Tag Archives: Neil Dexter

Electronic, New Music

Neil Dexter ‘I’ll Be Ready’ Royal Yellow Remix

Following the release of Dublin-based songwriter and musician, Neil Dexter‘s critically acclaimed debut album (self-release), ‘I’ll Be Ready’, Dexter shares a Royal Yellow remix of the album’s title track. A long time in the works, this collaboration between Royal Yellow – the moniker for Limerick-based musician and producer Mark O’Brien – and Neil Dexter comes after years of friendship formed from being contemporaries in the Dublin music scene with their respective former bands. During the process of the writing and recording of Dexter’s debut LP, he had previously collaborated and contributed with O’Brien on his solo work. It seemed like only a matter of time before the pair would work together on something from Neil Dexter’s output.

Royal Yellow’s remix of ‘I’ll Be Ready’ is a wonderfully immersive piece of music. Showcasing lush electronics that spread cool tones over bubbling beats and echoed vocals the track has a hypnotic and soothing quality to start and becomes a little darker as the song progresses. With a soft key refrain, fluttering synths and edgy sound bites the remix is as thrilling and compelling as the original.

Speaking of the origins to the remix, Dexter explains:  “I remember when I heard Royal Yellow’s debut single, ‘Hazeldene’, that I really liked it and it actually gave me a lot of confidence to go out on my own. We had come up around the same time and Mark was from a similar background as me in terms of playing in bands from a young age. I think it had always been in my mind to have Mark remix one of my songs. We’ve collaborated before for Royal Yellow live shows and writing together. With our previous experiences working together and our friendship, I knew what Mark could do with his production style and I became really excited by what the outcome could be. It was a no brainer, really!” 

Royal Yellow describes his approach to the remix: “I’ve found that my natural tendency is to try to make things bigger, so I wanted to use this as an exercise in taking things away. There are gorgeous textures moving through the original. I wanted to bring those forward more than anything. I wanted to elevate the contrast between the two distinct movements of the track. It starts ambient and kind of blissed-out; then drops you somewhere dark and uncertain. I love when songs lull you into that false sense of security.”

Stream ‘I’ll Be Ready’ Royal Yellow Remix Below


Author: Danu

Indie, New Music

Neil Dexter ‘I’ll Be Ready’

Neil Dexter has released his new single,’I’ll Be Ready’, the final single from his forthcoming debut album due October 14th 2022. Along with the album announcement and single release, Dexter shares details for his debut headline show in Dublin’s Workman’s Cellar on October 20th. Tickets are available through Singular Artists.

‘I’ll Be Ready‘ is a rich and compelling tune from start to finish. The track is a fine display of musicianship as Dexter deftly blends contrasting elements together to create a mesmerising listening experience. Dark propulsive beats create a push-pull effect that draws the listener into the track’s immersive soundscapes while flashing synths, dynamic bass and indie rock guitar moments inject a gritty/edgy element to the track.

‘I’ll Be Ready’ is truly a magnificent piece of music. It’s lushly textured and meticulously layered to create a constantly evolving soundscape that is an exciting rush to the senses. A fine example of this is Dexter’s sweet vocals coupled with the track’s pop-speckled melody that subtly contrasts the fuzzing soundscapes and bubbling rhythms allowing the song to take on a dreamy almost psychedelic state before it progresses to its intoxicating crescendo – simply divine. ‘I’ll Be Ready’ is a wonderful example of Neil Dexter’s exquisite musicianship. 

Dexter describes ‘I’ll Be Ready’ as a “Frankenstein composition comprised of three different ideas saved in one project file” that he’d been working on in his Dublin-based home studio. Expanding upon the demo with David A. Tapley (Tandem Felix) and recording engineer Stephen Dunne, Dexter notes that their guidance allowed him to approach the arrangement without artistic boundaries; layering textures and taking the song in different directions. Lyrically, ‘I’ll Be Ready’ confronts feelings of apprehension. Neil says, “I wrote the song when I was in my mid-to-late 20s, it’s about jumping into the next stage of your life and the fear of not knowing whether or not you’re ready to take those steps. In those moments, you try to reassure yourself by saying, ‘Ok, I’m ready. I’ll be able to do this,’ whilst simultaneously having a sense of uncertainty. I think at one point or another, everyone goes through this feeling of overcoming self-doubt.”

Stream ‘I’ll Be Ready’ below 


Author: Danu

Indie, New Music

Neil Dexter ‘Alpha’


After an exciting 2021, Dublin-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Neil Dexter has released his new single ‘Alpha’.Since releasing his debut single ‘Loving You’ last year, Neil Dexter has been featured on The Point of Everything podcast, 98FM’s Totally Irish hosted by John Barker, The Nova Guestlist presented by Kieran McGuiness and BBC Radio Ulster’s Across The Line, hosted by Gemma Bradley. 

‘Alpha’ ripples with lush sonic embellishments, delicate melodies and soft moments of 80’s pop to create an utterly compelling listening experience. Brooding verses pivot around elastic bass pulses while supple psychedelic tones ebb and flow throughout. Dexter’s vocals are a joy to listen to; his voice oozes warmth and tenderness however at times it is haunting, deep and brooding. This vocal dynamic is greatly enhanced by the soft, intricate textures within the track’s soundscape. ‘Alpha’ is a beautifully expressive tune and an exciting glimpse into the artistic mind of Neil Dexter.

Lyrically, as with his previous releases, growing older and gaining new perspectives on friendships, relationships and life anchor the subject matter of his songwriting. Of ‘Alpha’s’ meaning Dexter says: “When I wrote this song, I was processing a specific time where I felt a great sense of isolation within a social setting. I’d been at a party a few years ago where I didn’t understand the various dynamics and felt completely estranged from the people and the situation. I couldn’t figure out where I fit in the group on that occasion. I think part of getting older sometimes involves becoming detached from or struggling to understand the foundations of certain friendships. Structurally, the verses reflect the paranoia I experienced that night before the tone of the song shifts during the chorus with the soaring falsetto delivering the refrain, “What happened to you?” I wanted to create a tension and release dynamic throughout ‘Alpha’ to convey that feeling of isolation. “

Stream  ‘Alpha’ below 


Author: Danu

Alt- Pop, electro- pop, Electronic, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

Neil Dexter ‘Loving You’

Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Neil Dexter has launched his solo career and released his debut single, ‘Loving You.’ A founding member of defunct indie-rock quintet Spies, and active contributor to Tandem Felix and Royal Yellow, Dexter’s experiences playing with these acts have broadened his sonic palette and informed his artistry today. 

Dexter presents a richly textured prismatic wall of sound within ‘Loving You’ that builds to become one infectious groove-laden bop. The song pivots around an insatiable groove as a pounding beat and bass direct the song’s flow. Dexter layers shimmering synths, clapping rhythms and melodic electronics atop heavy grooves to create a kaleidoscopic 80’s synth-pop backdrop blended with elements of 90s techno-pop. This lush array of textures is a joy to the senses as Dexter’s mesmerising vocal anchors the listener within the song’s ever-growing and immersive soundscape. There is a dark undertone crawling through the track. This is reinforced by Dexter’s deep vocals and haunting wisps on electronics which contrasts the lustrous production and synths, while the lyrics explore the guilt that often comes from not being more present for your partner “I should have spent more time loving you.”

 ‘Loving You’ is an exciting glimpse into the vast tantalising sound of Neil Dexter, and I, for one, am looking forward to what the artist has in store for us next.

Stream ‘Loving You’ below 


Author : Danu