22-year-old artist-songwriter, Bradley Marshall has released his new single ‘Hurts The Most’. Bradley Marshall co-wrote the song with TikTok music stars and highly talented artists in their own right, Ryan Mack and Rob Grace. The duo also produced the song along with Jimmy Rainsford of Picture This.
Wrapped in swooning melodies and ethereal soundscapes ‘Hurts The Most’ superbly continues Marshall’s run of tender tear jerkers. Piano-driven and cinematic, the track glides gracefully on a melancholic melody while wispy electronics and pulsing beats adorn the backdrop in lush dramatic builds. With his warm crooning vocals at the helm ‘Hurts The Most’ is an emotive tune that boasts Marshall’s knack for heart-wrenching earnest songwriting.
Speaking about the song Bradley Marshall said: “‘Hurts The Most’ tells a story about how everything can feel and seem so good with someone but you are still not convinced that you are good enough for them”
Having performed with Adele and impressed greats like Elton John and Avicii with his songwriting, singer-songwriter, Moncrieff has now released his new EP ‘Warm’ via German label energie. The EP follows the successful release of the title single ‘Warm’ which was an instant hit that went top-10 on Irish Radio and was performed live on Germany’s ARD Network (“Frühstücksfernsehen”).
Throughout ‘Warm’ EP Moncrieff unleashes a tidal wave of emotion while fleshing out his eloquent songwriting and expressive sound. ‘Warm’, ‘Rewind’ and ‘Ruin’ exude anthemic soundscapes and rich instrumental flourishes that make for an immersive and exciting display of musicianship from the artist.
There is no denying Moncrieff’s magical songwriting ability. The artist delves deep into his innermost emotions and deepest thoughts and expresses them through wonderfully poetic lyrics. Each lyric has movement and depth adding an exciting dynamic to the EP. ‘Talk’ is a sublime example of this. In this raw heartbreaking ballad, Moncrieff recounts the first time he opened up about having suicidal thoughts. His soulful vocals sincerely pour out lyrics of pain, “If I don’t believe in God who can I call? Maybe it’s easier to end it all” while pulsing beats, a choir on backing vocals and ethereal soundscapes rush with emotion. Though the subject matter is heavy and dark, in true Moncreiff manner the gripping lyrics are presented with a ray of hope. The lyrics look back at a dark time in his life while the uplifting music becomes the light at the end of the tunnel and depicts a sense of inner strength and new-found empowerment.
Although ‘Talk’ is a powerful and stand-out gem on the EP, each track in its own right has something special that allows it to shine just as brightly. Throughout the EP, feel-good moments ( alongside heavy subject matter), expressive instrumentation and poignant songwriting abound as ‘Warm’ stirs the listener’s soul on a deep level making for an exquisite listening experience.
There is something for everyone in this EP. Moncrieff lays bare themes of loss and loneliness while maintaining an air of hope and comfort throughout. Moncrieff is a rare talent and ‘Warm’ is just a glimpse at this artist’s ability.
Omar Addis has released his new single ‘Never Let You Go’. Addis is an artist from Cardiff, Wales, who has been making music for almost 10 years and has collaborated with artists such as Julian Lamadrid and Heavy Pulse. Addis produces, mixes and masters his tracks so he has complete creative control.
‘Never Let You Go’ is a beautifully crafted tune as Addis takes supple melodies and delicate soundscapes to create a track that is a soothing listening experience from start to finish. With pulsing beats, chiming guitars and wispy synth the song has an ethereal atmosphere that is utterly captivating and wonderfully compliments the artist’s warm expressive vocals. Addis blends hues of R&B with pop and indie elements within ‘Never Let You Go’ to create a timeless song that takes away all your worries and soothes the soul.
Jim McHugh has released his new single ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’.This is the second single from Jim’s upcoming fourth album ‘I Whisper to the Dawn’. ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Niamh Reagan, James Vincent McMorrow) at Transmission Rooms Studios, Drumlish, Longford and The Stables Studio, Castleblayney, Monaghan. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse). ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ features Jim McHugh on Vocals/Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Paul McCabe on Bass/ Backing Vocals, Paul Sherry on Electric Guitar, James ‘Butch’ McNeill on Drums, Alex Borwick on Trombone and Ronan Morgan on Backing Vocals.
Riding on a relentless buzz of biting guitars and punchy rhythms, ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a fiery anthem from Jim McHugh. Showcasing the artist’s powerful indie rock in all its glory the track discusses social media influencers and the artist’s disdain for the power they yield and their negative influence on society, “Do your followers conform?Oh yeah, they’re all under control with a flick of my hand, But your selling lies online, Oh yeah, I’m an influencer and I’m influencing you”.With swaggering rock bravado, infectious melodies and invigorating soundscapes ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a catchy musical delight from Jim McHugh.
Shane Beirne has recently released his new single ‘Anymore’. Beirne is a rising 21-year-old singer/songwriter who is signed to Hasard records in Zürich, Switzerland. ‘Anymore’ is a beautifully emotive and compelling tune that boasts the earnest songwriting and powerful sound of Beirne. This piano-led tune is laced with supple soundscapes and delicate melodies as Beirne uses his warm tender vocals to convey the heartfelt lyrics. He croons “ I’m tired all the time it’s like I don’t even feel what I see. Maybe because it’s not real “ over minimalist arrangements while the sweet melody swoons with bitter-sweet tones. Well-crafted and timeless ‘Anymore’ is an enjoyable new single from Beirne.
Upcoming indie/pop singer-songwriter RUE has released her new single ‘Call on Me’. This shimmering pop tune displays the invigorating sound of RUE. The track is an absolute gem to listen to as RUE mixes subtle contrasting elements of electronic beats, swirling synths and dark undertones to create a dynamic wall of sound. RUE’s smooth vocals coo a sweet melody as the song bubbles and builds in the background. With clap-along rhythms, spacious electronics and irresistible pop hooks ‘Call on Me’ is a compelling tune from start to finish. Keep an eye on this exciting artist.
Hailing from Co. Kerry, 22-Year Old Singer/Songwriter Nially has released his new single ‘Something So Real’.From the age of 16 Nially has gigged extensively across Kerry, Cork and as far afield as Augsburg, Germany. His debut single, ‘I Want It All’ released in January 2021, amassed over 10,000 streams in it’s first 4 weeks and received support across a number of radio stations in Ireland such as Spin South West, Radio Kerry, Red FM, Dublin City FM and FM104 and also reaching listeners across Europe, the UK and the US.
Filled with heartfelt songwriting and cinematic soundscapes, ‘Something So Real’ is a compelling tune from Nially. Nially pours his heart and soul into this emotional number and the result is an emotive tune that showcases the artist’s passionate vocals, poetic lyrics and immaculate production skills. Beginning with a soft piano-led arrangement the song builds into a sway-along power ballad that boasts steady beats, expressive guitars and soaring soundscapes. Nially has created one hair-rasing tune. ‘Something So Real’ is a sublime display of rich musicianship. Keep an eye on Nially.
22-year-old Irish artist-songwriter, Bradley Marshall has just released his brand new single ‘Better Left Unsaid’. I caught up with the singer-songwriter to talk about the single, his upcoming headline show in The Workman’s Cellar and working with Danny O’Donoghue (The Script), Ryan Hennessy and Jimmy Rainsford (Picture This), Jimbo Barry and David Lucius King on the song.
“Yeah, it’s quite surreal to be honest, working with people that I’ve looked up to for the last few years and writing with them was a really great experience because you get to understand how they work and you learn a lot from it. So it was really cool.”
“It was kind of me bringing some ideas to them and then they had ideas for me and so we just mixed them together. But, I’m confident in my ideas and what I had. It was daunting at first, but when they said that they liked the ideas and stuff then it was really cool.”
“Luckily enough when I was in London with the guys, we were there for two days and we got three or four songs done which was really cool, which doesn’t really happen a lot but I’m happy that it did work out that way.”
“Sometimes I think when I go into a studio ‘will something come out of today?’ but if something doesn’t come out of studio session, then that’s okay. You just do it again and again and again and something will finally come.”
‘Better Left Unsaid’ is a wonderfully tender tune that discusses coming to terms with the fact that some relationships are just not meant to be. Marshall told me how the idea for the song formed and the personal concept of the song.
“In relationships sometimes things aren’t just meant to be and that’s okay, and sometimes things are just better left unsaid. That’s why it’s called Better Left Unsaid, yeah, that was the reason behind the song.”
“It was on my behalf an experience, but it was also an idea that the lads had as well. So when they actually had the idea I was like, that’s really cool because I’ve actually experienced something like this.”
Emotional cinematic tunes seem to be Marshall’s forte. ‘Better Left Unsaid’ follows the heart-gripping power ballad aesthetic of his first single ‘Make Believe’ – the song exudes lush soundscapes and an elegant soaring piano melody before the anthemic chorus kicks in.
“Personally, I don’t love too much crazy production because I think the piano and vocals are really most important to me. You can add some drums and some strings just to make it really heartfelt and emotional that’s really all that I need in a song. So when I’m writing, I imagine the production and I say to the lads what I would like in it. Jimmy Rainsford produces most of the stuff that I do right now, and he’s just incredible. So, I let him just do what he does and I’m always happy with it.”
Marshall released a stripped-back performance of the song which was captured on video by Jimmy Rainsford during a recent London trip and recorded in Hoxa Studios. Stripped-back versions of Marshall’s songs are so impactful. Marshall told me he feels at his best performing live.
“Yeah, I’ve done a few gigs, the last couple of months and it’s just been my pianists, Jake Richardson and me and I feel that’s where I thrive”
The track is awash with relatable content and eloquent lyrics. Lines such as “few more years of being broken trying to right my wrongs and when I find a brand new person I’ll still write you breakup songs” are honest and impactful. We discussed how daunting it is for artists to pour their heart and feelings into lyrics for other people to hear and interpret.
“Yeah it really is because you’re putting all your personal experiences that you haven’t really talked about to anybody into a song, and everybody listens. So everybody knows what you’ve gone through and stuff like that. So it’s a little bit daunting, but that’s the reason why I do it because I know that through my experiences other people will also have experiences like that, and that’s why I write music. I want people to relate to it”
“It’s absolutely therapeutic for me. Definitely. I’m not the best at talking about things. So writing was always my way of just getting things down. It’s literally like talking to somebody when you’re writing a song because you’re putting it out there even though it’s not out yet. When you’re writing on paper it’s still like you’re putting it out to somebody. So yeah, it’s definitely therapeutic for me.”
The last time we spoke Marshall told me he was building up his tunes and I wondered if we can look forward to an EP soon.
“Yeah definitely. I do have a next single lined up. I will probably do singles until the end of the year, maybe two or three more and then next year, we’ll think about something like that [an EP]. Last time we talked, I didn’t have many, but now I have a lot of songs lined up so they’re all ready to go out and it’s just about patience and time. “
Bradley Marshall is a talented artist who is growing and developing his sound wonderfully. He is an artist to keep an eye on and his velvety voice is sure to charm all who hear it. Luckily for fans, Marshall has some live shows coming up.
“I actually just announced my debut headline show in Workman’s Cellar on December 16th. So really happy about that and then I’m also playing a festival next month Kildareso yeah, just a few things lined up”
Dublin-based and Australian-born Singer/Songwriter, Conor Hamilton-Long, is back from a long phase of writing and recording for his EP with his new single ‘In My Feelings’. Conor has spent the last year collaborating with producer and close friend Paul Jarvis .
‘In My Feelings’ is an R&B-infused tune that showcases Conor Hamilton-Long’s refined musicianship and honest songwriting. With velvety vocals and mellow guitar oozing warm tones atop a soft bed of punctuated beats, the song exudes a chilled and effortless charm throughout. Within the track, Hamilton-Long discusses the warmth a love interest or significant other can provide when feeling emotionally vulnerable. Through the lyrics he highlights how having someone around when your mental health is low can uplift that struggle and make you feel more present in the moment, forgetting about your worries and looking less inside yourself. ‘In My Feelings’ is an utterly irresistible earworm from Conor Hamilton-Long.
About the track Hamilton-Long said: “I hope people find some solace in the song, similar to how I felt when writing it. Whilst you can feel detached and separated when going through a mental struggle, you’re never alone.”
Florence-based songwriter Peter Dulborough has released his new EP ‘The Fixer’.Written as a reflection of the lessons learnt during the journey of life, ‘The Fixer’ is an introspective look inside each of us as we look to mend our broken world. The EP was recorded in live sessions at Blue Moon Recording Studios with Samuele Cangi (Guitars) and Tommaso Giuliani (Drums) and features beautiful guest vocals from Marie Delfino.
Filled with beautifully expressive rhythms, ‘The Fixer’ is a warm piano-driven EP that boasts Peter Dulborough’s unique brew of classic/contemporary musicianship. Each song surges with heartfelt melodies and elements of jazz that glimmer through the piano on tracks like ‘Heading for the Shore’ while sweet ballads ‘Shooting Star’ and ‘As the Sun sets now’ ooze classic undertones throughout between indie bops ‘The Fixer’ and ‘Pressure Cooker’. The EP is a musical delight and a compelling listen.
About the EP Dulborough explains: “‘The Fixer’ is an archetypal character inside us who tries to change themselves and put the happiness of others above their own – at a price. Their obsession keeps them enslaved to pleasing others,”
Stream ‘The Fixer’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
