UK Pop Singer AJ Wander has released his new single ‘Eye To Eye’. The song is the latest track to follow from his debut single ‘Time Out’, which was released at the end of 2020 and has racked up 3 million streams on Spotify to date.
Pounding with anthemic power, pop ballad sensibilities and heartfelt melodies ‘Eye To Eye’ is a superb new single from AJ Wander. The track flurries along a rush on piano while pulsing drums and soaring soundscapes create a tense backdrop. Sweet melodies weave between an intricate percussive wall of sound, as the song surges with emotion and adrenaline all at once. This refined track exudes Wander’s compelling musicianship. His ability to capture emotion and contain its raw, unbridled passion within a beautifully crafted tune is mesmerising. ‘Eye To Eye’ is a compelling new single from AJ Wander.
Speaking of “Eye To Eye”, AJ Wander said: “I wrote Eye to Eye whilst sat on my bed in the middle of the night last year. My girlfriend and I were fighting a losing game and we couldn’t pretend to be OK anymore. It was a moment of realisation, we’re broken and the pieces couldn’t be glued back together. It’s me finally being able to step back from the chaos of our relationship and see the toxic cycle we’d fallen into; we fought because we were numb and we were numb because we fought. All we ever wanted was trouble.”
Apella have released the limited edition vinyl and CD of their debut album ‘1963’, alongside the band’s new single ‘Buried You’. Since the album was digitally released on January 29th, it has been going from strength to strength, with a whopping 500,000 streams racked up to date. The album reached #1 on The Official Irish Independent Chart and #2 on the Official Album Charts.
I caught up with Dara Quilty to discuss the album’s success, the energetic video for ‘Buried You’ and getting in shape for live shows.
“ This album went to number one in the Independent Album Chart and number two on the Official Album Chart. I was in the hospital with my mom, we were at an appointment and I got the phone call. I don’t know, like an hour maybe before the charts are published or something,and I was told it was the number one independent album and I was like, oh my god!. I was so happy. I actually shed a tear of Joy. Then I was told, hang on, and he said 1963 is the number two album in the country. I was like What do you mean?. So this is the official independent chart for artists who are not on major labels. but I look at that and like Adel is in there, Arctic Monkeys are in there. So to be number one on that is unbelievable and then to be on the official album chart. Justin Bieber is number one, Apella is number two, Dermot Kennedy is number three, Dua Lipa is number four, John Spillane is number five. Demi Lovato released the same day we did and she’s eight and we are two that is, I don’t know, what do you say about that?”
“There has been nothing but truth about this campaign. Obviously I opened up a bit. I have never done that before. I’m no celebrity as you well know, but I just feel social media, I like it for what it is, I like to put my work up there and I like the fact that I can get engaged with people that enjoy what I do, whether it be the band or a podcast or a show or TV or whatever. I like it for that kind of thing, but I never post my personal life up there. Not because I think I’m a celebrity, just, because it’s the internet, and there are weird people in the world. So it’s kind of daunting to share that part of the story, and the response, I mean I have gotten so many messages from so many women, and so many young women that are my age, that are 31, 32 that have been through cancer, and they’ve never heard a guy speak about it. They have said they’re going to get support and they have realised they’re not okay. One girl said she was diagnosed at 27, five years ago and she said, I’m not okay. Five years later, I listened to your podcast and I’m gonna get help today.This is a weird thing, people can live their lives without being affected by it and they are so lucky. And people that are affected by it, every story is different, every experience is unique so I didn’t want to come across like a Mr.know it all, because I’m not a Mr. know it all. I’m a Mr. wants to know it all, I want to speak to people, I want to learn more from people. I can share a perspective, and an idea. Do you know how many women in Ireland are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. 3700 People, 3700 Women, 3700 unique experiences and stories. It’s so complicated. That’s crazy. I remember when you experience it for the first time, you don’t know what to do because it comes out of nowhere, so I guess if I could share my experience it might resonate with someone. That was a bonus to this record, if anything, to be able to do that, you know.”
Quilty has been open and honest when discussing the motivation behind why he decided to give 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the album to The Marie Keating Foundation. His mother lives with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer, and the title of the album ‘1963’ is named after the birth year of his mother. It’s a personal album that has resulted in him speaking frankly about his personal life. Something he has never done before
“It’s acceptance. This is the thing, I believe, and again, I’m no expert. I think life is complicated, difficult to navigate, and the older you get, the more complicated and difficult to navigate it is. The world is unfair, and then we all die at the end. So you decide on what you do with this weird experience. This absurd existence that we have, you decide. Do you want to be an angry person on Twitter, or do you want to have fulfillment in what you do, for me it’s making music.”
‘1963’ is by no means an album about cancer. It’s an exquisite collection of pop-punk indie tracks sure to fire up the soul and have you dancing and moshing along in no time. Quilty displays his deft songwriting through these dynamic songs to give listeners something they can enjoy and listen to.
“Someone referred to it as a cancer album, and I had to correct them. I was like no no no no no it’s not. This whole thing was written and recorded before. If you listen to the record, like the single is called ‘Buried You’. You can’t have a cancer album and a song like that no. ‘Buried You’ was this athemic cliche breakup song about a guy who’s just out of a relationship. The lyric is “turned out the light, went out into the night searching for anyone that would give me anything close to love” , that’s just the power breakup, f*ck you, I’m going out and getting drunk and I don’t drink. So that was written from the perspective of a character. The album is all stories and stuff. Lyrically, they’re meticulously put together stories, some are from real life experiences and some are from fantasy.”
“I never in a million years thought I would be releasing an album under these circumstances, with my mom, with a global pandemic. Having moved to New York City, and being there for, I don’t know, six, seven months, and then Manhattan shutting down. More Americans have died from COVID-19 than World War One, two, the Vietnam War and 911 combined. I have a picture of me on 6th and 44th around Times Square at rush hour on a Tuesday. I’m in the middle of the avenue. I don’t know if you have been to New York, but up the avenue, cross the street that’s how you remember. So the avenues go up Manhattan. They are always full of cabs, Ubers honking horns. I was in the middle of the street, I didn’t have to wait for the crosswalk, there was nobody. I have this picture of me with a completely empty Times Square. There’s red steps in Times Square, that are infamous for Instagram. You never get near them there is always tourists. I have a picture of me just on my own on those red steps, you’ll see them in the Jay Z and Alicia Keys video for Empire State, but they had to block it off to shoot there and close it down. I have a picture of me just in there in the middle of the day I had the whole thing to myself”
Photo credit: David Gannon Photography
Photo credit: David Gannon Photography
“If you told me in 2019, the conditions, I’d be releasing this album under. I’d be like this is a dystopian future show on Netflix you’re pitching to me here this is crazy. But look, like I said life is difficult, complicated, and you choose what you do. I chose in this pandemic, I was like, right here’s a pause, let’s do a podcast, I’ve wanted to do for so long, ‘Quilty’s Different’. I love my podcast. My record is recorded, let’s release the record. I released the record in January digitally, as you know and then April 2 physically, you know what happens in January, the music business? The festival booking.
“So all the festival booking happens around December, January. So if there was no pandemic, we would be booked now for festivals. Then we release it and then it goes well in the charts, and then the festivals would start bumping us up the lineup maybe. Then we go,ah let’s put on an Olympia show or the Academy show or let’s see what venue we can do, and let’s go around the country and tour. We can’t do any of those things. It’s such an unusual time to release a record but I was like I’m not waiting anymore.”
The pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty within the music industry, and one crippling factor for artists is the lack of shows. I wondered, considering the album is doing so well, is Quilty annoyed at the fact he can’t tour to maximize the reach of the album.
“No I’m not annoyed at all, because it’s outside of my control. Who knows if I released this record in the usual noise of the world it could have been lost in the noise. I don’t know, it is what it is, I accept it for what it is. Right now, what I’m doing is talking to you, what happened an hour ago is not important, what’s going to happen in one hour is not important. The album is the number one and number two album in the country right now and then somebody else will take over. So, this is going to be I hope, a key to continue the success in the United States. Because there’s an alternative market over there that doesn’t exist here. As in, there’s alternative radio stations like K-Rock in LA and ALT 92.3 in New York City, that just play bands like Apella, Twenty One Pilots, Weezer and Machine Gun Kelly all day long. ‘Buried You’, ‘We Met At A Party’, I can hear that song on all those stations, not sticking out like a sore thumb. But I love this country. This country is magnificent and the ‘Buried You’ music video would have cost me approximately $20,000 to do in New York. I got to do that here in Ireland with creative people that I know as a collaboration.
Ireland is a beautiful country for that. My team of people with Apella, it’s not just me, it’s me, it’s Ronan, it’s Joe from the studio it’s Ray, who does the cinematography, Dara Munnis who shot the album cover, Natalie who designed and Sabrina, it’s a team. This is good for, not just me, this is good for everybody. Everybody has a role, and everybody’s celebrating this. Maybe it’s because I’m in my 30s now, it’s not a narcissistic experience. Did I want to be a big rock star when I was 22 Yeah, I was 22. Now, 10 years later I’m like okay I just want to do this, I don’t care, I like doing it. We just love the studio, Ronan is such a good drummer. If we’re gonna put on a show we’re going to put on the best show possible and if people come and enjoy that, that’s amazing, because we care deeply about it”
Apella have also released the video for ‘Buried You’, which was directed by Ray Keogh. The video showcases the live energy of a show and gives a glimpse into Apella as a live band. Well captured and beautifully presented, this clip definitely whets the appetite for anyone longing to see the band live, which will hopefully not be too far in the future.
“I’m so happy you said that because when I came up with the concept for that video I had this idea of black and white but like colors, not black and white video. That video is a representation of what you would see walking into a tent at Electric Picnic or Glastonbury, you know, there’s Apella. That is the energy we play with live. We’re both very ostentatious performers. Ronan is particularly spectacular to watch live playing drums and I’m a tall drink of water. To me, that video is Apella. That’s what we are, the lights, the look, the energy. That was all shot on a handheld camera, there was no jib, there was no tracking, there was Ray Keogh and his genius brain. It was all handheld. He edited that video and Ronan Kenny was the lighting designer, and that is the band. What you see in that video is what you should see at a music festival, except it’s on YouTube”
“ Yeah, we were contemplating do we book one [shows] or not now because I know shows are being booked, and I see people for September and stuff or October and I’m like, the government are saying, you’re allowed meet one other household but not in your garden or their garden. I feel like if we put a show on sale we’ll just have to reschedule it. This idea that Ireland is going to go from being allowed to meet one neighbor not in your garden or theirs to like the Olympia, I just I don’t know, I can’t predict that. So we’ll do shows when shows are back.”
“Shooting ‘Buried You’, we had such bad headaches after that video, because we hadn’t performed in a year. Your body gets used to it. The headaches weren’t from the music it was from, and it sounds really lame but it’s just rocking out our brains!. Ronan after the second take was like, oh god I can’t see anymore, because he plays so hard. I think in the pandemic he did some shows with Gavin James. Gavin James and Apella are very different. Gavin is beautiful, it’s about his voice and Ronan is very lightly playing drums in the background. Apella is like, throwing the kitchen sink down the stairs. So, the day after we shot that video, it felt like we had been drinking for, well I imagine what a terrible hangover feels like. Again, I don’t know I don’t drink or do any of that sh*t but we were just so f*cked the following day because… it just took so much energy. You need to be in shape for tour, I don’t think people realize this about touring”
One aspect of touring that can be difficult for artists is the comedown after a show. It might not seem so, but to go from the high energy and adrenaline on stage to a quiet room on your own is a difficult transition, and this is another aspect of touring, artists have to prepare for.
“Oh I know about the comedown jeepers.I spoke to Dougie [Poynter] from McFly on my podcast about this actually. Dougie and I bonded many years ago over a mutual love of Blink-182. He was in McFly doing arenas every single night and like you said, went from standing on the stage to 14,000 screaming girls to what they call, I don’t know what they call like – it’s like, a speed exit or something. It’s when there’s music still playing but the talent are taken off stage, put onto the bus and brought away from the venue straight away. You go from standing in front of people to being on a tour bus in a bunk. I don’t know if you have ever been on a tour bus before but the bunks are tiny. So you’re in a bunk alone after literally 10 minutes ago standing in front of 40,000 people. Imagine doing that 265 times a year.”
“I guess I’m kind of lucky in a way that I’ve been working professionally in this business since 19 via radio. I always think it’s so funny people’s reactions to celebrities like people freaking out because we’re all just people you know. But I’ve definitely been super jaded after festivals. I remember we did Sea Sessions a few times and that’s really far away. Donegal is like a four-hour drive and we never stay anywhere we just come back because it’s too expensive, you drive for four and a half hours to play a 40-minute set. I remember one Sea Sessions… I was just exhausted from the whole day, all the gear in the van, getting there. I drove us there and then our tour manager had to drive home. I was like, I need to pass out. I need to sleep, our tour manager had to drive, and I passed out immediately. I was asleep for most of the ride home. Just because I was tired from four hours of driving, and you’re on stage at a festival. For festivals, you have to stick to your timeslot. There’s a big thing on the side of the stage, because if you run late the whole day is screwed. So if you run over on your set time, the next band are starting. It works like clockwork, especially like Electric Picnic and stuff, behind that big curtain is the next band setting up all the gear. It’s all on wheels so one band rolls off, the other band rolls on, and this happens worldwide. When you’re a smaller act you don’t have a crew of 15 people to do all that stuff for you, so you know you got local crew so you got to do it yourself, which is fine, but then you do the show, then you get all the stuff back in the van, and then you got to drive four hours back to go to bed so it’s tiring. But I still want to do it again.
“Being on stage is probably the best. It’s probably the most fun thing. It’s such a different experience from doing it to watching it, you’re in another place. It’s hard to explain. Going into a song, I won’t know what the first line of the song is, and then Ronan counts in, and then it just happens. It’s like you’re pouring yourself a glass of water. You don’t need to think okay, lefthand, I need to turn the cold tap on, leave it run, right hand, glass, okay the glass is full. It’s just a thing you’ve been doing your whole life so it’s just muscle memory.”
Social media is a huge element of artists live’s now. I wondered if Quilty finds navigating his social media easy or is it a difficult but necessary task.
“We can take nice pictures on Instagram all day. We can be on TikTok, all day, a lot of people do that and that’s where they put their energy and that’s fine. My least favorite part of this whole album has been the Instagram and social media promoting. Everything is different. This many words are allowed on twitter, twitter video can be this long, Instagram video can be 60 seconds long, this is this aspect ratio of the story. I’m like, Oh God, I wish I had someone to do all this. I love social media but I don’t like constantly having to push and put up the videos. I just like doing the music bit of it and I like having the silly time.”
“If I wasn’t doing this as a job I would not be on any of it.If you log onto my Instagram it’s just stuff I’m doing. Like I said earlier. I’m not an influencer, I look forward to reading the book on social media in like 50 years. Donie O’Sullivan from Kerry who’s the CNN journalist is sort of lifting the lid on major social media platforms and propaganda, and especially during the Capitol Hill riots that time. I look forward to reading the book somebody in 50 years will write and it’ll be called the Social Media Experiment or something. I think it’ll flip reverse, I think eventually our grandkids will say grandma how didn’t you know. They’ll be like, there was a camera on the front, there were three cameras on the back.”
Like all bands now, Apella have the power and influence of streaming platforms, giving artists huge exposure; however, it doesn’t make them money. They have the opportunity to reach more people but don’t reap the benefits as much as an artist would with album sales and touring. Artists have had to adapt to this mass consumption of music and make the most of what they can.
“I feel it’s being devalued. It’s a good way to get your music out there and digital is the future we got to just accept that adjust and adapt. Like we had to adjust and adapt to COVID and like we’ll have to adjust and adapt to the next thing. This record is literally a demonstration of adjusting and adapting to a circumstance and trying to prevail. This is the number two record in the country, and the number one record on the Independent chart, you know, the word chart was never even part of that. This is my first actual official release, I’ve been releasing music for 10 years and I’ve skipped this bit because I’m like I’ll just put it up on MySpace at the beginning. Fox Avenue, all we would do is put ourselves on MySpace. Go and play The Academy Whelan’s, Olympia, whatever supports slots we can get you know, that’s what we did. Now, it’s a completely different world that we live in. I think our publishing company, which is just a self-publishingcompany, you just do ityourself. It sends it to 88 places. The obvious ones are Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, but then there’s ones in China and Japan I have never heard of and it just goes, Do you want to send it to everywhere and you’re like, Yeah. So just goes on to all the places and I’m like, did I get any money for this?. Anybody pay me for this any time, anywhere along the way. So that’s why the chart thing, I never thought about that because I’ve never done it before, ever. With a chart, you need to have a company, scanning barcodes.”
People really appreciate the care and attention to detail provided by Quilty. All the pre-ordered limited edition white vinyl’s of ‘1963’ come numbered and signed by Quilty. He is also giving away a custom-built RQ1963 pink guitar designed by himself and crafted by Custom Built Ireland to one lucky person who pre-ordered the album
“I did a personal note to every single person who pre-ordered. I thought it was going to be really nice until it was 3:15am, and I was only on order 185. And with GDPR and all that they didn’t send me full names so it was just a first name I got. I vividly remember being on 185, and it was three o’clock in the morning, and I was like, what am I doing, but it was a limited edition vinyl, there’s a specific number of vinyls, so I wanted to number them. I don’t know, I just like to go the full nine yards. I got so many tweets and Instagrams about it so it was nice. It was kind of fun, it was like oh look, we found vinyl 145 Oh, we found vinyl 86. I enjoyed seeing where they landed. A lot of family and friends were supporting the record and I was like hey you got vinyl 99. Did you not preorder this when I asked. So it’s fun stuff like that”
“Yeah, we haven’t given that away yet [ custom-built RQ1963 pink guitar ]. We haven’t picked our winner yet, that’s only for the people that pre-ordered. I guess we’ll probably be giving that away by the end of the month. The competition is closed, it was only for people that pre-ordered.“
‘1963’ is a well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable album, Apella has managed to capture a whirlwind of emotions heightened through sublime musicianship and production. The refined glorious melodies and masterful instrumentation portrayed within the tracks makes each song dynamic and energetic. ‘1963’ is a must listen
Owen Denvir has announced his imaginative and brilliant EP trilogy/album idea is coming to a close with the final EP ‘Bones’ set for release on May 7th. That will then create the ‘Sticks, Stones & Bones’ album. To coincide with the announcement he has released his new single ‘My World’. 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.
Delicately encased in soft soundscapes and wonderful songwriting, ‘My World’ is a touching and sweet new single from Owen Denvir. The track flows upon a blanket of lush percussion, balmy rhythms and soothing harmonies while Denvir’s velvety vocals surge with soulful tones. He coos the emotive lyrics over a soft hazy melody that is drizzled in melancholy, while the beautiful lulls by Hannah McPhillimy elegantly chime in the backdrop. Denvir has outdone himself with this passionate ditty. The earnest lyrics and refined production makes ‘My World’ an utterly compelling track.
About his new single ‘My World’ Owen says : “My World holds a lot less hope to it than the overall sound of it suggests. It’s a culmination of sayings and traits either my friends or I have shared in the panic before realising you’ve been dumped. You can raise your partner to an unrealistic pedestal through misplaced infatuation, while they might not feel the same way about you. In the worst case, it leads to a reliance that this person is the only thing in the world that matters, or that you’ll amount to nothing without them. There’s always a way out from this mindset, however long it takes. It’s not always easy to see what the best course of action is. Reaching out for help can feel impossible, like an admission of weakness, or acceptance of a loss that you don’t want to face. Every person is defined by themselves just as much as the people around them, and it’s situations like this you’ll realise how much your friends and family care about you. Spending time with them is as important as spending time alone, coming to terms with it all.”
Soda Blonde have announced the release of their debut album ‘Small Talk’ on July 9th with their new single and title track. I caught up with singer-songwriter Faye O’Rourke to talk about the new single, gaining confidence as a band and within herself, how she crafts her poetic lyrics and how Adam O’Regan is a “multifaceted genius”.
Soda Blonde are honing in on their craft, dropping alternative pop gems with each release. All four band members (O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) are seasoned musicians who have been perfecting their craft since their teens. The result is the Soda Blonde experience. Title track ‘Small Talk’ gives a glimpse at what the album has in store for listeners.
“I thought Small Talk was a very fitting title for the album in general as it’s a very self-aware title. In terms of what it’s about, it’s about loads of things. Initially when we wrote it, when you’re listening to it you think it’s about a dialogue between two people, but it’s also kind of talking about one’s inner dialogue. I think, especially now, in the times that we live, it seems like we’re beholden to one or two scripts. It’s becoming more and more polarised, and a lot of times it’s all talk and no action. So Small Talk just seemed like a very fitting title for the album as a whole and also for the single.”
‘Small Talk’ is a catchy alternative pop tune with a dark undertone, and this is something we see a lot within Soda Blonde’s songs.In fact, it could be what makes them so enticing. Sometimes it’s a deep bass groove, pulsing synth or mystical melody that tantalises the ears and entraps listeners in the band’s mesmerising sound.
“ We always set out to serve the song, and that’s one of the great things about the band and why the music is so diverse. So yeah, I guess there’s a darkness in the lyrics that sometimes, I feel is countered with the music. We’re making music that makes you want to move, but the subject matter can be quite dark. I’m definitely exposing parts of myself through the music that I wouldn’t necessarily do on a daily basis. I’m probably more honest in my music. I’m exploring parts of myself that I wouldn’t want to discuss with somebody, you know. So I think the music does counter that but also there is a darkness to it as well, I guess, as you said”
I wondered if it was daunting approaching the band with all these very personal, emotional, honest thoughts within her head.
“That’s a good question. No I’m not because we’ve worked together for over 10 years and we’ve been through a lot as teenagers, and we have a very intimate relationship with one another. So No is the answer, I’m well used to it at this point. But I’m still always anxious about their reaction because I respect them so much as musicians and as artists. That’s still a very nerve-racking thing. I’ve gotten better at that over the years. When I was younger I would be kind of shaking because the first time you do expose those feelings is often the most nerve-racking, so I’m probably better at that now. It’s definitely something that I had to get to grips with over the years”
“We’re all very communicative and open. I think a lot of the time, because our lives are so intertwined, they can relate to what I’m talking about or, they understand it. When you expose yourself as a person, I used to see that as being vulnerable or a weakness. I felt like I was giving away parts of myself and I didn’t have anything left for me, but now I’m seeing that as more of a strength because I’m just more comfortable with myself. At the end of the day, it’s me living with myself in my own head. I suppose it’s therapeutic and I feel like I’m achieving a little bit more contentment, in that way. “
Soda Blonde’s music expresses and discusses universal, relatable themes and topics however they also have personal meanings for O’Rourke. A special result of this is fans and listeners can take away something meaningful from the songs. The manner in which O’Rourke crafts her lyrics and how the band creates the backdrop allows listeners to draw their own experience and value out of each track.
“That’s the whole point, especially with this song [Small Talk] in particular and with the album as a whole. I’m never trying to be didactic or tell people how they should live. I think the idea is that people take ownership of it and that’s what makes a good song. That’s what makes it stay with someone forever is If they insert themselves into it and derive their own meanings. So that would be my intention anyway… to open it up to people’s interpretations and for them to find themselves in it”
Catchy melodies seem to be something Soda Blonde are pros at creating. Every song the band releases grabs listeners ears with a bittersweet infectious melody and irresistible hook. I wondered if O’Rourke has a secret recipe to create these and if the melody comes when she is writing the lyrics, or if she writes the lyrics and then puts a melody to it
“I’ve always listened to pop music, and a wide range of everything, I don’t just listen to one genre of music. I think I listen to every genre of music but I don’t go out intending to write a pop jam or something really hooky, it’s just that I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I’m losing myself in it. It’s a subconscious thing and I always make sense of it after I’ve written it, but I feel that’s just my musical sensibility – to write things that are hooky, I guess, I hope.”
“I very rarely do the latter, it’s usually, I’ll sit down at a piano or with a guitar or something and there’ll be one moment or one line or one lyric that presents itself, and that’s usually through the hook or something like that, and then I’m like oh that’s kind of good, I’m a genius for like five minutes and then… my subconscious will begin the exercise, and then my rational self will come in and fill in the blanks after. I think it’s amazing when people can sit down and go, I’m going to write about this and structure out lyrics and then put it to music, that’s an incredible skill, but for me, not saying that I don’t know what I’m going to write about, a lot of times I will know generally what I’m trying to express but in terms of structuring the lyrics, it usually comes out as I’m playing”
O’Rourke is becoming known for her strong and poetic lyrical content. I find there are certain turns of phrase within Soda Blonde’s tracks that hit you when you are listening to them. For example, in ‘Small Talk’, the lyric “Do I suppress everything? Am I just too late to admit that I’m Ignoring myself? “. It’s an honest ponder eloquently expressed in two short lines
“Yeah, I suppose it’s a scary endeavour because I’m relying on something that I don’t have any control over at all and that’s why the guys are such amazing technical musicians. I wouldn’t really describe myself as a very technical musician, I can navigate my way and articulate myself, but musically, it takes me a bit longer because I’m kind of like I know what it’s supposed to feel like, but I can’t remember where this chord is you know. But yeah, that’s the thing, that’s why it is therapeutic and it is spiritual and something that I’m very grateful to be able to do because I didn’t train to do this, I didn’t go to college to do this, it was just something that I was always able to do so, I respect that process. I certainly do structure after. There’s a few parts that come that way but I definitely do sit down and crack the whip and, as you say, the rational brain comes in and structures it in a way that, for me it should feel complete. It has to have a start, middle and end, and there has to be some kind of hard-hitting conclusion for me with songwriting”
Soda Blonde 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. Soda Blonde stepped in a different direction to Little Green Cars. There is a more indie-folk sound that is enhanced by impressive synth-pop elements and 80’s influences within Soda Blonde. However, this wasn’t a surprise decision.
“Oh no, it definitely wasn’t we’ll give it a go and see what happens. It was kind of like, this is the only thing that I feel we’re geared towards doing and the vehicle of Soda Blonde has been just so rewarding because we can take control of things that we couldn’t do before. Little Green Cars was winding down quite gradually. I think people just see it as one big announcement and I think a lot of people were surprised by how quickly Soda Blonde emerged after that.But it had always been there, certainly for me in some capacity. These songs, they go back a couple years, they weren’t just all written as soon as we conceived Soda Blonde as such, I had these songs in me for five, six years, some of them. So it’s sort of everything really, you know”.
“Obviously we did have such big success with Little Green Cars and we were so young and everything but I think you understand a bit more in hindsight about, where and why those things happen and we were a great band and I think we’re as good a band, as we were then. It’s a different thing. I see them as two different things and Little Green Cars will always be a huge part of me, it’s all of my reference points. I grew up in that band. I do see it as one journey of my life, and I would love to have as much instantaneous success but that can also be against you in a way, I think when you’re working against hype. It’s quite difficult. I think that was kind of an invaluable experience because I understand it now. I understand the hype machine thing and how volatile things are. It’s a very volatile industry and you just have to be able to put your head down and make the things you want to make and push on. So, I don’t think there’s pressure for me necessarily to achieve the same things. I just believe that we will get there, whether it’s fast or slow, doesn’t really matter. I think I’m happier and more secure in myself with this debut. I was a nervous emotional wreck when the band started when we were teenagers and it was hard to enjoy it. Because you just felt like you were an imposter. You felt like you didn’t know where you were, what you’re doing, what you were supposed to say. I remember playing Coachella, when we were 19 or 20 and looking at other massive acts, going, I don’t look like that, I don’t wear those clothes, do I belong here? Do I even fit in here? and I feel that’s all part of being a teenager and part of growing up.I think this time around, I feel very confident and we love our music and we love each other so you know, come what may type of thing.”
The band create a musically rich and diverse sound, with each member injecting their own unique flair and musical talent into the songs to create ambient and gripping soundscapes. From bassist Donagh Seaver O’Leary’s swaggered elastic grooves and Dylan Lynch’s dynamic drumming coaxing you to bop and groove to Adam O’Regan’s virtuoso guitar, the band are the dream team musicians. However, one striking and instantly recognisable aspect of Soda Blonde is O’Rourke’s vocals. She has a wonderful command and ability to create emotion through her vocals.
“I always loved singing, it was always a big part of my life, since I was really small. I think I lost confidence when we were in Little Green Cars a little bit because I was very tense, and over the years I’ve learned to use my voice with a bit more diversity. I was always singing very loud and I’m kind of a belter, that was part of the expression, it was kind of like the pain was coming out through the vocal and through how I was singing, whereas now I can use my voice in different ways. I respect it more as an instrument. I feel I’m more connected with it, if that makes sense…that’s why, when I’m writing I can feel there’s a good version of that song just with me and the piano, or me and the guitar, and I think that’s going back to the songwriting thing, like the standards, it has to be a stand alone thing without all the arranging, it has to sound good with just my voice and one instrument.”
Soda Blonde have an Irish and UK tour starting in August. The prospect of live shows has been a pipe dream as of late due to covid, but the notion that live gigs could come back soon is an exciting prospect for artists.
“ Yeah, I just don’t know how I’m gonna feel, for me, this is life now, because musicians and artists were the first things to go and they’ll be the last to come back. I’ve just come to terms with this new world that we live in, in a way. And we’ve been doing so much visual work, and putting a lot of focus and energy into making visuals, yeah I’m just so excited to do something with people. All the live streams are an opportunity to do something different…but yeah the prospect of actually feeling the audience is just, it’s essential. It is essential to the creative process because a lot of it is so introverted and you’re using emotions that maybe people don’t want to use on a regular basis or in their day to day so the payoff of that process is sharing it and getting that audience connection. So I think it’s been a challenging time for artists in general, because they don’t have that other side of the coin”
Soda Blonde’s ‘Love Me World’ live stream was a real treat, with the band providing a unique and mesmerising visual as well as a standout performance. They made the most of this live stream freedom using various lighting effects to create a dazzling and atmospheric ambience to enhance their enticing alternative pop. Each song moved like a scene from a movie and added depth and perspective to their performance.
“They were what was getting us all through lockdown, and it was really great. I think there was that moment when that was kind of bringing everybody together and especially in the music community everyone was watching each other’s live streams and it was great, but at the same time, we wanted to do something that was next level. It was challenging though. We had no budget, it was just us and two of our friends helping us out, there was no big massive crew, it was just what we could muster. But it was great. I’m really proud of it.”
“Adam and I are big film buffs, but particularly Adam. Since we were kids, he was recording our music and engineering it, I mean like from the age of 15. He directs and the two of us conceptualise but he mainly directs everything that we do so, he’s a multifaceted genius man. He really is our secret weapon when it comes to all that kind of stuff. It’s great, I love being able to explore different mediums, not just music, we’ve learned so much in the last year about so many different things, because we’ve had to”
For me, the unreleased track ‘In The Heat of the Night’ was my favourite from the live stream and I asked O’Rourke if there would be any more singles released before the album in the hope she would satisfy my craving to hear the song again
“Yes, we will have another single out in a few weeks, it’s called ‘In the Heat of the Night’’.
O’Rourke has experienced different aspects of the music industry, from the hype of Little Green Cars and the time of A&R’s to the fast-paced music consumption of modern streaming. I wondered if she had any advice for anyone who wanted to start a career in music.
“You just have to do it for you first of all, and it’s true now more than ever that you have to be able to rely on yourself a great deal, that would be my advice. I don’t think it’s one of these things where it’s like never stop working and you know you got to get your head down and just, be at the grindstone, but liking music, always exploring, looking at other artists, watching as many films, reading as many books and just living your life. I think experiencing life is one of the greatest tools for creating. Just get yourself out there. The landscape has changed so much since we started. When we started, there was A&R guys coming over and somebody did your social media and there was more people in these kind of industry jobs, whereas now it seems, everybody does everything themselves, you have to be able to do multiple different jobs now, so it’s harder in a way, but it’s also great because there’s more of a platform for people at a starting out level to get their music out there. But I think it’s just about meeting people and meeting people that you want to work with and just making connections and having relationships with people”.
“ I don’t have a thick skin, I’m an emotional wreck so if I can do it, anyone can do it, don’t think too much. Just do it, don’t think too much about it. Don’t analyse it, just keep making stuff”
‘Small Talk’ is a masterful tune and an intoxicating appetizer to Soda Blonde’s debut album. This band’s talent knows no bounds. Looking forward to the album.
Bio : 1000 Beasts is the alias of Cian Sweeney, an Irish producer/artist who collaborates with different artists on every track (they are the “beasts” behind the name) to make soulful, indie pop & hip hop inspired tracks. His debut EP “On A Different Page” was released in July 2020 through Unity Group (Paris) followed by the runaway success of his remixes for Elaine Malone (You), Joshua Burnside (Noa Mercier) & Pollena (The Pool). 2021 will see 1000 Beasts release his debut album. ‘For You & I’ is the first release from 1000 Beasts upcoming debut album, due out later in 2021. The track sees the return of past collaborator Alex Tierney.
Track: ‘For You & I
Why We Like It: Boasting subtle melodies and moments of elegance that are injected into a vast pool of building electronics, ‘For You & I’ is a well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable tune. This laid back, R&B hued, alternative pop number has a smooth melody that flows over bubbling rhythms and ethereal electronics. The track pivots around the intricate beats as they slap, ripple and pulse while wispy synths create a brooding expansive soundscape. The track is fluid and chilled, with Tierney’s smooth vocals oozing soulful tones.
Bio : Born in London to American parents and raised in Berkshire, Deva St. John’s sound harbours a true sense of trans-Atlanticism. Bridging the gap between the sleaze and swagger of ’70s British rock and its much more contemporary American counterpart.
Track: Preacher
Why We Like It: ‘Preacher’ swarms in on a blaze of mighty rock n’ roll as Deva uses scorching instrumentation, powerful vocals and infectious hooks to create one hyper anthem. Featuring a rapid drum assault, resounding guitar shrills and relentless bass grooves, the track is lean, mean and ready to batter your ears with raw rock goodness. This adrenaline-inducing slap of fury showcases intense haunting verses and an enjoyable explosive chorus which creates that energetic mosh ready wall of sound sure to ignite a live audience.
Bio : JaYne is an Irish production-based songstress drawing a well of inspiration from experiences and observations on life, love, politics, travel and her home town of Limerick in the west of Ireland.
Track: Ego
Why We Like It: Peppered with soul, jazz and R&B elements ‘Ego’ is a lush and sumptuous new tune from JaYne. With warm saxophone glowing between a bubbling groove on double bass and soft drum beats, the track exudes vaporous melodies, seductive harmonies, and sultry instrumentation. JaYne’s soulful vocals coo and lull over poignant lyrics, which discuss modern dating and sex culture in an age driven by social media and social status. ‘Ego’ is a beautifully crafted and refined new single.
Bio : Scenes From A Break is a collaborative project between songwriter/producer Luke Foley and singer/ songwriter Sally Ó Dúnlaing, who has spent the last number of years releasing music under the moniker of ÓDÚ and has previously been playlisted on RTE Radio 1, added to Spotify’s New Pop Revolution playlist, as well as being chosen as 2FM’s Record Of The Week.
Track: Silly Little Games
Why We Like It: Filled with light melodies and charming instrumentation, ‘Silly Little Games’ is an ethereal slice of indie-pop. Boasting lush harmonies, catchy chorus and a delicately weaved backdrop, it’s a soothing tune. The track flows upon a dreamy melody while twinkling keys and glittering guitar provide a soft radiance allowing the supple drums and rich percussion to provide the songs bounce and texture. Doused in airy tones and 80’s keys, ‘Silly Little Games’ is a sweet and tender new single.
nicha has released her new single, ‘saltwater song’. nicha (also known as Lucy Robinson) is a 23-year-old Northern Irish native, born and raised in Holywood, Co. Down. In July 2020, nicha took the scene by storm with her debut single ‘Devices’ – a song about our society being addicted to our phones. She has already been critically acclaimed by some big names, drawing attention from BBC Radio Ulster’s Stephen McCauley, RTE 2 FM’s Dan Hegarty, RTE 2XM, and more.
Cascading with delicate electronics, supple melodies and soothing vocals, nicha presents her deft songwriting and musical talent within ‘saltwater song’. nicha’s ability to layer and enrich her songs with unique sounds never ceases to impress. Within ‘saltwater song’, she unfolds lush melodies and ethereal soundscapes into a bedding of earthy elements and Asian influence to create a soothing and compelling tune. With eerie harmonies contrasting the pacifying warmth of her soulful vocals, the track ventures from a mellow lounge tune to a psychedelic mind melter with ease. This rich and diverse sound is why nicha has become a mesmerising artist to admire. There are no boundaries, no confines or genre rule she won’t bend to create a beautifully lush and captivating tune to indulge in. nicha is a talent to treasure.
About the song, nicha says…“saltwater song is liberating and empowering. It tells the story of someone who is struggling to overcome personal issues such as a bad relationship, addiction or an unhealthy habit. Weighted by these issues, they are unable to become their best self or reach their full potential. The lyrics of saltwater song express the passing of time and the fear of being swept up in distraction and forgetting where you are meant to be going. The music reflects this as well through a wash of melodies and dreamy instrumentals.”
Irish singer-songwriter Jack Joyce has released his new single ‘Tai Chi’. Joyce first embarked on his music career at sixteen when he began performing and booking gigs in local pubs and clubs. He released his debut demo EP, ‘Get Down’, in October 2018 and spent the summer of 2019 busking through Europe. Following his return, he sold out The Vintage Room in the Workman’s Club and the Whale Theatre. He followed this by opening for Cassia in Whelan’s and playing a slot at the New Year’s Festival in Dublin.
Encased in bright indie and filled with glimmers of alternative rock and sun-kissed tones, ‘Tai Chi’ is a clean, catchy and witty new single from Jack Joyce. The song flows effortlessly on a dynamic beat and rich percussive bounce, creating an upbeat and sturdy backdrop. Joyce paces the track well, adding a sharp sting on guitar to illuminate the song and add a desert tone. Joyce has become known for his witty and cheeky lyrics, and ‘Tai Chi’ follows this trend spectacularly. His tongue twister lyrics and turn of phrase make him quite the ambitious lyricist as he wraps his smooth vocals around astute lines “A potpourri of Sophists and Casanovas”. With a subtle pulsing bass gently protruding through the hazy melody, ‘Tai Chi’ displays Jack Joyce’s flair for melodious, breezy and memorable indie-rock.
Immersed in memories of pre-pandemic life, ‘Colours (In My Mind)’ is the new single from Manchester indie pop band Five Days North. From winning the 2017 Best Unsigned Band at the UK Unsigned Music Awards, Five Days North have gradually evolved into the encompassing and emotionally charged outfit they are today. Their heart-on-their sleeve lyricism combined with their infectious brand of indie pop has turned heads in their home city of Manchester, as well as further afield. With festival spots at Dot To Dot Festival and Kendal Calling, headline shows at Gorilla and Manchester Academy 3, as well as radio support from BBC Introducing and Co-Op Radio, Five Days North are winning hearts and minds up and down the country as well as on the international stage.
Exuding a progressive 80’s synth-pop persona filled with melodic pop hooks and indie glimmers, ‘Colours (In My Mind)’ shows Five Days North are a band cultivating their sound into something unique and expressive. The track broods with a dark undertone as bubbling rhythms simmer under the atmospheric synth explosions. With brisk drum beats creating a pulse and rush of adrenaline, Five Days North present a fresh and biting tune brimming with passion. The band blend a whirlwind of expressive instrumentation with soft eerie twinkles on keys to create a wonderful contrast as the track reaches its dynamic crescendo. Saturated in lush textures and sounds ‘Colours (In My Mind)’ is a magnificent new single from Five Days North.
Wave Chase have released their new single ‘Sit by the Sea’. Wave Chase are an indie/surf rock band from Bournemouth (now Brighton based).The band formed in early 2018 by college friends George Kingman (lead vocals/guitar), Tim Baldwin (bass guitar), Mickey Golicher (Lead Guitar)and Charlie Cane (drums). The song was recorded at Brighton Electric Studios where bands such as Fur, Royal Blood and The Cure have previously recorded.
Fun, fresh and doused in magnificent surf rock, Wave Chase’s ‘Sit by the Sea’ is a cracker. The song is a slice of surf rock delight with sharp zesty swirls on guitar, adding a dash of fuzz and radiance into the tracks soundscape while the buoyant drums and elastic bass lay down the bubbling foundation. Well crafted and beautifully arranged, ‘Sit by the Sea’ gives us a keyhole glimpse into this band’s immense talent as they provide us with a compelling and catchy new tune to indulge in. Layered guitars move from jagged strikes to biting riffs and shredding solo’s as Kingman’s smooth vocals caress the dreamy melody while cooing, “I wanna walk wanna walk along the shore don’t wanna have anyone to answer for”. This wistful light ditty bounces with jangly indie and surf rock bravado to create a catchy anthem sure to be epic live. Keep an eye on Wave Chase. These guys are a talented bunch.
InBetween Honey have released their new single ‘I’m glad that it’s you’.InBetween Honey are a 5 piece indie rock band from Ireland, who formed in Co. Meath in June 2019. The band all attended O’Carolan College where they originally crossed paths. Since forming, the band have played sold-out shows in Whelans and The Workmans Club, as well as playing sets at Electric Picnic and Whelans Ones To Watch Festival. The group are Dylan Hickey, Ciara McManus, Blayne Moran and brothers JohnPaul and Matthew Melady.
‘I’m Glad That It’s You’ is a sleek indie-rock tune saturated in InBetween Honey’s passionate and dynamic sound. The song rushes with energetic, sun-kissed soundscapes as the band coat a driving rhythmic backdrop in soaring majestic guitar embellishments and vibrant indie rock. InBetween Honey’s heartfelt youthful sound is irresistible as they wriggle warm basslines between pounding drums to create a solid and groove infested foundation. ‘I’m Glad That It’s You’ exudes sweet melodies, velvety vocals, and infectious guitar hooks that evoke a heart skipping, animated sense of joy as they portray a song about love through their unique and compelling arrangements. InBetween Honey are developing their sound superbly, crafting solid emotive bangers through their engaging and invigorating musicianship. Riding on a catchy chorus and 80’s rock adrenaline, ‘I’m Glad That It’s You’ is a fantastic new single from InBetween Honey.
About the track, the band said: “It’s an out and out love song. It’s about the feeling you get when you’re with someone, you’re glad that it’s them and nobody else!”
Stream ‘I’m Glad That It’s You’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
