Cider Wasps are a four-piece alternative rock band from Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Ireland. The band consists of brothers Danny and Tommy Dunford, Stephen Keating and Colin Drummey. Formed in early 2013 the quartet have been gigging in various venues across the country but as of late have started hitting the Irish festival scene with an appearance at Indiependence 2016. The band launched their debut EP entitled ‘HERE’ in the autumn of 2015 which featured their single Lúnasa. Many radio stations and DJ’s picked up on the EP immediately and it began to hit the Irish airwaves on stations such as WLR-FM, Beat 102-103, CRY104FM, and 98FM to name a few. Their most recent ’Ethereal’ is the second EP release from the band which was launched alongside an independent tour of Ireland starting in Whelans and finishing in Waterford.
’Ethereal’ is an impressively smooth EP packed with passion and sublime melodies. Each track glides smoothly into the next. The tempos are easy-going with dramatic crescendos and with sleek production it’s radio ready. The dreamy delicate ‘80beatspersecond’ kicks off the EP. Silky smooth vocals caress a sweet luscious melody while a throbbing beat sets up the tension for the explosive chorus. These guys write tracks from the heart, every song evokes a rush of urgency and intense emotion while soaring backing vocals and aerial breezy soundscapes lift the tracks to skyscraper heights.’Hummingbird’ trots in with a lively bounce and jangly melodic distorted guitar. The heavy rapid drums and resounding pulse on bass adds a lively energy to the track and danceable foundation. ‘Home’ slows the tone again to start. It’s a heavenly delicate romantic track that builds into a mammothly anthemic explosion. Elevated backing vocals and a heart wrenching rush of blood to the head chorus displays just how good these guys are at making you feel every heavy towering note. ‘Magic Beans’ is simply beautiful and graceful with heavenly soundscapes to start. The track once again erupts for this striking mind-blowing crescendo as Danny Dunford slips into his sweet falsetto range while hefty drums pound and crashing guitars blister and burst through the colossal soundscape. The divine ‘Ethereal’ finishes the EP with warm mellow guitar plucks and tender glowing tones. It’s candy coated purity and tear jerkingly delicate. A sublime melody and sharp guitar stings create a hazy sombre feathery lightness that is just heavenly. When the beat kicks in it’s soft and spongy adding a soothing cushion and bounce. It’s just sublime, a song to treasure.
The ‘Ethereal’ EP is a luscious highly emotive and passionate collection of tracks that touch on all aspects of modern pop/pop-rock without losing cohesion. Silky smooth with the right amount of punch and heaviness throughout. Dunford uses his velvety vocals to inject the right combination of sincerity, drama and emotion into all five tracks creating a satisfying beautiful listen.
You can catch Cider Wasps at their next live show on 23rd November at Fibber Magees, Dublin make sure to check them out.
Stream ‘Ethereal’ below
