The Immaculate Crows have released their new album ‘And Then There Were Two’. The Immaculate Crows were originally an Australian Brisbane-based Alternative band that played from late 1981 to early 1985. They were named and founded by Bruce Neilsen (songwriter, lead guitarist). Former member David Page was the first Australian to get a contract with Tamla Motown when he was a teenage pop star. Bruce reunited with former member Mark Hocknell in 2019. Mark co-produced 11 tracks for this album and played with Bruce on these songs. Carolyn Neilsen co-produced and fully produced ‘Bird In The Sky’.These songs have been well-received by Community Radio Stations throughout the country, such as Raw Radio, Tribe FM 91.1, Triple H 96.5 FM Horsham, 4ZZZ 102.1 FM.
‘And Then There Were Two’ uses alternative, country and indie to showcase a diverse display of The Immaculate Crows’ sound. From warm country twangs between mellow jazz-like flirtations in ‘Can’t You Hear Me Crying’ to the moody ‘New Girl’ and jaunty rock and roll swagger of ‘Love Is Perverse’, the band present a satisfying listening experience. Each song pivots around intricate and evocative guitar melodies that ooze character and emotion throughout, mirroring the lyrical themes of youth suicide, bullying, loneliness, alienation and unrequited love. With psychedelic moments weaved between pop, sweet slow bops and rock bravado ‘And Then There Were Two’ is a solid new album from The Immaculate Crows.
Columbia Mills are set to release their new album ‘Heart Of A Nation’ on the 14th of October . I spoke to Fiachra Treacy, frontman of Columbia Mills about making the album during the pandemic, the benefits of producing the album themselves and the moving inspiration behind some of the fantastic tracks.
‘Heart of A Nation’ is absolutely glorious. Columbia Mills pack so much emotion and passion into one album. The songs deal with the impact society has on our lives and gives an overview of our bleak socio-political landscape; immigration, addiction, and the eradication of self-confidence against a backdrop of lush instrumentation and crisp production.
“I think like everybody else over the pandemic, I personally had a lot of time to think about what was going on, specifically in the world. I think that’s what sparked a lot of the revolutions and the protests that came to the fore during the pandemic around the world. Because everybody’s life was put on hold, we got a lot more time to reflect on what was happening and I think that’s where it came from. I always write from a subconscious point of view. So we had all the music done, we wanted to make it a dancey album, as you pointed out, because we wanted people to have something to dance to after sitting around for so long, but in terms of the lyrics, I sit with the music and I just see what came out and that’s what came out. That was obviously what was troubling me when I was writing the songs and I think once I figure out what the song is about, then I can really run with it and start using less of the subconscious to finish the song but usually, the things that are bothering me will come to the fore.”
“For this album, because we couldn’t rehearse and we couldn’t get together in a room we decided we’d write the music first. Usually we do it the other way around and we put all the music together first, and the lads gave me the liberty to move bits of the song around. So if I wanted to put a chorus here, just put a bridge there I could do that with the vocals. But it was quite challenging. I’ve never really done it like that before, maybe the odd song on the other albums we’ve done it like that. But to do the whole album like this, it was quite challenging. I ended up writing the lyrics maybe four or five times for each song and changing them and putting them back together again, but it was great fun. It was a great challenge and I think it’s made for a really good album.”
The band cleverly layer and craft the songs to create a consuming listening experience. We discussed how the excess time the pandemic provided gave the band an opportunity to create an album so rich and evocative.
“Yeah, yeah we had a lot of time and I think that really helped us. The fact that we could live with each part and myself, Uisneagh [Treacy] and Ste [Ward] would send each other parts like we’d write a synth part pattern or a guitar part or a drum loop and we’d be sending them to each other all the time. There’s an awful lot of stuff that we didn’t use. The parts that we left in, we feel they really worked and we spent a lot of time thinking about them and we were able to mull over it. Then we put the vocals on and then we took a few more bits out, stuff that was clashing with the vocal. So yeah, it was a great, great way of working. We’ll probably do it again.”
‘Nevada’ is such a gem and one of my favourites on the album. The track travels at an intense pace with looped drums creating a pulsing rush of adrenaline as the song ventures between dreamy euphoric tones and intense almost sinister undertones.
“We had the baseline and the drum loop and then there was a synth line that kind of an arpeggiated synth line which actually starts the whole song. Then while I was writing the lyrics, I came up with the chorus part to go to a major chord so the song opens up and you can feel a bit of hope rather than being so dark the whole time because it starts in a minor chord. So when it goes to the major cord it gives people a bit more hope. You don’t want to be too miserable and the lyrics came from when I was in Mexico with my wife who is from Guadalajara in Mexico. That’s an area where a lot of people come through. There’s a train that goes through the centre of Mexico and it carries people from Honduras and from more southern America up through and they’re trying to get to the United States and they stop in Guadalajara and they stop and they’ll ask for money or they look for food and stuff like that. So we’d meet a lot of these people and we met a man who was travelling from Honduras and he wanted to get to Nevada that was what he kept saying. I’m going to Nevada. I don’t speak Spanish but he was talking to my wife but I kept hearing him saying Nevada. She told me that he had a son, a daughter and a wife that were left in Honduras and he was going to work in Nevada to make some money and hopefully that they could join him or he’d go back with money. So that’s what the song is about. It’s me fantasising that they do eventually get together again and that he gets to see his son again. So it’s quite emotional. That’s where this inspiration came from.”
Columbia Mills are melody wizards. There is a soothing quality to the melodies on this album that comforts the listeners from the harsh reality of the lyrics.
“Yeah, for me, the melodies have to come naturally, the vocal melodies especially and I suppose the guitars do as well. They have to come very naturally or else I find if I spend too much time working on a vocal melody or a guitar line, that they just sound, they’re not as soothing. I don’t know if there’s any techniques or anything that we use, but it’s just more of a natural occurrence. The music or the melody will come into my head a lot of the time I’d wake up and a melody would be in my head or I’d be doing something completely different. I’d be working on something else and a melody will come into my head and I think by doing that, as you said they come a bit more naturally and I think people can connect to them a bit more because they’re more human, I suppose.”
‘Momentum’ is another special moment on the album. There is so much musical goodness encased in this song. The song unfolds from pulsing bass lines, chiming keys and intricate guitar melodies into a euphoric groove-infested dance tune.
“Yeah, it came from the intro. I remember Steven sent me the intro with the drum loop and that song was totally different. I remember we had all sorts of crazy vocals on it. The structure was totally different. It was like a dance track because we do work on a lot of dancey stuff. We never release it. We just make dance tracks just for the craic. We’d finished the album and we revisited that song. It was never going to be on the album and I changed it around a little bit and created a verse and a chorus. Then we put a few guitar parts on and then I just concentrated on the vocals and when we had it finished, we’d already got the album mixed by Rob [Kirwan]. He had already finished mixing the album. So we got our engineer, producer friend Mick Heffernan and he mixed it and we really loved it. So we dropped one of the other songs and moved that one in and we’re glad we did because a lot of people say it’s their favourite. “
Sonically it’s an acid trip yet there are sweet moments on guitar between all the dizzying synths and intricate rhythms. I wondered if the band ever got carried away with all the glorious immersive layers when they were creating the song.
“We can overdo it sometimes. So we need to be very careful. There are about four synth parts in that song. Then the baseline, the guitars and the vocals and then I often tend to put a lot of effects on the vocals. I think towards the end. I’m just spouting absolute garbage and we layered it all up on top of each other. I don’t think you can make out what I’m saying. I don’t even know if I know what I’m saying. I’d love to hear them isolated again. But yeah, we can get a little bit lost but we always have to pare it back and remember that people need to listen to this stuff.”
As the album progresses, the band strip away some of the disco elements and the sound becomes more delicate. ‘Imposter Syndrome’ displays this more delicate sound perfectly. Fiachra’s echoed vocals stand out above the hypnotic key refrain and guitars creating a compelling melancholic tune for listeners to enjoy.
“With ‘Imposter Syndrome’, Ste had sent me the synth line, and I really loved it and I was determined to make a song out of it. Once he’d sent me that I started playing the acoustic guitar over it, there’s an acoustic guitar on that song. Once I had the acoustic guitar and the chords figured out, I left all the electronics to one side and just sat on my own with the acoustic guitar trying to figure out a song that I could play without any of the electronics. ‘Imposter Syndrome’ I suppose that’s what it’s about you kind of feel you’re not good enough for somebody else and if you’re not good enough to be in a certain situation. I suppose we all feel like that sometimes, well I feel like that most of the time. So I built a song about that. I can’t really remember writing the lyrics. I can remember just being happy with what had been put down. The structure of the song is quite strange as well because there’s kind of a bridge at the end. So there’s not really a chorus to the song. It just kind of plods along but I love people like Roy Orbison, he used to write songs with no choruses. He’d write songs that just went along, but it would feel like there was a chorus there because each part really mattered. So that’s kind of where I got the inspiration from.”
Lyrically the band don’t shy away from real topics and they pack some punch with their hard-hitting lyrics. Our discussion ventured down the intricacies and natural flow of lyrics and Fiachra told me his lyrics flow in a stream of consciousness sometimes. I wondered if these stream-of-consciousness writing sessions need much editing in order to create the eloquent lyrical content we hear within the album.
“Yeah, I definitely do. Yeah, you’re right. I’d go off on a mad one and I’d write everything down. I’d read everything that has come out from the stream of consciousness, but then I need to figure out where the song came from, and what I’m trying to say and then I’d have to hone back some of the stuff, but sometimes I’m left with some nice stuff that I keep and I’m quite surprised. It’s like I didn’t write it, it just came from somewhere else. So yeah, sometimes, really nice stuff that I just want to keep but yeah, I definitely need to hone it in a bit and put a bit more structure on it and make it a bit more palatable, I suppose, is the word you know, so people can understand what I’m trying to say.”
‘Heart Of A Nation’ is an album brimming with solid tunes. There are many musical gems to enjoy from the emotive guitar-driven ‘House Voice’ to the moody grunge-filled ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’. But Fiachra told me which of the songs on the album he is most proud of.
“Yeah, I really love this song called ‘Here With You’ and another song called ‘Fake Life’. I’d say they’re my two favourites. Just in terms of when I listened to them, they knock me down a little bit because I love the structure of ‘Here With You’. I love where it goes, and how it builds. But in terms of lyrics and what the song is about, ‘Fake Life’ is really nice. I really liked it because I didn’t see that song coming. Ste had sent me this string section and we had that for a long time and I had been trying to write a song over it for ages and we couldn’t. So I got the string section and I put it into my computer and I put a beat over it with a groove box. Then once I had the beat it was like it unlock the key to the vocal melody. Then I had the vocal melody in my head and then the lyrics all came down within like, half an hour. It came really quickly. It was a surprise to me. So I really like listening to that one.”
Columbia Mills have a tour coming up in the UK and Ireland in October. We discussed what fans can expect from this run of live shows.
“ I think we’re gonna be a little bit more dancey this time. We’ve done a couple of shows, we’ve done festivals and obviously with festivals you have to hone it in because there’s a lot of people there that never heard of us. So we were trying to grab them as well. So we kept everything upbeat. When we’re doing our own shows, obviously, we can bring in some of the more melancholy songs which I loved the most but yeah, we’ll be doing a lot more dancey stuff. We have a new drummer, Jamie Duff, he plays the drums standing up and he’s a little bit more full on in terms of making the songs dancey but we’ve left a lot of electronic beats in as well. So it’s kind of changed our sound. We’re going to play a lot of the new album and then a select few off the other two albums and we’ll see where we go with that. Yeah, it’ll be a mixture of everything.”
With ‘Heart Of A Nation’ being the band’s third album there are a lot of songs in their arsenal to play at shows and I wondered if the band found it difficult to pick songs to play live as they would all have their own favourites as well as trying to please the fans with their favourites.
“We have arguments over it a lot which is good. It’s getting better. It’s very healthy to have three albums and to have an argument over what songs we’re going to play. There’s some songs that are a given like ‘City’, ‘Close To You’, ‘Battles’, I think we always play but the rest of the songs are open to play and we also feel when we’re rehearsing you go okay, that one’s really feeling good , and we’re getting a nice buzz off it and if we’re reacting to it, we hope that other people will react to it as well and if songs aren’t working, we just throw them to the side, we’ve plenty more to pick from.”
On their third album, Columbia Mills find new and refreshing ways to express their ever-evolving sound through dancefloor bops and thrilling lyrics that express sorrow, hope and self-knowledge. The band have raised the bar with these intricately layered tunes as they take an array of shimmering synths, punctuated beats and indie rock elements to create impeccable moments of sonic musicianship that mark Columbia Mills in a league of their own.
‘Heart Of A Nation’ is set for release tomorrow October 14th. Until then stream ‘Momentum’ below
Irish alt-pop band HamsandwicH have released their fourth studio album ‘Magnify’. HamsandwicH have been one of Ireland’s most steady indie bands over the years. Their previous album ‘Stories From the Surface’ debuted at #1 on Ireland’s official album chart (the first time an unsigned Irish act accomplished this feat) and the band have opened for heavyweight international artists such as Arcade Fire and Pixies. Having sold out Dublin’s prestigious Olympia Theatre 3 times, they have also played on the main stages at the Electric Picnic and Longitude Festival. Additionally, they have performed at the legendary Slane Castle with Bon Jovi, and were personally invited by Mumford & Sons to support them in Phoenix Park.
Filled with rich textures, sublime melodies and intriguing instrumental arrangements ‘Magnify’ is a glorious display of HamsandwicH’s musicianship. The band blend indie, dance and pop elements to create a sound that is refreshing, laidback and ecstasy to the ears.
‘Electro Wave’ begins the experience. Oozing exuberant 80’s soundscapes from the very first note ( enhanced by disco tones and slick bass grooves), the band kick-starts the album with a sound that is simply irresistible. The sprightly beats and shimmering synths give this track a bright upbeat vibe while the interplay between Niamh Farrell’s vocal lulls and Podge McNamee’s rich baritone creates a refreshing contrast throughout. ‘Julian’ continues the synth-driven vibe while ‘Run Run’ takes a darker undertone and moves towards a more indie aesthetic.
Within ‘Magnify’ the band’s musical prowess is on full display. They blend a lush concoction of musical genres throughout while keeping a tight leash on their sound, never allowing it to spin out of control. The result is expressive soundscapes that allow the listener to experience and enjoy different complementary musical elements with each listen. ‘Next Contender’ is a fine example of this. The track is impressive in its composition and execution. The song appears minimalist, jaunty, and light at first glance but on closer inspection, the listener is treated to rich textures, exciting musical undertones and deft production skills. For example within the track, classical tones on keys slip into arpeggios which lead the way through tempo shifts and transitions that occasionally intertwine with sprightly sharp guitar embellishments. The result is an intriguing display of musicianship that is a joy to listen to.
The undeniable talent of each member is on full display throughout the album. From the feet shuffling blues hues of ‘Fired Up’ to the beautiful ‘Good Friday’ ( which acts as a nod to the band’s former manager Derek Nally, who sadly passed away in 2010) there is no shortage of first-rate musicianship. The exquisite guitar riffs soar over lush melodic flows and rhythmic pulses while Farrell’s compelling vocals express tender lyrics with sweetness and power that is goosebump-inducing.
‘Magnify’ is a musical marvel from HamsandwicH. The album is a showcase of eloquent songwriting and expressive musicianship that is full of rich melodies, exciting musical twists and electronic flourishments.
Berlin-based Irish singer-songwriter Danny O Connor is set to release his new album, ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ on September 30th. Like most musicians around the globe, Berlin-based Irish singer-songwriter Danny O Connor found himself at home with no live gigs to play in the foreseeable future with Murphy’s Law, his beloved and normally busy Irish Folk Band, in March 2020. Between making a living as a Graphic Designer and keeping then three-year-old daughter Roxy entertained, he took to the guitar and a notebook. O Connor used the involuntary break from live music during the Covid-pandemic well: Together with long-term friend, producer and musical collaborator Moe Jaksch, he spent many studio sessions writing, arranging and recording new songs, resulting in the album WISDOM & GRAFT
Awash with wholesome melodies, country twangs and a plethora of energetic instrumentation ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ is an impressive and compelling collection of tracks. ‘New Life’, ‘Closed Doors’ and ‘Empty’ all surge with hearty anthemic musicianship that captures a sense of adrenaline while O Connor showcases his diversity by blending indie elements, folk tones and wonderful melodic progressions together to create unique soundscapes throughout.
Within ‘‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ each song flows into the next with ease, subtly revealing different aspects of O’Connor’s musicianship making for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. This is best shown within swooning slow burners ‘Rain Maker’, ‘The Winner’ and ‘The Lullaby’ which drift along sweet infectious melodies while ‘Northern Lights’, which features Berlin-based gospel/soul legends Ingrid Arthur and Tracey Duncan on backing vocals melds indie rock swagger with elements of gospel power.
Brimming with radiance, traditional tones and musical refinement, ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ is a wonderful new album from O Connor and marks him as an artist to keep an eye on.
Pauric O’ Meara has released his new single ‘Lately’. Pauric O’ Meara is an independent Pop/Rock singer-songwriter from Co. Tipperary, based in Dublin. Over the last few years, O’ Meara has seen his headline shows sell out all over Ireland, including venues such as The Workmans Club, The Grand Social, Monroes, Dolans and Cyprus Avenue, as well as supporting major acts such as Hermitage Green and Hudson Taylor, and stand out performances at festivals such as Electric Picnic, Sounds of Summer and Kaleidoscope.
‘Lately’ is a shimmering indie pop tune that boasts Pauric O’ Meara’s catchy and vibrant musicianship. Driven by a bubbling beat, bright funky guitars, and luscious synth embellishments, the track has an expressive soundscape that simmers for the verses before becoming more energetic for the chorus. With soft tropical elements wisping about the radiant instrumentation O’Meara creates an upbeat gem that oozes a sense of euphoria while honest lyrics deal with themes of relationships, friendships and the importance of the time spent and how we spend it. O’ Meara’s music is a joy to listen to and ‘Lately’ is a fine display of how diverse and exciting this artist is.
Damian McGinty has released his new single ‘Like Moments Do’ alongside announcing his upcoming album “Moments” which is out on the 25th November. I spoke to the singer-songwriter about what inspired the song, how this new album is a new creative facet to his songwriting and a new cycle to his sound and the prospect of an Irish show.
“This is the start of a new cycle for me and a cycle I’m really excited about. It’s been such a fun creative experience writing this album and the theme and the feelings behind it are very important to me. I stand strongly behind what the album represents and what the new single represents. I’m genuinely proud of it. Yes, this is what my music looks like right now. It’s common knowledge that as an artist, the hardest thing to do is, find your sound and hone in on that. ‘Moments Do’ is just a perfect representation of where I am as an artist and I just think it’s an uplifting song that I’m excited for people to hear and enjoy in their own time.”
“Honestly, it wasn’t even something that I was searching for. It’s a period of time that I went through where last autumn myself and my wife moved from California to Nashville. We bought our first home, moved across the country and what I didn’t expect, was just shortly after the very harsh covid period, in the industry and it had fully reopened I was just so slammed with work, and with the personal life and moving across the country and setting up a home. So it was the first time ever in my life that I was waking up every day and just felt like I was suffocating. It just felt like I couldn’t catch a breath. Like I was on a hamster wheel and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t get off. No matter what I did. It just wasn’t working and my brain was going 1 million miles an hour every day and it felt very overwhelming for a fairly long period of time. Then I just started having some conversations about how to fix it like how to slow things down a little, how to be more present and that’s just where ‘Moments Do’ was born. It’s about appreciating small moments. It’s about appreciating moments that don’t get the notoriety or the recognition. You know life isn’t always about bright lights and limousines in the magazines and the billboards and as the song says, it can be something as simple as having a coffee in the morning or having a conversation with your family or just the really simple stuff that doesn’t get recognition. It was about being present and appreciating those moments. That’s just where the single was born. That’s where the whole album grew from.”
‘Like Moments Do’ is a bright upbeat song filled with warm guitar and light piano twinkles between a powerful uplifting soundscape. There is something soothing about the song that creates a wholesome atmosphere throughout.
“Yeah, you’re spot on. I think we started out the session and I was very clear that I wanted something upbeat. But I wanted, it not just upbeat. I wanted it to be hopeful. I think hopeful is the keyword. So you know whenever you go into a writing session, you sometimes throw things on a page or you’ve been messing around with a few chords on the guitar and the piano, whatever it might look like, but just hoping that you can find something and for this particular song, I really knew what I wanted. I’ve been writing all week at this point in Nashville and it was the last session of the week and I just want to write something hopeful. I want to write something that feels like it’s gonna inspire people. I want people to feel simultaneously like they’re getting a hug but also like they’re being told that your life is as normal as my life and that’s great. You don’t need big lights. You don’t need your name on billboards, on magazines. You don’t need all that to live a fantastic life, social media truly is a highlight reel and that’s all we see and therefore that’s a problem of our generation. You compare yourself to what you see on your phone. But yet the moments of the song talks about the in between moments that I think actually have the most beauty. When you are present in those moments, you learn to appreciate them a little more. So it’s definitely like a tip of the hat to all of that.”
The single comes alongside the announcement of McGinty’s upcoming album “Moments” which is out on the 25th November and the singer explained to me the concept behind this album.
“This is the first single and it is the concept of the album. So the whole album dives into these moments that I’m talking about, these moments of the in-between. Different moments in our lives where we feel happiness, where we feel sadness, where we feel contentment, where we’ve been challenged. It’s an album that goes on a journey of all of that and what I like to call you know the journey of the in-between because it really is about normal life and because I just felt there wasn’t a lot of representation for that and I think that a lot of people will hopefully relate. So the album really goes on a journey of all of that and ‘Moments Do’ is the lead single. It’s the perfect song I think to represent the first track and to give the flavour of the album. Then the album takes you on a journey through the in-between.”
In 2021 McGinty released a pandemic project, where he released a new single every month. This album takes a different approach. We discussed how differently he approached this album.
“Initially whenever you’re starting out a project or a record and you’ve got a blank canvas sometimes the only way to start filling that canvas is to just naturally start writing and start creating and see what comes out. That was the really fun thing about this project. I did start writing and start essentially, like painting on the canvas for the lack of another analogy, I started painting on the canvas, and the album and the idea started presenting itself very early on. So I was able to hone in on what boxes I wanted ticked on the album because the album is all about being present and recognizing little moments that never get the recognition because life so fast-paced. Because the album is about that I was reminded on a daily basis to be present. I was reminded on a daily basis to slow down. So it happened to be the record cycle that I’ve enjoyed the most just because I was so present and just because it didn’t feel overwhelming. The entire process has not felt overwhelming. It’s felt well timed, well-paced, so much so that the last song on the album is a song I was able to write whenever the other 10 tracks were already finished. I was like, I want to write a song that really wraps up this theme and I was able to do that which is not like any other writing experience I’ve ever had. So that felt really nice as well.”
To celebrate the release of his new album, Damian McGinty will be hitting the road this autumn for his ‘Live in the Moment’ tour across the US, with dates in eastern Canada as well. With a lot of artists approaching touring differently since the pandemic, I wondered if McGinty was going to take touring at a slower pace and if a show in Ireland would be a possibility.
“Yeah, I’m really excited to get on the road. I’m really excited to perform this music. Obviously, I’ve never performed it live yet. It’s gonna be great. Live music looks a lot different now. It just feels different in a very weird way and I think almost in a healthy way live music for the artist doesn’t feel like it’s 100% necessary anymore. I’m trying to explain that because I’ve seen a lot of artists being like I don’t want to tour right now. It’s not good for my health. It’s not good. So I think we’re entering a really healthy period for music, where people are not letting it define them. Which is really important because touring, sometimes can feel like the be-all and end all and how many shows you do in a year, defines how successful your year is. Whereas now, people are just learning a little more to look after themselves and the music and the performance will then benefit from that. So it’s almost like a partnership. It’s like if you take care of your health, and if you’re in a good place, then the performances don’t feel like a chore. They just feel like something that you enjoy, and that you happen to do and you’re lucky enough to do. So that’s where I’m at. I’ve been just trying to be present, be steady look after myself and then I just feel very fortunate that I get going and do six weeks of live shows in the autumn. That just feels really exciting to me to get to see people on a face to face basis. So I’m really excited.”
“It’s something that I’m very interested in [ a show in Ireland]. I’m heavily considering so I’ve had a couple of conversations about it. At the moment, it’s most certainly a watch this space thing so yeah, that’s definitely something I’m gonna keep my eye on.”
Filled with wonderfully expressive instrumentation, sweeping melodies and warm lyrical content ‘Like Moments Do’ is a compelling glimpse into the joyous musicianship of Damian McGinty. This song is a fantastic appetizer for his upcoming album.
FYA FOX has released her new single ‘Like Loving Jesus’.Following a stellar set of releases, sold out Whelans Dublin headliner (Nov 2021), showcased at Ireland’s leading festival for emerging artists Ireland Music Week and selected to play the BBC Introducing Stage at OutPut & Stendhal Festival, FYA is gearing up to play her 1st ever UK festival Live At Leeds (Oct 15th). Gaining major support across Irish national and regional radio stations along with plays on BBC Radio 1, ‘Track of The Week’ features on RTE 2FM, Spin South West and Today FM, to mention a few. To date FYA has gained over 203K Spotify streams with playlisting on ‘New Music Friday’, ‘New Pop UK’, ‘EASY’, ‘Chilled Pop Hits’, ‘New Pop Revolution’, ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Fresh Finds Pop’, along with playlisting on BBC Radio Ulster ‘Where Music Matters’.
‘Like Loving Jesus’ is powerful alternative pop at its finest. FYA presents a soul-filled tune brimming with catchy melodies and R&B tones that is a joy to listen to again and again. Melancholic verses brood atop a lamenting piano and ethereal soundscapes before a vibrant punchy chorus kicks in. The track is an emotive-filled banger from start to finish enhanced by gospel elements and lush textures throughout. Produced to perfection with FYA’s compelling vocals at the helm, ‘Like Loving Jesus’ confirms FYA FOX as a true force to be reckoned with.
About the track FYA said: “I wrote this song over zoom with Bill Maybury (Cian Ducrot, Ryan Mac, Lenii & Fia Moon) & Matt Weir during lockdown. I’d been listening to a lot of Noah Cyrus at the time, so I feel like some inspiration for the session came from that”.
Blood Donor has released his new single ‘Lonely Street’. Blood Donor is an alt-pop artist based out of Dublin, Ireland. The solo project of ex-Otherkin frontman Luke Reilly, he has released two singles thus far (the euphoric pop belters ‘Bienvenue’ and ‘Under the Sun’) and is now on the cusp of releasing his debut album (due summer 2023). Blood Donor will debut his new material alongside ‘Lonely Street’ with a 5-piece band in the Workman’s Cellar in Dublin on October 29th and plans on releasing a new single every couple of months in the lead-up to his debut album.
Saturated in hazy nostalgia, ethereal pines on guitar and delicate shimmers on synths, ‘Lonely Street’ is a compelling new tune from Blood Donor. Reilly’s warm vocals soothe atop a country – esque melody while buoyant beats create a soft cushion from the sombre lyrics “A sad sad song, a sad sad scene We waste our time with fever dreams”. The song is a well-crafted tune that reveals many instrumental gems with each subsequent listen; ethereal keys, western-toned guitar and glorious musical embellishments to name a few. The track subtly builds becoming more cinematic as a shredding classic guitar solo leads the song to its lingering fade out. With ripples of delicate ambient soundscapes and rich instrumental moments; ‘Lonely Street’ is a fine display of Blood Donor’s emotive musicianship and deft musical prowess.
About the upcoming album Blood Donor said: ‘’The album has been a long time coming. It was supposed to be out in 2020 but when COVID kicked off I went back to working in medicine. It was a very intense time in my life to be honest, and for the guts of a year and a half I lost all contact with music-making. It was only when I played a gig with some friends in March 2022 that I realised the extent of the void in my life. It was an Indie Covers night with James Vincent McMorrow and other Irish musicians, and it such a cathartic and life-affirming experience for everyone involved. I resolved myself to get the album finished and get back to playing live.’’
Slender Pins have released their new single ‘So Happy (90% Of The Time)’. This blistering tune surges in on sharp guitar hooks, and infectious grooves as Slender Pins flesh out their energetic sound with witty lyrics and dark undertones. With raw rumbling basslines weaving between frantic pop-punk instrumentation, the band create a manic and powerful wall of sound as the lyrics swing from happy to dark thoughts “But then come the long, dark nights, and a voice from the depths of your subconscious cries: ‘what the f*ck am I doing with my life?!'”. With desert- esque guitars adding swagger between crazed vocal yelps while the brisk tempo entices you to dance along; Slender Pins create a fantastic tune ready to blast at full volume.
Rowlette has released her third release of 2022, ‘Perfect’.The song explores the relationship with one’s body and our tendency to chastise it, despite all the amazing things it enables us to do. The song was produced by Dave Skelton and mastered by Aidan Foley. Rowlette, currently based in London, has been busy since the world of live music has returned. She recently hosted a packed-out headliner in the British capital with fellow musician Faraway Martin. As well, she’s back in Dublin frequently, performing at venues such as Workman’s and The Soundhouse. As a solo performer with an acoustic guitar, Rowlette is recognised for her powerful vocals, inspirational lyrics and captivating performances. Hailing from Co. Mayo, she has a distinctive writing style, known for her storytelling ability. Rowlette’s tracks have received radio play across Irish radio stations and abroad and were added to several Spotify editorial playlists.
‘Perfect’ is a tender ballad that displays Rowlette’s eloquent songwriting over delicate yet cinematic soundscapes. With swooning strings and warm bass sweeping over folk-esque acoustic guitar and elegant piano, Rowlette creates a well-crafted backdrop for her soothing vocal delivery. Her voice caresses the soothing melody with a sense of comfort and uplifting earnestness as the song ventures into its cinematic crescendo with a grace and elegance that is to be admired. Filled with warm tones and ethereal orchestral elements ‘Perfect’ is an emotive gem from Rowlette.
Stream ‘Perfect’ below
Author:Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
