Cork native LYRA has released her new single ‘Lose My Mind’, via Rubyworks label. It is the first new single to come from the as-yet-untitled new body of work due for release later this year.’Lose My Mind’ was written and co-produced by LYRA and Dane Etteridge (former Ordinary Boys guitarist), it was mixed by Grammy-nominated Darren Heelis (Sam Smith, Tom Walker, Liam Payne) in the US. Darren Heelis also worked with LYRA on her previous single release the Jackie Lomax cover of ‘New Day’, which achieved #1 chart positions with iTunes and Shazam.
‘Lose My Mind’ radiates with LYRA’s emotive and cinematic musicianship. Propulsive rhythms and blustery electronics exude dance anthem vibes while powerful vocals soar across a kinetic soundscape and anchor the listener within the tracks alternative pop backdrop. A dark and ominous undertone bubbles underneath, enhanced by tense drums and brooding verses that build to a fantastic hair-raising crescendo. LYRA is a master of her craft. Her striking, dynamic vocal delivery and ability to create thrilling, emotive arrangements that stir the soul is admirable and ‘Lose My Mind’ is a fine example of this.
About the track, LYRA said: “I had so much fun with this single, I wrote ‘Lose My Mind’ in the recording studio, it is a song about losing all your inhibitions, being free of mind, the idea that you can be possessed and yet exhilarated at the same time”.
Noah Elliott has released his new single ‘Who Takes The Prize’. The Oregon native amassed 500k Spotify listens after releasing a string of self-produced singles created in his college dorm room. After graduating from the University of Miami and wandering around Asia for 6 months, Elliott moved to LA. There, he teamed up with Dylan Bauld (Halsey, Bea Miller, flor) to create his debut EP ‘Songs For The Optimist’. ‘Who Takes The Prize’ is the 5th single off the record.
‘Who Takes The Prize’ is a dark alternative pop tune lathered in rich electronics and infectious dance vibes. Elliott’s smooth vocals croon over intricate rhythms and push-pull electronic effects that venture into EDM and house elements at times. With lush synths weaving between bittersweet melodies, Elliott displays his engaging and catchy musicianship through this shadowy yet enticing gem. Elliott has a knack for creating infectious melodies and wrapping them in dense textures and tones to create eargasmic tunes that are sure to have you bopping and dancing in no time, and ‘Who Takes The Prize’ is the perfect example of this.
About the track, Elliott explains: “When I listen to this track, I can’t stop myself from dancing. I hope it has the same effect on you.”
Irish folk-pop artist Polly Barrett has released her new single ‘Thinking About You’. Polly Barrett began her music career 15 years ago, writing songs while training to be an actor in London. Her return to Ireland in 2007 brought Barrett into the bosom of the Irish music scene, seeing her release two albums, ‘Mr. Bookshop’ in 2011 and ‘Probably Me’ in 2014, and tour Ireland and the UK extensively. This included touring with artists like Agnes Obel, Julie Felix, Roddy Woomble, Cara Luft, founding member of the Wailin’ Jennys and Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Wadge who wrote ‘Thinking Out Loud’ with Ed Sheeran.’Thinking About You’ is the first of a series of releases planned for the rest of 2021 as Barrett returns to writing and recording new music from her home on the Mizen Peninsula in West Cork.
‘Thinking About You’ is a wholesome folk-pop tune that oozes the rich, emotive sound of Polly Barrett. Softly plucked guitar and minimalist instrumentation drifts over an earnest, earthy melody to create a soothing and engaging listening experience. As the song ventures from lulling verses to the catchy chorus, delicate harmonies and rhythmic guitar strums inject lush undertones and foot-tapping moments into the mix. Barrett’s vocals hold their own within ‘Thinking About You’. The artist’s voice is simply a joy to listen to. Her delicate lilts and charming folk tones aptly express the emotion within the lyrics “You might not think it but I’m crying on the inside”. ‘Thinking About You’ is a catchy and well-crafted gem from Polly Barrett. Press play and enjoy.
Singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist Elina Filice has released her sophomore EP, ‘Flight Risk’. The project is the culmination of the biggest year yet for the emerging artist. Leading up to the five-song EP, Elina released a series of successful singles that now find a permanent home in the project. The lead track on the EP is Elina’s breakout single “Thinking of You,” accompanied by a fresh radio edit and creative lyric video. With 750k+ streams on Spotify, a critically acclaimed music video, and worldwide coverage and radio play, the song marked a new era for the artist. The project was recorded at Wavefarm Productions (Dublin, Ireland). It was produced remotely between Elina and producers Kevin Brennan, Zach MacPherson, and her dad, Carmine Filice. It also features collaborations with Neolithic, Cat, and Claudia Crampton.
‘Flight Risk’ is a tightly crafted EP glazed in the bright, melodically lush sound of Elina Filice. The artist bends hip hop over rich pop sensibilities, jazz embellishments and blues tones to create a free-flowing, laid back collection of tracks that is a joy to the ears. Filice has a knack with irresistible hooks and melodies, and ‘Flight Risk’ is a fantastic example of this. From the mellow guitar hook and catchy chorus in ‘Thinking of You’ to the jazz dipped piano refrain and lush backing vocal coos in ‘Here’, Filice’s earworm sound never falters while various featured artists ( Claudia Crampton, Neolithic and Cat) on the EP help maintain a refreshing atmosphere throughout.
Within this EP the listener gets a keyhole glimpse into Filice’s diverse and captivating sound. The singer-songwriter’s ability to blend a smooth rap and biting rhythms with classy jazz and elegant piano or balmy indie is mesmerising and confirms how talented the musician is – a wonderful illustration of this talent is the riveting ‘Lying’, a timeless gem in the EP that is an exciting and goosebump-inducing demonstration of deft musical ability. In fact, each track on the EP is an outstanding display of musical expression that flows elegantly into the next.
‘Flight Risk’ explores themes of movement, travel, adventure and self-discovery. Filice convey’s these themes through skilful storytelling and meaningful lyrics. Phrases such as, “My younger me seems to be just as lost as the girl sitting here” in the powerful ‘Thinking of You’ and “I’m begging to borrow, the absence of fear, cos I’m afraid to tell you, baby, I always wanna be here” in the emotive ‘Here’, showcases the artist’s lyrical depth and the earnest approach Filice has to songwriting. The sincere poetic spoken word teamed with stirring soulful melodies makes each song a special experience every time you listen to them.
‘Flight Risk’ is a fine display of blossoming talent that marks Felice as an artist to keep an eye on.
Dublin, Ireland-based alternative rock band Late Night Pharmacy have released their new single, ‘Too Late for the Rickshaws’. It is the band’s first release since their second EP, Flamingo, released in March of 2019. Recording the single was only possible due to the generous financial support of the Department of Culture, who last year announced the creation of a Music Industry Stimulus Package (MISP), intended to help keep the Irish commercial music sector afloat during Covid-19. In November 2020, Late Night Pharmacy were awarded funding under the recording scheme of the MISP, and hired Aidan Cunningham (Wheatus, The Scratch, Nealo, Overhead the Albatross) to produce and mix three singles, of which ‘Too Late for the Rickshaws’ is the first to be released.
‘Too Late for the Rickshaws’ is a melodious indie rock song that displays Late Night Pharmacy’s ability to create a catchy tune with hard-hitting lyrical content. The band craft a well-textured and bittersweet soundscape by smearing dark verses with jagged guitars and elastic grooves. The song unfolds beautifully as if drifting off into a dreamy state for the chorus. Here the song lifts with light guitars, buoyant drums swirling synths and lush melodies, creating a bright and infectious chorus for listeners to indulge in. With psychedelic elements on guitars dissolving into the infectious soundscape while lush harmonies coo in the backdrop ‘Too Late for the Rickshaws’ is an exhilarating new single from Late Night Pharmacy.
‘Too Late for the Rickshaws’ was written during Ireland’s second lockdown when the band’s lead guitarist was taking a tram home and fell into conversation with two men in their forties who told him about their lives and their struggles with drug addiction. That conversation served as the primary inspiration for the lyrics, detailing a typical couple of days in the lives of men like this. The band also drew from the lead guitarist’s experiences visiting the Cloverhill prison in west Dublin to play Christmas carols and religious music for the inmates.
Justin Berth has released the official video for the title track of his latest EP ‘Endless Summer’. A fan of 90s country music since he was a child, Justin Berth has released two EPs, with a third expected to drop later this year. Amassing impressive streaming numbers on Spotify, Justin Berth is known for his catchy hooks as well as his outstanding live performances
Saturated in sun-kissed vibes ‘Endless Summer’ is a feel-good tune brimming with energy. The track rides on a sweltering wall of sound, with buoyant drums creating an upbeat lift while jangly guitars and a bright country-pop melody exudes a scorching sunny soundscape. Berth’s warm, rasped vocals glide upon the catchy melody with ease as he sings about fun-filled days and the endless freedom promised by the summer sun. Bursting with vigour and life, ‘Endless Summer’ is an infectious, fresh single from Justin Berth.
Edinburgh-based musician Craig McMorrow has announced the release of his new electro-acoustic single, ‘These Times’ on January 29th. The single, which follows McMorrow’s debut ‘Home’ was written and produced over Zoom during the lockdown.
‘These Times’ is an emotive uplifting number of electronic pop from Craig McMorrow. Through his country- esque vocals and motivational lyrics McMorrow oozes charm and emotion and shows strong musical growth from his debut ‘Home’. Soft acoustic guitar and elegant keys chime through a warm ethereal soundscape as beats bubble in the background. The use of pulsing expressive electronics creates a passionate and expansive soundscape that is both soothing and vibrant. With a catchy anthemic chorus and moving verses, ‘These Times’ is well crafted and wonderfully presented.
‘These Times’ is set for release on January 29th for more you can follow Craig McMorrow on Facebook here
Nathan Mac returns with his new single ‘Domestic Wars’ featuring his sister Emily Hazel. The siblings create a fiery infectious alternative pop tune surging with vibrant melodies and suspenseful electronic bursts.
Emily’s sweet and warm vocals blend beautifully with Nathan’s while providing a dash of sass and power. ‘Domestic Wars’ marks a slight shift in Nathan’s sound as he uses an extensive instrumental repertoire to create an engaging and full-bodied listening experience. Boasting elegant strings, warm brass and shimmering 80’s hued synths the track packs one hell of a punch. Vocals glide upon a smooth melody with ease as the duo beautifully harmonise while an infectious bubbling rhythmic section creates a dance-infused backdrop.
Through quirky metaphors, the witty lyrics set the scene of the common sibling fights, Emily and Nathan play a lyrical tug of war which is engaging and fun to listen to. Love it.
When asked about working with his sister, Nathan had this to say: “I love my sister to bits. She’s one of the most talented singers I know, and I knew instantly that I wouldn’t have enough ‘attitude’ to pull this song off alone. Now it’s become a fan favourite, and I’m 100% sure that she’s the reason.”
Tackling some intense themes, Rivilin lays everything bare in his latest album release ‘Becoming The Static In Between’. Self produced and engineered, Rivilin had four guest features on this album from friends in his music scene including Sepha, $lothboi, Vishisdead and RipThePetals. His name is a play on Ritalin, a form of medication. Rivilin has been in and out of bands since the age of 15. Recording and releasing under Rivilin, he has released a total of 122 songs, garnering him an impressive following across social media and streaming platforms. An interesting mix of alternative rock and hardcore, Rivilin draws from emo rap, hiphop and trap style music to create his signature sound.
‘Becoming The Static In Between’ is a darkly-themed album laced in biting electronics, hip hop embellishments and raw acid spills of emo rap. Rivilin’s gripping music reveals and immerses the listener in the mangled and depressive thoughts which infiltrated his mind during a difficult period in life and he examines and reflects on his emotions and past situations throughout the album.
Rivilin broods and wallows in haunting electronic soundscapes with light innocent twinkles on keys which provides an icy undertone in ‘I Hate How I See You In My Dreams’. Alamenting guitar adds a melancholic atmosphere to ‘Neverlove’ while the heavier trap style ‘Poison’ and ‘Ash Teeth’ allow Rivilin to sing-rap and wail over chilling keys and sticky beat slaps. With agile production and well matched collaborations with Sepha. $LOTHBOI, Vishisdead and RipThePetals each song flows fluidy into the next creating a cohesive collection of tracks. The themes expressed within the album are heavy hitting and include ex-lovers, drug abuse and mental health issues. ‘Becoming The Space In Between’ aptly portrays the feeling of being used and the overwhelming sensation of panic attacks through jittery beats, intense soundscapes and swirling electronics while the smooth melodies and subtle R&B elements soften the heavier aspects.
Within ‘Becoming The Static In Between’ Rivilin creates a sonic palette which delves deep into his angst-filled, melancholic mind. It’s a powerful display of raw, striking poetry that beholds all the beauty, poise and darkly sombre elegance of Rivilin’s passionate and evocative musicianship.
I caught up with Dublin singer songwriter Isaac Butler to talk about his new single ‘Change The Past’, how he brought the track which was originally written on piano to the cinematic single we hear today, his experience working with producer Philip Magee and what he has been up to during the last few months as well as his upcoming show in The Sound House.
Butler is one of the most pleasant artists to chat to; his cheery and positive outlook is infectious. We banter about past interviews I have had with him as well as living in a full house with our families over lockdown. Last time we spoke Butler told me he had many songs ready to go and he was deciding which track he was going to pick for his next release, ‘Change The Past’ came up trumps.
“ I kind of thought it was smart if I say so myself in terms of, I wish we could change the past in terms of all this kind of stuff (covid- 19) and prevent all that kind of thing.I just thought even sonically it’s moving towards where I eventually want to end up. It’s like that big anthemic band sound and I kind of touched on it with ‘Young Forever’ and with ‘Paranoid’. I took a bit of a detour which is fine, I mean, I love that song and I think it’s great and it’s opened a lot of doors…‘Change The Past’ I feel it’s just like the most kind of Isaac Butler song to date.“
Once again Butler is discussing a relatable theme in his new release. He is looking back on a relationship and thinking ‘what if I had done this differently’ and the nostalgic melody and cinematic soundscape reflect this beautifully. This sonically lush track has elements of synths and a full anthemic sound however it began much simpler
“I wrote the song on piano, so obviously there’s a bit of piano in there but the piano only features in the first verse. We’ve talked about this before, I try to write a song around a hook that people can sing. First and foremost, I write a song about something that’s important to me, but I just love the feeling in a room where you can teach something to somebody if they haven’t heard it before, and they can sing it back straight away. I’ve done it in every song pretty much to date like ‘Young Forever’ we had the chant, ‘Paranoid’ you have that funny kind of hook noise, and here again we have this big anthemic chant, and even the chorus it’s a two line chorus “I wish I could change the past. I thought we were gonna last” and in between that we have that big hook. So, I suppose, I wrote the song as a small acoustic song on a piano but the second I came up with a chorus I knew this was going to be a big sounding full band, kind of unifying people, singing along and I think it’s so relatable. I think it ties in nicely to that hook where people can sing along because people have all experienced in some way, shape or form wanting to change something in their past.”
The release comes hot on the heels of recent radio hit ‘Paranoid’ which has racked up 4.86M impressions to date and broke into the Top 50 of the Overall Airplay Chart – at the time the only self released single in not only the Top 50 but the only self release in the Top 100 – as well as climbing to 13 in the Top 20 of the Irish Airplay Charts.’
If that isn’t impressive enough, Paranoid was also chosen as ‘Song of the Week’ on 2FM’s Breakfast with Doireann and Eoghan and as the Select Irish ‘Track of the Month’ for June. Last time I spoke with Butler, he had just released ‘Paranoid’ and he was wondering how well the song would do and how long it would be before it would take off but it was pretty quick to get recognition. I wondered did that give him comfort with the release of ‘Change The Past’ or did he feel just as nervous.
“ For sure, yeah. It’s funny because it should really bring comfort but I mean they are so different and obviously for me it’s all about the stories I tell because they’re all personal stories and the vocal, so it’s always going to be a consistent Isaac Butler sound because of the vocal and because of those themes that I write about. Production wise we went on a completely different direction, so it was like okay, ‘Paranoid’ has open loads of doors, but do we release another song that is similar to that or do we go with a more authentic-y pop rock sound?’
I just had to go with my gut really I mean this is the music that I love and it’s the music that I want to make more of, so yeah that’s really how picked it. It was just my favorite one really of the bunch and I thought I had the ears of people after ‘Paranoid’ so I thought why not show them me”
Butler worked with producer Philip Magee (Kodaline, The Script, The Academic), for this release and he’s become quite the mentor to Butler. Philip Magee is such a diverse producer and seems to bring out the best in the artists he works with and Butler considers Magee’s input important vital to his music’s growth
“ Yeah, 100%. I had a lot of ideas myself, I was involved in the production as well.. for me it’s striking a balance of someone that can give ideas but also take what I want and how I am. Myself and Phil just click in terms of vision for songs because I’ve produced tracks with loads of different producers, and I’ve never clicked with someone in terms of vision so well. He’s just so open minded and he is always respectful, he always listens. It’s a team effort which I love. I mean I’ve experienced things where it hasn’t been a team effort and it just really takes the wind out of your sails and it takes away from it for sure when people put their own stamp on it. Phil puts his own stamp on it but he makes sure the artist comes through and I’m forever grateful for that.”
“Yeah I think the right producer is just super important.You can literally make an acoustic song sound like anything now, it’s just finding out what production is best for me as an artist but also what compliments the song as much as possible. I think we really hit a sweet spot here, there’s a lot of real elements, there’s lots of electric guitars and real drums and all that and obviously it’s very vocal heavy, which I love. I mean, all the music I listened to growing up is all like that, acts like The Killers, Sam Fenders they do a great job at bringing those real sounds back, The Academic as well, all real sounds.. doing an amazing job and just paving the way again for that authentic sound to come through again. I think, with this, we’ve gotten the perfect mix in terms of those nice electronic sounds, but also the real elements, because I’m a live act, I’m an artist that flourishes live. I think that’s just so important and yeah I’m really happy with how it came out”
Again live shows come up in our conversation or the lack thereof and although Butler was gutted when he heard he couldn’t do any shows for a while he is beginning to enjoy life outside of the live circuit.
“ It was super tough to take at the start. I had worked so hard for a good couple years, and for the first time, I had numerous festivals signed on for them and I had a Kodaline support slot in The Olympia, with my headline coming up in October, so it was a really nice moving summer and then for that to be kind of taken away was obviously really not great, but, it really is about just finding the silver linings. I’ve been traveling a lot across Ireland the last few months with my girlfriend and doing things that I wouldn’t have done had Covid not happened. As terrible as Covid is and as terrible as it has been for lots of people it really has allowed me to focus on other areas that I neglected a little bit and it’s allowed me to grow in a sense as well.”
“Everything was moving quite fast and it allowed me to stop and say ‘oh well this is what you’ve done and this is how you can make it better’. I’ve finally come to terms with it, and it’s taken obviously a long time but, yeah, it’s just trying to be as positive as I can really and I’m the eldest of five kids and there was seven of us in our house, it was challenging for sure but we had such a nice time you know. We spent so much time together.”
Butler did an impressive music video for ‘Paranoid’. Mustering his creative genius during the Covid-19 lockdown, he sprang into action and filmed the video completely in isolation. I wondered what he had in mind for the video for ‘Change The Past’
“So, yeah, well, I want to give this song, video wise, as much justice as I can. So for the moment, I posted a lyric video the day it came out. I have a really nice acoustic video that I shot a couple of weeks ago, just in my garden. So I’m using those two at the minute but I’m going to give the track time to breathe. It takes time to get picked up by numerous people so I’m hoping that happens and then I’m hoping in a couple of weeks to bring out a video but I’m thinking kind of like my previous music videos but just a bit more cinematic..it’s gonna be cool though.”
Butler has been busy with his social media content – with the lockdown and covid we have discussed before about how social media has been helpful with connecting with artists and with keeping people sane and connected, but before this, social media was sometimes considered a source of anxiety for people and Butler did feel that pressure to keep visible and to keep content out there for a while.
“I certainly did. I definitely did at the start, and I would find myself almost not posting for the sake of that. I think that’s where anxiety stems from…there’s not a huge amount going on, there’s only so much acoustic videos you can post and only so much live streaming you can do and all that. I suppose in recent weeks I’ve kind of taken, not a break, I’ve definitely taken my foot off the pedal in terms of social media. Honestly that’s just to give me a break really, and yeah you’re right I mean when there’s not much going on in terms of getting out and doing things live and stuff like that, I think that’s just where the pressure starts when you think ‘oh God I need to post I need to post’ but you really don’t. At the end of the day, I’m a musician and I like promoting and I like interacting but it’s not the main focus for me at all. You know what I mean?, I do love the interaction and I reply to messages all the time. I’ve never not replied to a message and I love doing it and I love the comments and all that kind of stuff, positive or negative, by the way. I think you’re right, you’d just be kind of clutching at straws in terms of what to post.”
Butler’s show in The Sound House is now rescheduled to the 11th of March next year. Our conversation moved on to whether or not he felt this was going to go ahead.
“It’s crazy to say but yeah..there is obviously always a little niggle in your head to say ‘oh, that it won’t be on’ but I’m preparing for it to be on the 11th of March. It’s all I’m really preparing for at the moment so I have the setlist. I’m just gonna basically make that show the best that it could possibly be. I’ve got, probably a half a new set as well which is great.”
Butler has plenty of songs ready to go and singles he is really proud of. Hopefully we get to hear them later in the year.
“Yeah, so I have a lot of songs that are literally ready to go. I’m in two minds about an EP or singles, but I think again just singles. I have so many songs so I just want them all to see the light of day. I’m thinking if I go the singles root, there’s just no way all of them will be released, you know, but then I’m just battling with should I release an EP and then do some of them get lost? It’s a good problem to have a lot of songs. I just have to decide how I’m going to approach releasing them but the focus now is on ‘Change The Past’ so I’m going to give that the best go and then I’ll decide what the next move is after that.”
Isaac Butler is constantly building and crafting his songwriting skills and tunes to create a sound that reflects his versatility and ambition as an artist. Each track he releases shows a different and intriguing side to his passionate musicianship while also giving us a catchy hook and sweet earworm melody soaked in emotion to indulge in. His songs are already set for arenas and mass sing-alongs and this artist is only getting started. It is fantastic news to hear Isaac Butler has more music ready to go. I’m looking forward to his future releases.
Stream ‘Change The Past’ below and enjoy
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
