Damian McGinty, star of Glee and Celtic Thunder, has just released his brand new single, ‘Those Were The Days’, A seven-track EP, also titled Those Were The Days, will follow a month after the single drops, on 25 June 2021. Every month of 2021, Damian McGinty has released a new original single, starting with “Fight This Fight” in January and most recently “City of Angels,” released April 30. Damian McGinty has been working with Nashville producer (as well as composer and singer/songwriter) Noah Needleman. Noah Needleman has used his recording expertise to bring life to tracks for Brett Young, Boyz II Men, Allen Stone, and many others. For ‘Those Were The Days,’ Damian also teamed up with Grammy-winning mixer Jon Kaplan, who has worked with artists across the musical spectrum, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Jonas Brothers, Sara Bareilles, and more.
Those Were The Days’ is a pulsing rush of adrenaline as Damian McGinty displays his fine musicianship through heartfelt melodies and vibrant instrumentation. Folk tones blend with pop sensibilities while a sweet, nostalgic melody sweeps over hearty rhythms and warm guitar refrains. The song builds from supple reminiscent verses to the anthemic chorus with ease, creating the perfect sing-along ditty that is sure to brighten anyone’s day. Well crafted and showcasing McGinty’s immersive sound, ‘Those Were The Days’ is a bright and infectious gem for listeners to indulge in.
Irish singer-songwriter Róisín O has released her new single ‘2023’. The song is the second track taken from her upcoming EP due later this year. ‘2023’ follows on from the hugely successful January release of ‘Heart + Bones’, which brought Róisín O much fanfare and a coveted spot on BBC1 as part of its flagship Six Nations Rugby coverage. ‘2023’ was written with Cian McSweeney (True Tides) and produced by Phil Magee, (Kodaline, Wild Youth, The Script, The Academic, JC Stewart).
‘2023’ is a thrilling banger coated in vivid shimmering pop, lush instrumentation and the wonderfully infectious songwriting of Róisín O. The song sparks into life with elegant piano and soft ethereal soundscapes opening up to a lush synth-pop backdrop and Róisín O’s unmistakable vocals. Displaying dynamic passion throughout, her vocals anchor the listener within the song’s emotional and vibrant melodies that chime with 80’s pop elements, dancefloor-ready rhythms and funky guitar embellishments. The track oozes feel-good vibes through lyrics of optimism and hope for the future while capturing that sense of summer through its instrumental backdrop. ‘2023’ is a captivating tune from Róisín O that is destined for repeat plays.
Speaking about the single Roísín says, “I wrote 2023 in the depths of the 2nd lockdown in Ireland when things were pretty grim. It was a great respite to get into studio with Cian, he has such a contagious, refreshing optimism, and the more we worked on the song the more it became about looking forward to the future with optimism and hope. The release of ‘2023’ comes at such a great time, when the summer is stretching out in front of us and we can imagine being with pals again in a garden, or a field, or a beer garden somewhere. That’s when I imagine ‘2023’ will come on. And everyone will bop”.
Pauric O’Meara has released his new single ‘Final Say’.O’Meara is an independent singer-songwriter from Co. Tipperary, based in Dublin. He has been making his mark on the Irish music scene for quite a few years since his time on The Voice. His raw, powerful vocal has been known to grab people’s attention across many places and many stages. Through the years, he has performed in many top venues around Ireland supporting bands such as Hermitage Green, Hudson Taylor, Billow Wood, Amazing Apples and HAWK but had a breakthrough year in 2019, with 2 successful headline shows in Dublin in The Soundhouse and Workman’s Club, as well as making his Electric Picnic Festival debut.
‘Final Say’ is a fine example of O’Meara’s dynamic sound. Pulsing beats create a sense of tension while subtle wisps of electronics flurry about the verse as O’Meara displays his meticulous musicianship and deft ability to evoke emotion through his songs. It’s an ambitious track that tethers alternative pop to indie sensibilities, enhanced by a plucked guitar refrain that injects a bright indie glow into the song’s backdrop. O’Meara’s sweet voice easily drifts between the brooding verses and mighty chorus while matching the track’s kinetic instrumental elements without becoming overpowering. Boasting a cinematic chorus, expressive soundscapes and driving rhythms, ‘Final Say’ is a compelling and well crafted new single from Pauric O’Meara.
FYA FOX has released her new single, ‘Sunset’. FYA’s debut single, ‘White Lies’, received favourable radio support across the UK and Ireland, including a world exclusive from Radio One’s Gemma Bradley on BBC Across The Line. Her previous two singles, ‘Body’ & ‘White Lies’, have already been supported by 2fm, Today FM and many more. ‘Body’ was added to the BBC Radio Ulster ‘Where Music Matters’ playlist, which features ten new tracks across the BBC Radio Ulster playlist each month and was also added to a number of prestigious Spotify playlists, including ‘Fresh Finds’ (750k followers).
Showcasing mesmerising vocals and a shimmering electronic pop backdrop, ‘Sunset’ is a compelling new single from FYA FOX. The song broods for the verses creating an enticing vast soundscape that flickers with dark alternative pop embellishments, rich textured rhythms, shadowy instrumental elements and soft keys. FYA FOX’s magnificent vocals are the icing on the cake in this track. Her vocal range is stunning and a joy to listen to. Her voice holds an air of majesty as she coos through the verse before echoing delicate harmonies in the dynamic chorus. ‘Sunset’ is a catchy, luxuriantly arranged alternative pop gem and a beautiful example of why FYA FOX is an artist to treasure
Seán Finn has released his new single ‘Old and Grey’. Originating from rural Ireland, Seán Finn is a multi-instrumental songwriter, grounded in pop and jazz. With a few years of songwriting under his belt, Finn’s homespun style provides a warm and inviting soundscape for his listeners. Seán is currently working together with sound engineer Jack Roulston on a project titled ‘Pencil In Regret’. The project consists of 11 songs that were written before and during the pandemic and ‘Old and Grey’ is the second of three singles to be released from this upcoming project.
‘Old and Grey’ is a catchy ditty saturated in Finn’s warm and wholesome musicianship. The song bounces along a playful and bright rhythmic foundation filled with vibrant percussion, twanging guitars and cheery light arrangements. Finn has a sound that exudes charm and ‘Old and Grey’ is an exquisite example of this. From the twinkling jazz -esque piano to lively infectious melodies and earnest lyrics the track surges with radiant, fun vibes and rich instrumentation. Finn crafts the song superbly to create an infectious gem with lyrics that remind us to make the most of our life before it’s too late.
About the track Finn said: “Growing up I always got the impression that the younger generation is supposed to be flexible, the people that roll with the punches as it were, and that much of your younger life is made up of jumping through hoops, making the best out of situations with the hope of landing on your feet. However, I soon realized that people can become cynical at any age. This song should act as a reminder that if you want something in life, you are likely the only person that can make it happen, the motto being ‘Give it a shot, I bet you’ll be alright.”
14-Year-Old Mayo Singer/Songwriter Michael Moloney has released his debut single ‘All That I Do’. The promising young star stole our hearts when he appeared on last year’s Late Late Toy Show with his performance of Dermot Kennedy’s hit song ‘Giants’. Much to the shock and surprise of Michael, and the audience at home, Michael was joined on set by Dermot Kennedy to perform the track together. Since that incredible and heart-warming performance, Moloney has gained followers and fans across the country. Moloney wrote and recorded ‘All That I Do’ in Windmill Lane Recording Studios. Working with Grammy Nominated producer, arranger and music composer Gavin Murphy (Niall Horan, Van Morrison, Gregory Porter, Kodaline).
‘All That I Do’ is a powerfully emotive tune that boasts the earnest and promising songwriting of Michael Moloney. Travelling on an expressive piano arrangement, warm guitar refrains and steady drumbeat, Moloney spreads his potent lyrics over a cinematic soundscape for his debut. His smooth vocals glide upon the catchy melody as the song builds to its dynamic crescendo allowing the instrumental backdrop mirror the eloquent and heartfelt lyrics “There’s thunder in the clouds, there’s a chill in the air, I try my best to shed my despair, the fog blurs my view, but you guide my way, and I know that you’re with me as I start each new day”. Moloney pours his heart into this beautiful tune while announcing himself as a passionate artist and mature songwriter. ‘All That I Do’ is a strong debut and marks Moloney as an artist to keep an eye on.
Irish singer/songwriter Hallie, has released her new single ‘Remedy’, the eagerly anticipated addition to her rising critically acclaimed discography. Hallie emerged in early 2019 with her debut single “Familiar Place” to critical acclaim, with rotation on multiple national radio stations. Hallie has made the ‘RTE Recommends Playlist’ with both her singles to date. Her online presence exploded, with her debut music video receiving over 100k views, and continues to steadily grow.
Beautifully crafted, ‘Remedy’ is a melodically lush and exquisite new song from Hallie. Dealing with the topic of heartbreak and reflecting on a toxic abusive relationship, Hallie takes her poignant and emotive lyricsand spreads them over a graceful backdrop of twinkling keys and soft electronics. Over a bittersweet melody she lays bare her pain as she coos “I lost myself by giving you all of me”. The song blends bubbling ethereal electronics with wispy soundscapes to create a moving and earnest tune that cuts deep while at the same time showcasing Hallie’s poetic and expressive musicianship. ‘Remedy’ is a powerful and eloquent new single from the rising artist.
I caught up with UK Pop Singer AJ Wander who has just released the video for his brand new single ‘Eye To Eye’. We talked about the new single, working with Louis Berry for the expressive video and his plans for releasing music. Wander starts the conversation on the topic of settling for a muffin over the desired pitta and hummus dish he craved for.
“I just tried Tesco’s, and found out that there are no pitta breads left. I was very excited for pitta and some hummus but, toasted muffin and cheese it is. Pitta breads have a long shelf life. So I feel like there’s always pittas and there’s so many different kinds of pittas they have the mini ones, they have brown, white, the organic ones but they have none. So, I wouldn’t say my days got off to the best start. I’m sure it’s on the way up though”
He explains how walking into Tesco for some pitta bread now more than ever can be the only in person human interaction one experiences during these crazy pandemic times.
“Yeah, this is like Black Mirror coming into reality. I like a bit of human interaction, I’m stuck at home by myself all this week and I’m tempted to just go to Tesco and see if there are any pittas there again, even though I know there aren’t. Just to say hi to the cashier.
“I hung out in the wine aisle. It’s just like urban wine tasting in Tesco. I’ve definitely gotten into my red wine in the last year. That’s been a good pastime. I’m actually doing a wine tasting this weekend with my family. I haven’t managed to go to the pub yet since they have reopened. I was away in the studio when they opened. I was in Spain, and then I just hadn’t gotten around to going, I was gonna go tomorrow night, then I’m in the studio on Saturday and I tend to sound a little bit like Bob Dylan when I’m hungover. Which is completely great for Bob Dylan I mean Bob Dylan pulls off Bob Dylan very well, but it doesn’t go so well for me, I wouldn’t say. So I’m not sure, I might have to rethink my pub plan and push it back another week. But I’m going wine tasting on Sunday, so perhaps I can wait a little while.”
Wander has released his new single ‘Eye To Eye’. He explains to me that he has had this song for a while and is buzzing to finally be able to let people hear it
“Yeah, I’m super excited, it’s one I’ve had in the bank for a little while so to see it step out into the world and start its own journey is an exciting moment”
“I started this journey with a bunch of songs and I haven’t been releasing songs until November last year. I’ve been writing since I was 14 So, naturally I’ve built up quite a few songs so it’s a sensation that I’ve gotten used to. I think now the desire to release songs comes from more of a point of wanting to move on to the next thing, forever chasing the next thing. Releasing a song, allows you to move on to whatever comes next.”
With each release, Wander is showing a constant and impressive ability to capture emotion within his beautifully crafted tunes and this is an organic and natural result of the artist’s talent.
“It’s just how it comes out, every song is different. It depends on the subject of the song but I think that the tracks that I’ve released to date are cathartic and they are me dealing with personal experiences, and managing those emotions that come along with those experiences. Yeah, so definitely not contrived. It’s not an overly thought out process for me.”
“If it’s something that’s not about my own story and my own personal experiences, I probably will spend a little more time rephrasing things and working out what should be said, but those songs that are about my own experiences and come from my own life it’s more of a natural way of thinking and it just spills out into the page”
Wander’s knack for writing precise, well-crafted lyrics and clever turn of phrase within his songs is impressive. Lines such as “living it up is a lazy lie” “stay calm through the smoke alarm as we let it burn” are impactful and thought-provoking.
“I just stick my phone on to record and sing over the song a bunch of times, as I’m writing it, as it’s first coming to life. I don’t really know what I’m saying as I’m writing it and then I’ll listen back to those voice memos and latch on to certain lyrics. I think “living it up is a lazy lie” is something that felt good to sing and it did sum up, what I was feeling, and was trying to tell. I was talking to my girlfriend in the song and that’s what I was trying to convey to her. I guess it was the quickest way to get across that.”
The piano melodies within Wander’s songs are always a strong figure that adds a unique quality to each track. I wondered if the reason for this is because he writes the songs on piano or just that he loves having piano in the songs.
“Yeah I do write them on piano. It’s the only instrument I can play. It’s my only choice. I’m starting to have some guitar lessons but they’re progressing slowly, because I just gravitate towards the piano when I’m writing on the guitar. I should probably have a little bit more discipline. Maybe I’ll lock my piano in a cupboard somewhere so it forces me to write on guitar. I think naturally I create piano parts as I’m writing them on the piano and then I get into the studio and the producer loves them so they’re like we’ve got to put this in. Actually I just recorded a bunch of songs and there’s a few that are piano-less, which is refreshing.”
“I had co-written those songs though, so I didn’t necessarily write them at the piano and I had someone who was playing the guitar or a producer there sort of putting the track together and we wrote to that. So it didn’t have to center around me at the piano, which I think will be quite liberating especially for me when I get to perform live, to be able to actually step aside from my piano and just have a moment to sing and fully connect with that side of the performance.”
“I only really started getting into the swing of co-writing since September last year. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to step up and really get my teeth into, because I constantly have so many ideas that it’s almost nice to take some of the pressure away to present those ideas within the co-writing session, they can be like, I love that, I love that. I don’t love that. It means you get more ideas finished. My music is there to speak to other people so being able to have a co-writer in the room to tell me how it comes across is really helpful and it’s just a great indicator for me as to how it’s conceived outside of my head.”
The video for ‘Eye To Eye’ is well crafted. It has a groundhog day vibe with lots of plate smashing and tension. Wander got the opportunity to work with Louis Berry (JP Cooper, Emily Burns) on the video.
“So much fun. We shot the whole thing in one day, which was tough, it was definitely a bit manic and we were shooting until the very last second of the day. It was great fun. I was really lucky to work with a team that I’ve wanted to work with. I’ve loved the director Louis Berry. He’s worked with a bunch of music videos that I’ve admired for a little while. So to be able to get the chance to work with him and create this vision for the song and again, like I said with the co-writing, to hear his take on the song and how he perceives its meaning was super interesting and how he thinks it should be conveyed into the visual world was really interesting, yeah that was a great day.”
“We had a bunch of long chats on Zoom about what the song means to me when we were coming up with the concept for the music video. I realized that it was about the cycle of this relationship of just constantly fighting because we knew something wasn’t right, and then something wasn’t right because we’re always fighting. It’s just this messed up cycle really that we’ve fallen into. He echoed that feeling as well when he had just listened to the song, without me saying it. It’s like our heads met there, we were like ‘well this is what it has to be, it has to be sort of highlighting that cycle and the toxicity of it all’.”
Wander’s debut single ‘Time Out’, has racked up 3 million streams on Spotify to date. It’s a fantastic achievement.
“Yeah, it’s a bit weird to be honest. It’s beyond anything I’d hoped for my first release. People are still listening to it and it’s just so nice to see it have its own life and get some lovely messages from people saying that it means something to them and it’s helped them more or it echoes a personal experience of theirs. That’s more rewarding than the numbers. It’s hearing that people are getting something from it, and can relate to it. But yeah it’s beyond anything I had hoped for my first release and I hope that it continues and people listen to the rest of the music I release.”
Wander hasn’t had the opportunities to experience performing these new songs live. He hasn’t experienced that magical moment of connecting with a live audience yet. This live show interaction is something he is buzzing to see.
“No, I haven’t been able to gig any of the songs yet which is top on my list. I crave the most to get out there and be able to perform and hopefully, I am going over to the State’s in July. If they let me in and that’s a big if. So, yeah if Biden lets me in I will be performing my first show in July, which is so exciting and I’m starting to get into rehearsals now putting that show together with the band and, yeah, big moment and very exciting for me. That’s something I’ve been looking forward to a ridiculous amount since I started this whole thing.”
Last time I spoke to Wander he told me he had a lot of songs in his repertoire already. I asked if an EP is something we could see very soon.
“That a very good question. Initially, the plan was to release an EP and start touring that. Well, I guess, as I was releasing it I would be on tour already promoting that EP. But, of course, there’s a virus going around. I can’t tour yet… things are starting to open up but I think realistically it’s not going to be until the latter half of the year until I can actually get out and tour properly. So, I’ve had to tweak plans and I’m actually going to now release a bunch more singles, which I’ve just been in Spain recording. I’ve got 10 tracks that I’ve recorded, and ready to release. So the plan is to release a song, a month until the end of the year, and then start touring that, and 5 of those 10 songs are going to make up an EP, and the other five are just sort of going to sit as stand alone singles, but again I feel lucky to be able to extend that record deal and be able to release more songs. Yeah, so lots more music is basically the solution to Coronavirus apparently.”
AJ Wander is a passionate artist and an exceptional melody wizard with a talent for writing poignant and captivating songs. His music comes from the heart and his warm and velvety vocals leaves you craving to hear more. I am looking forward to the luscious musical treats he releases in the coming months.
Owen Denvir‘simaginative and brilliant EP trilogy/album idea is coming to a close with the final EP “Bones” released today, that will then create the ‘Sticks, Stones & Bones’ album. The first EP, ‘Sticks’ was released in 2019, ‘Stones’ in 2020 and now ‘Bones’.With over 200,000 streams on Spotify, combined video views of over 2 million, music shared by Coldplay and supporting the legend Dodie.Belfast born, Owen Denvir at only 30 has asserted himself as one of the finest singer songwriters around.
‘Sticks, Stones & Bones’ is a wonderfully crafted record filled to the brim with beautiful melodies, immersive musicianship and the passionate songwriting of Denvir. The artist confirms his status as a pure, emotive and heart-felt storyteller. He floods tracks ‘Ghost’ and ‘The Lighthouse’ with eloquent and vivid narrations of loss and loneliness. The latter is perhaps Denvir’s most moving tale of all. This heart-breaking story is riddled with emotional vulnerability expressed beautifully through terse and cruelly honest lyrics “And he awoke to find that he was on his ownAnd he was nothing without anyone. His little head he sank into his little hands, And he said “Why oh tell me why am I alone”.
Denvir is a diverse musician who has a knack for creating catchy tunes. From the cinematic pop production of ‘This Could Be Love’ to the sweet guitar plucked ‘Stones From Paris’ and anthemic ‘Loud & Clear’, Denvir pours every fibre of his being into the songs to create a tight and passionate collection of tunes that exude his musical wizardry. Highlights from the full collection of work are ‘Stay’ and ‘I Want You So Bad’. Both these tracks are simply outstanding and lushly arranged. In these songs we see Denvir’s majestic and tightly weaved instrumentation in all its glory. Intricate melodies and delicate sonic flourishments interplay and entwine as he masterfully builds each song lovingly to express emotion and stir empathy within the listener.
Denvir’s soulful vocals tie each song together. His smooth but supple vocal delivery invites listeners into his world as he ventures between warm croons, sweet falsettos and velvety tones while his lyrics carry the listener through the vast spectrum of human emotion and complex themes of love, loss and excitement. ‘Sticks, Stones & Bones’ is a magnificent collection of tracks and a fantastic display of poetic musicianship from Owen Denvir.
About the album, Owen says...”The album and EP trilogy idea is based on Sigmund Freud’s theory that personality is a sum of 3 parts: the Id (acting on raw impulse), the Ego (being terrified of consequences) and the Superego (the balance between the two).The first EP (“Sticks”) deals with loss and delusion and the impulsive decisions we make while in the spell of ‘love’. The second (“Stones”) being a more confident but brash take on love, and finally the last EP (“Bones”) is when you have the balance between the two, which mostly leads to more healthy relationships.”
‘Queen’ is the brand-new single from Dublin bedroom-pop act Jacqueline Kennedy. The track is written, performed and produced by Kennedy and features vocals from Cork rapper Darce.
Jacqueline Kennedy made waves when she was the winner of the 2020 TilT Development deal with Sound Training Productions and 98fm’s Totally Irish. Now the Dublin producer and artist is ready to add her name to growing ranks of Female Irish pop acts, forging their own way.
Filled with R&B tones and a hypnotic soundscapes, ‘Queen’ is a confident, laid back tune from Jacqueline Kennedy. The song deals with the idea that anyone can be royalty against the backdrop of a changing society and this theme is expressed through Kennedy’s crisp production, knack for earworm melodies and sleek lofi musicianship. The artist sprinkles twinkling synths into a pool of ethereal electronics to create a chilled luring atmosphere while her soulful soothing vocals caress the smooth melody. As the track progresses the soundscape becomes lush with supple layers and samples, greatly enhanced by Darce’s punchy rhymes which pierce the hypnotic backdrop with a verse of intense potent lyrics. ‘Queen’ is a fine example of Kennedy’s blossoming and enticing sound. Looking forward to hearing more from this artist.
Stream ‘Queen’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
