate for connection, hungry for the eternal.”
Irish indie-rock outfit modernlove. have released their soaring new single ‘Us’ through Akira Records (Phoria, Henry Green, Mt. Wolf, Rosie Carney, Shura).’Us’ follows on from the enormous success of their recently released EP ‘monochrome blue in September this year, which found support across countless tastemakers both here and abroad. Featuring the singles ‘Liquorice’, ‘2 Missed Calls’ and ‘lmk (if you wanna see me)’, they received strong playlist support, landing on New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds, Alt-Pop and The Pop List amongst others on Spotify, as well as New Music Daily, New in Alternative and Breaking Alternative on Apple Music. They have also received strong radio support with 2FM, BBC R1, BBC R6, BBC Ulster, XS Manchester, Across the Line and Radio X giving them regular airtime and live sessions with BBC Introducing and Seconds Away with Gemma Bradley
With its immense euphoric pop soundscapes and irresistible jangly guitar hooks, ‘Us’ triumphantly continues modernlove.’s run of knock-out tracks. This song is shamelessly catchy. With lofty soundscapes expanding the track’s sonic sound while elevated synths weave sugar-coated melodies between hyper beats, the track offers perhaps the greatest endorphin release you’ll find this year. Barry Larry’s expressive vocal flexes from heartfelt suspended notes to warm velvety croons allowing the relatable vulnerability to creep through the lyrics “love, what have we done to us”. Boasting glittering guitar, rushing rhythms and heart-racing melodies ‘Us’ displays modernlove.’s refined musicianship and sleek instrumental prowess in all its glory. This band just get better with each release.
Tipperary artist Culleton has released her debut single ‘Control Freak’. Culleton has created a tight, punchy and immersive tune that showcases her refined and compelling musicianship. She spreads brisk rhymes over dark murky electronics while icy keys haunt in the backdrop. A standout aspect in the track is Culleton’s vocals; her unique voice creates a refreshing listening experience that effortlessly drifts between choir-like tendencies, sweet falsetto and acute raps. ‘Control Freak’ is a joy to listen to and an excellent debut from this intriguing artist.
Fya Fox has released her new single ‘Numb’.Fya Fox is the exciting new prospect from Ireland. A classically trained vocalist straying beyond Ireland’s traditional country/folk scene, Fya’s previous singles ‘Body’, ‘Lies’ and ‘Sunset’ have already been supported by BBC Radio 1, 2fm, Today FM and many more.
Earnest, tender and strikingly emotive, ‘Numb’ is a moving display of alternative pop. An intriguing aspect of Fya’s music is her vocals. Her rich tones have the power to ignite emotion within the listener and create a wonderfully hair-raising listening experience. ‘Numb’ is a fine example of this; Fya displays raw emotion within this powerful tune, her immaculate vocals convey a crippling sense of loss “paralysed now that I’m alone should feel more, but I’m scared I don’t” that is enhanced by a lamenting piano feature. The track is an absolute gem to treasure and a wonderful display of Fya Fox’s eloquent songwriting and exquisite musicianship.
Speaking about her latest track ‘Numb’, Fya said: “I was standing there singing at this funeral watching from the gallery and just couldn’t understand why I was so numb. I kept my composure the entire ceremony but as the coffin was being carried out I suddenly got this feeling, this is it, this is the last time I see you. My Granny who was a major inspiration in my life passed away. A few days later I had a zoom session with an artist in the US who I’d never written with before so didn’t want to cancel. Brompton the legend didn’t know what he had himself in for, we wrote NUMB and 5 days later I went into the studio with the incredible Matt Weir to record a rough demo. NUMB is very different from my previous tracks, it’s the most honest! I really didn’t think I was going to release it but I feel so many people can connect and relate with it especially after the year we’ve had!”
Critically acclaimed American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ryan Egan has released his new single ‘Alone For the Last Time’.The song is the second single off Ryan Egan’s debut LP Soft Power which is due out April 8, 2022. The song was produced by Egan and Kevin Basko (Foxygen, Rubber Band Gun). This arrives shortly after the album’s debut single ‘Weeknights’ generated immense buzz, with features including Spotify’s New Music Friday.
‘Alone For the Last Time’ is a brooding slow-burner that boasts the silken, chic sound of Eagan. The song builds superbly, its laid back atmosphere and lush swooning soundscapes are filled with saxophone pines, washes of synths and sharp guitars while Eagan’s soft croons create a tender and soothing tone throughout. The track is a joy to listen to and is a fine example of Ryan Egan’s exquisite musicianship. Blending elements of psychedelia with lo-fi indie, dream pop and 70’s embellishments ‘Alone For the Last Time’ is a bittersweet anthem to immerse yourself in and enjoy.
Following his summer trance anthem ‘Save You’, Robert O’Connor returns with a brand new single ‘Been & Gone’.Produced by Gareth Shortland (Steps, Will Young), ‘Been & Gone’ is a break- up anthem that Robert wrote in “ten minutes flat” on his coffee break at work.
‘Been & Gone’ is a sweet electronic pop tune that highlights O’Connors emotional and refined musicianship. O’Connor balances elements of lounge disco with shimmering pop to create a lonely dance tune brimming with passion and chiming synths. Filled with icy keys and pulsing beats, ‘Been & Gone’ is a suspenseful sombre ditty saturated in bright electronics and ethereal sonic embellishments. The tune is pristinely crafted and exudes elegance, while the melody creates a melancholic undertone that emanates from every note.
Stream ‘Been & Gone’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
