Four in the Morning have released their new single ‘Keep It Together’.Led by Irish singer-songwriter Kevin Dolan and surrounded by an eclectic group of genre defying musicians – Kiran Srinivasan, Dan Walwyn and Alex Lees – Four in the Morning write sad songs for insomniacs. As Kevin Dolan puts it: “I’ve always been bad at sleeping and I find late at night a great time to write. Whether it’s a dream or a song, there’s something beautiful in the subconscious taking all the stuff from a day and making sense of it. I guess that’s what these songs try to do.”. After multiple delays and with only a week before a government grant ran out, ‘Keep It Together’ was produced, recorded and mixed by Jono Steer (Angie McMahon, Ainslie Wills, Leif Vollebekk, Julia Wallace) at The Perch Recording Studio in Castlemaine in rural Australia.
Immersed in cinematic soundscapes, ‘Keep It Together’ is a moving, atmospheric tune from Four in the Morning. The band swirl ethereal synths through a fluctuant heartbeat -esque rhythm while an icy piano chimes innocently throughout. Dolan’s vocals whisper, almost unable to express the tender lyrics out loud, as he admits “I’m a little lost,“ over driving rhythms and a building backdrop of distorted murmurs on guitars. He fixates on repairing a broken record player “I took it apart just to see what makes you sing. There was nothing but the wires and the space between” to distract himself from the sense of isolation due to the pandemic. The emotive lyrics evoke a sense of loneliness within the song, however the band contrast this with glimmers of hope as the song builds to an uplifting crescendo. ‘Keep It Together’ is a joy to listen to and a fine example of Four in the Morning’s compelling musicianship.
Dublin band Inhaler have released their highly-anticipated debut album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, through Polydor. This swaggering indie rock album is a triumphant debut brimming with exhilarating soundscapes and eloquent lyrical content while showcasing the musical expertise of each member of the band.
I caught up with singer and guitarist Eli Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon a little while ago to talk about the album, their musical growth and how guidance from producer Antony Genn brought out the best in the band.
There is no denying the depth of musical talent Inhaler possesses. Within ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, the listener is invited to delve deep into the album, explore and indulge in the band’s exhilarating sound through engaging and catchy songwriting and compelling musicianship. The beaming faces of the four-piece were enough to express their delight in finally being able to release their debut.
Eli: “Yeah it’s been a long time coming, it feels it was like 10 years in the making to be honest because we’ve been writing songs since we were teenagers. I think some of the first songs we wrote made it onto the album so it feels like, definitely, yeah, it’s about time.”
Covid and the lockdowns hit the band hard, considering they were gearing up for a big year ahead in 2020 and everything shut down. However, Inhaler took the time to hone and perfect the album writing five new songs and rethinking how they were going to create this debut album. The result is a cohesive, mature and sonically dense collection of tracks that moves through genres of disco, indie and rock.
Ryan: “The album that we were going to write and then record previously, before the pandemic happened, it was totally different and the songs that were written in the first lockdown that have now made it onto the album have just made it 100% better. So we’re really proud of what we have produced now and we’re also kind of glad that we did actually have all that time off to focus in on it more because if we had just gone in to record it straight after coming off tour, we would have been burned out, we wouldn’t have had the songs fully formed or ready to go. So we’re really happy with how it’s turned out in the end.”
The band pack in a plethora of glorious guitar moments within the album. In fact, the guitar melodies and solo’s have always been an enticing aspect within Inhalers music. The four-piece venture into many styles with the guitar from desert, indie, 80’s rock to psychedelic and more. ‘A Night On The Floor’ displays this spectacularly. A slinky bass, grooves atop funky beats and sultry drum progressions as the band create a sleek tune that subtly pivots around magnificent and expressive psychedelic guitar pines and simmering adornments.
When I enquired about who creates these wonderful guitar arrangements all of the band members gesture to the shying guitar virtuoso himself, Josh Jenkinson.
Robert: “ I think all the bands we’ve ever loved as a group have always played guitar and played it in different ways and in great ways and worse ways but usually always have a good time.”
Eli: “Yeah, and we just have so many different influences, so many different favourite guitar players. We love The Smiths, we love Johnny Marr, we love The Stone Roses, The Strokes. Pixies, these are all the best guitar bands, and that’s what inspired us to be in a band in the first place. We can’t help want to put that feeling in our music, and I also feel like there aint a great amount of that type of music around right now so it’s nice to be able to do that.”
Ryan: “And as kids, we grew up loving guitar music as well and so that was the first thing that we kind of gravitate towards one another over, was just the love for that. Not a lot of kids our age when we were 12 or 13 were really into [ it ] so we became friends.”
The rhythm section is another factor that sets the band apart especially within ‘Who’s Your Money On’. The intricate disco rhythms create a dazzling dance-infused tempo that fluctuates and chops through the shimmering disco ball synths, lifting the songs entire dynamic.
Josh: “That was, all chopped up on the sample pad, we made that song as a dance track, and then put actual instruments on it instead which was kind of cool.”
Eli: “We did it in a way where I think it was a recording of a song that we were trying to form a year and a half ago and towards the end of the album process, we were seeing, is there anything that we could dig up to give it a chance to be on the album. Our producer was like, oh yeah we’ve got that, that one kind of jam that we did a while ago on November 16 at 4pm or whatever. We were like, Okay, that’s gonna be really good. Then he took it and he cut up all the different instrument parts and put them on a keyboard and we started playing it like that and it gave it this weird stagnated feel, and it feels really choppy, and that’s actually how we wrote that one and [gave] it’s unique rhythm feel. That was a fun one to make and probably one of the most gratifying again.”
The band fill out their tracks with synths and experiment with different sounds on the album to create a refreshing and rich body of work. This resulted in multiple versions of each of the songs as they figured out what way each song would sound best.
All: “Yeah too many”
Ryan: “They’re locked in a vault, never to be reopened”
Robert: “ There’s always at least 10 demos for every song.”
Ryan: “ ‘ Cheer Up Baby’ is a song that’s only three and a half minutes long or something but it took us about three and a half years to get it right and what’s strange is how the final version of the song turned out pretty similar to the first version we ever did of it. That was a song that, we want to, I suppose, take our time with a little bit because it was the first song that our fans had really ever fallen in love with. So it was really important for us that we got it sounding and feeling the best that it possibly could. With songs like ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ its the same story, that was one of the first songs that we ever wrote and was our first single as well – what other songs are there that just have so many different formations?”
Josh: ‘‘A Night On The Floor’,
Ryan: “ ‘A Night On The Floor’, yeah. ‘My King Will Be Kind’ yeah, there’s so many different versions of them that, maybe 20 years from now we’ll be curious to hear, but right now, I’m really enjoying the album and how it sounds now in its finished form. Finally”
I wondered if they felt like they were going crazy listening to multiple versions of the same song.
All: “Yeah.”
Ryan: “ I was on the couch in the studio one day with my head back going, we’re never gonna finish this album.”
The band’s knack with melodies never falters throughout the album. Songs such as ‘When It Breaks’ and ‘Cheer Up Baby’ boast Inhaler’s signature earworm melodies. Interspersed throughout these catchy melodies are powerful, mature and thought-provoking lyrics that leave the listener craving to hear more.
Eli: “ It just flows. Flows like manna”
Josh: “I wish we had the recipe because we’d be able to just do it whenever we want”
Ryan: “Yeah then we would be able to do it with the second record.”
Eli: “I don’t know, we were just really lucky. I think you don’t write songs, I think songs just appear or they don’t appear, and we’re just lucky to have found these songs. I think that the songwriting on the album is really ahead of our age group. We are quite young to be producing songs like this, we’re just really proud of it. But if there’s a recipe, tell me what it is.”
Ryan: “It came to a point where we were so proud of the songs that are now on the album we’ve kind of, just had to slowly detach away from it and put our attention towards writing the second album. All we can do now is hope that people love it as much as we do and that it resonates with as many people as possible. We’re really excited for people to hear them. More importantly, we’re excited to play them live when gigs come back. It’s weird we always tested how good a song was by playing it live. So with a lot of these new songs we had to trust our gut instinct on whether we thought they were good or not and how they would go down live and that was difficult for us to adapt to, but in the end, I think it’s worked”
With lockdowns and the pandemic putting a halt on gigs for a while. The band didn’t have many opportunities to perform with each other. The only opportunity to perform was recording the songs for the album
Josh: “We’ve been rehearsing a lot, recently”
Robert: “yeah only in the last maybe two months. Prior to that we hadn’t really played at all, we weren’t even really seeing each other, “
Josh: “And we didn’t have our instruments, that’s the other thing as well”
Robert: “Yeah that was in the UK so it’s been very strange for us… we just met up together to record and that’s why the album process, it was a weird one because we had to both catch up as friends but also work pretty hard with a lot of focus [and] not much time on our hands.”
Eli: “No time off really either. I think it was interesting being in London because we were really trying not to get corona.“
Josh: “Yeah, that was like the main goal everyday”
Eli: “So we just went from the studio. We walked every day, to and from thestudio to our place, and it was just work, work, write, write, write, work, work, work. It was intense, going from like three months of just doing absolutely nothing to all of a sudden just going alright here it is, But I think we were really driven”
Although it might not appear at first, but performing live can be tough on the body. Especially if you haven’t been gigging in a while. I wondered if the band felt that the first few shows back will be a shock to the system
Robert: “It’s gonna hit us like a train. I can tell you that now we will be absolutely fecked”
Ryan: “I’ll happily be fecked after that”
Robert: “I don’t know, if we can’t handle rehearsal in here, it’s gonna be tough to handle full tours. We’re gonna have to look after our bodies and take it seriously, for sure. I think, every band is gonna have to though, because not only have we not been playing together, people are out of shape. Actually, some people are in shape from lockdown”
Eli: “You go one way or the other.”
Robert: ”I think we went the other”.
Inhaler have released a fun video for their single ‘Cheer Up Baby’ where the band are covered in paint and spattering it around. It’s an anthemic and bright tune that is sure to be a pick me up on a dull day and the video subtly mirrors this.
Eli: “ A director called Joe Connor, really great, smart guy from Manchester and I think when we read his brief, we just really enjoyed the visual style that he was going to have. We liked the idea of the paint because it felt quite innocent and positive, it’s not like a dark video, I mean the song’s not dark but we just wanted to have a colourful vibrant thing because that’s what our music sounds like..”
The album is laced in evocative lyrics that ooze uplifting emotion while at the same time embraces a sense of sadness and longing. Lyrics in the aforementioned, ‘Cheer Up Baby’ are a fine example of this, “oh, how to kill these February blues.” …“When I think of all the things, I didn’t do, Oh, I can’t help but blame it on you…..cheer up baby you’re not on your own”. Perfecting lyrical flow and crafting lyrics that can relate to many people all at once isn’t an easy task but the band are doing an impressive job.
Eli: “ The lyrics are just about things that resonate with kids our age because they’re just about experiences, and, there’s this weird period in your life where you’re not an adult, you’re not teenager and you’re in the middle. That’s what most of the songs are about it’s that transitionary period but we wanted to make a really optimistic record because it’s such a horrible time, I don’t think we want to write sad stuff. A lot of it is just about experiences that we’ve had, or our friends have had during this kind of weird transitionary time. I think before COVID happened, the lyrics were maybe a little less serious and they’re more just like fun and kind of teenage stuff. After the pandemic happened it definitely forced us to write about broader subjects and naturally just wrote things that resonated with other kids our age.”
Eli has a distinctive vocal. Throughout the album, he shows he can croon with tenderness like the best of them in ‘Slide Out The Window’ and howl with impressive, swaggered rock bravado when the song demands, such as in the chorus of ‘When It Breaks’.
Eli: “I didn’t evenknow I was the singer until yesterday.”
Josh: “He considers himself more of a guitar player.”
Eli: “Yeah, literally, I don’t know why I ended up as a singer, but like I am, and I couldn’t sing for ages…I still find it quite hard. I have to force myself into doing it, and really like, find a voice.. because for a long time [ I ] didn’t have one.”
Eli: ”Yeah I definitely do consider myself more of, just a guitar player,”
Robert: “He practised”
Josh: “When we start doing shows again, I think you’ll [Elijah] find it a lot easier being the singer because you’ll be there in the moment.”
Eli: “I definitely enjoy it.”
I wondered what advice the band would give a shy aspiring musician
Eli: “Honestly, the best way to do it is just to throw yourself in the deep end, see how you swim, because that’s what we had to do you. We certainly weren’t ready to go out and play gigs when we did but we did it and I think you learn more in one gig, than you will in 100 rehearsals, it’s just a different animal. The only way to build your confidence is just, get out there and put yourself in front of people and, really just try and figure it out that way”
Ryan: “Comfort zones are dangerous.”
‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ was recorded with long-term collaborator and producer Antony Genn at London’s Narcissus Studios and the band discussed how vital Genn was with regards to bringing out the best in them.
Ryan: “I think a producer is half the album, you know. We have to come with the songs and play them but the producer is essentially what brings life into the, like, the sonic aspects of the album. We were very lucky with our producer who is not only just a producer for us but also a great friend, Mr. Antony Genn, who’s taught us loads, not only about how to become better musicians or songwriters but also just better people as well, so he’s a very, good coach to have in our camp”
Robert: “it depends on the band too. There’s some bands who probably don’t even need a producer and they just get someone to help them record the album. For us, in a sense he’s part of the band because he really is vocal and helps us find parts of songs that sometimes you wouldn’t be able to find, so it depends. But for us, we think the producer is an important part of making the record for sure.”
Robert: “It’s easy to get caught up…when you’re in a studio, everything sounds good, you forget that you still need to finish a song that people are going to listen to, and you know, the average person isn’t going to care about the four or five keyboards you put on a song. Even though we care about it. So you have to sometimes turn off the fun creative side, and be serious because you can literally, and we’ve done it, where you work for days on something that you end up just going okay, that was a lot of fun but we don’t need any of that stuff. So I guess it’s a balancing act.”
Ryan: “There were certainly periods where we ended up bogged down or overwhelmed during the recording of the album, times where we were not feeling very motivated or anything or the vibe was a bit down. Ant [Antony Genn] was always there to pick us back up and, not only breathe life back into the songs but us whenever we needed it as well. So a lot of what people are hearing on this album, should be credited to him and the hard work that he put into the record as well I think.”
The band compiled their most catchy, genre-bending and boundary-pushing songs to date for this album. They have not compromised on the enjoyment and listening experience either, The order in which each song is placed is precise and creates an energising mood that fluidly flows to the end. The four-piece admitted choosing what tracks made the cut was difficult.
Robert; “Yeah, it was, I think there was some questions we had about some singles that didn’t make it on the record but at the end of the day it was important for us to have the songs that we love as a band and that our fans love but also give way to new songs. We wrote so many good new songs over the lockdown and songs that are kind of the now, as opposed to songs that might not relate to people as much at the moment so we took that into account and made, I think the right decision.”
Eli: “Made it to feel like a gig too. We wanted it to feel like you were at a show when you listened to it”
Inhaler have displayed immense musical and lyrical prowess within ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’. For a debut, these guys are setting the standard very high. The rich and utterly lush production on the tracks is something to be admired and the dynamic energy within each song is irresistible. Each track warrants its place on the album creating a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable body of work ready for repeat plays.
Alt-pop artist Jack Hughes has released his new single ‘Crossed The Line‘. This brooding and cinematic tune boasts the refined and striking musicianship of Jack Hughes. Icy keys slice through a muggy soundscape as Hughes creates a tense and enticing backdrop for his rasped vocals and eloquent lyrics “it ain’t just the cocaine, It’s the white line dividing our hope” to drift upon. The song builds in drama and excitement as Hughes blends elements of alternative rock, pop and hip hop to create an expansive sound full of vigour and grit. With heavy rhythms intensifying while warm guitars interweave between dense electronics, subtle brass elements and potent rap feature, Hughes manages to create a pulsing tune that is a joy to listen to. ‘Crossed The Line’ is a compelling powerhouse that marks Jack Hughes as an artist to keep an eye on.
Jake Carter has just released his self-penned summer anthem ‘Sink or Swim’. The vibrant pop track was produced by Diffusion Lab’s Chris Bubenzer and Marcin Ciszczon, the team behind Jake Carter’s previous singles ‘I Won’t Be Leaving’ and ‘Loving In Darkness’ as well as the producing for the likes of FLYNN, Jafaris, Soule and Rushes among others in recent years. The track was written by Jake Carter along with Irish songwriters Conor McQuaid & Graham McCartin at The Nucleus Studio in Dublin. Carter has over 440k total streams on Spotify as well as 400k+ views on his YouTube channel, with appearances on The Ray D’Arcy Show and The Late Late Show, shows at Vicar Street and Cork Opera House as well as radio slots on Today FM, 2FM, Spin1038 and more.
‘Sink or Swim’ is a shimmering pop tune that boasts Jake Carter’s catchy and vibrant musicianship. Driven by a bubbling beat, bright guitars, and luscious synths, the track has a sun-kissed soundscape that simmers for the verses before becoming more energetic for the chorus. Well-paced and superbly produced, the track evokes images of hot sun and beach, filled with good times. Boasting crisp production, smooth vocals and a catchy melody ‘Sink or Swim’ is a refreshing tune sure to have you singing along in no time.
Speaking on the song’s origins, Jake Carter says: “It was a song we wrote a couple of years ago and it always stuck out as that feel good, Summer Drive-Along song. We changed lyrics, re-wrote melodies and spent hours and hours on making sure we had the track just right. I can imagine myself sitting on a beach and drinking cocktails whilst listening to this song, and that’s the vibe we were all going for. I think we could all do with as much summer vibes as possible this year!”
HVNTER has released ‘Breathe’, the 3rd single from his upcoming EP ‘You Don’t Know Love’ – Out July 30th. HVNTER is an electronic singer-songwriter from Pontypridd, South Wales who found his love for music uploading self-taught acoustic covers to YouTube at 16, where he began to craft his songwriting skills. He soon found his feet and after just 3 years had surpassed over 250,000 views. His debut track “Blood” quickly racked up over 30,000 plays on Soundcloud within the first few weeks of release. Over the years HVNTER bloomed as a live performer. HVNTER has performed with and supported touring artists Bright Light Bright Light, Into The Ark (BBC The Voice), Let’s Eat Grandma, Gabriel Garzon Montano, Tinchy Stryder and Chris Stark (BBC Radio 1), to name a few alongside landing slots at Young Peoples Village and Truck Festival.
‘Breathe’ is a refreshing guzzle of electronic pop that boasts HVNTER’s emotive and irresistible sound. The artist spreads a bittersweet melody over an effervescent backdrop of fluctuating beats and swirling synths to create a heart-rushing soundscape that is sure to guarantee repeat plays. Soothing vocals glide over the melody with tenderness and emotion as twinkling keys create an element of innocence between biting grooves and heavier electronic moments. HVNTER is an ambitious artist whose deft musical ability creates compelling tunes that are easy on the ears, relatable and exciting to listen to. Oozing an infectious chorus and surging soundscapes, ‘Breath’ is an irresistible and passionate new single from HVNTER.
Jack Joyce has released his new single ‘Voodoo Belladonna’. Joyce continues his brooding darker sound with ‘Voodoo Belladonna’ as he blends sombre tones with energetic indie superbly to create a track that is a simmering delight on the senses. Boasting the artist’s agile lyrical ability and refined instrumentation, the song showcases the singer-songwriter’s maturing sound. Joyce opens the track with an intriguing contemplation, “does your tongue go numb as you swallow the sun” while thudding rhythms and chiming guitars adorn the backdrop. Hisquirky labyrinthine lyrics weave random thoughts together through a whimsical dream-like melody as Joyce’s distinctive vocals express the songs conflicting emotions “break, break my heart, don’t leave me alone please leave me alone”. Filled with haunting backing vocals, punchy drums and jangly guitars ‘Voodoo Belladonna’ is a confident and expertly presented tune from Jack Joyce.
Fast-rising duo World’s First Cinema return with their new single ‘Supernatural’. World’s First Cinema’s origins begin back in 2019, when Fil Thorpe, a founding member of Neck Deep, the multi-award-winning rock outfit that also cracked the #2 spot on the US album charts, chose to leave his formative outfit in pursuit of a career in production. Having now relocated to Los Angeles he met John Sinclair, alternatively known as Saint Claire, who had previously collaborated with Macklemore on his 2017 single ‘Excavate’.
‘Supernatural’ is a dark and sonically epic new tune from World’s First Cinema. The duo knock it out of the park with this release. Brooding verses creep through crawling bass grooves and light guitar, oozing tension from the outset. As the song progresses, it becomes more dynamic, with the duo unleashing their deft melodic prowess by blending rich textures superbly to create powerful indie-rock soundscapes filled with cinematic production and darkly smothered pop sensibilities. World’s First Cinema don’t do anything by half measures, and ‘Supernatural’ is the perfect example of this. Boasting a dramatic synth build and heavy, almost EDM slapped crescendo, this pulse-racing tune continues World’s First Cinema’s run of massive, passionate and utterly awe-inspiring singles.
About the track, the band said: “‘Supernatural’ is a nod to the cinematic roots where this project first began. We feel that we’ve grown so much since we released our debut EP and we feel our music is reflecting that. Our songs will always have a cinematic element but ‘Supernatural’ really revives the overtly epic tones of our first EP. We wanted this track to be a sign to our fans to always expect those sonics from us as we explore different styles in our writing.”
Edinburgh singer-songwriter Jonnie Wallace has released his new single ‘Milk and Flowers’. It’s a catchy tune that shows a more angsty side to the singer. I caught up with Wallace to chat about the new single and what he has planned in the coming months.
“The song came to be from events that happened during lockdown. Being treated as a lesser priority after putting in so much effort with someone was really getting to me, and this song was my way of getting that anger out.”
Wallace has a wonderful knack for storytelling within his songs and ‘Milk and Flowers’ is an excellent example of his witty lyrics and compelling storytelling.‘Milk and Flowers’ is a great title with an interesting lyric, “I brought you milk and flowers to say I love you”. The flowers make sense, but I wondered why he brought the milk.
“I genuinely picked up the lyrics when my mum was saying her shopping list underneath her breath! This usually happens, titles pop out from nowhere and I run with them!”
“All of my songs are written from my own life experiences! There is no song I have written that didn’t directly happen to me. This makes it very easy as I am telling a story that I know inside and out!”
The B side track ‘Not Tonight Honey (skit)’ is cringey but very funny. It gives a vivid insight into the narrative behind ‘Milk and Flowers’.
“Yeah I wanted to mimic a one-sided phone call, where one person is trying their hardest and the other is just not interested. Based on true phone calls I have had, of course!”
The stomping rhythm and woodblock element give an edgy quality to ‘Milk And Flowers’. I wondered if Wallace has an idea of how he will fill out his songs when he is writing them, or does that come when in the studio.
“I really put a lot of effort into the drum arrangement for this. Being a drummer first and foremost, I always like to take time crafting the right groove! As for the rest of the instrumentation, I always hear in my headwhat the finished article is going to sound like, and with the help of my producer Cam Hunter, we bring it to life with added extras that we discuss in studio.”
“I have always played everything on my records, and my own parts to all instruments. There have been a few exceptions of course; My good friend and percussionist Jordan Ferguson featured on the demo of ‘Jane’, and the bass line for ‘I Talk Too Much’ was inspired by a bass line that my bassist, Lukas Christie, played while we were jamming through the tune!”
Wallace has a distinct smooth vocal delivery, which he has honed over the years through gigging. I wondered if he was always a confident singer.
“I started my solo career almost 3 years ago to the date of my writing this. Before that point I used to play pub gigs but I would mostly play cajon and maybe do two or three songs, but I was shaking with nerves when I did! I think doing more of those pub gigs by myself and gigging more with my solo project got my vocals to where they are today, my voice definitely didn’t sound like it does now 3 years ago!”
Melodies are something Wallace has proven to be proficient at creating. Tracks such as ‘Aftershave’ and ‘Cherry Baby’ have infectious choruses and vibrant melodies that are difficult not to sing along to and highlight just how talented Wallace is at creating earworms.
“With ‘Cherry Baby’ that melody did just come to me, but I changed my method for a while; I would get my chords and then write a riff on the guitar over it and then transfer lyrics into that melody, I just found it easier to write melodies on guitar at the time. Right now its kind of a mix of both!”
The lull in shows due to the pandemic and lockdowns has resulted in many artists writing a bucket load of songs and some struggling to find inspiration to write anything. I wondered did Wallace find he was writing a lot during the lockdowns and if he has any shows lined up in the coming months.
“I have actually been writing less because of lockdown. Lack of experience is lack of writing material for me. I didn’t write a lockdown song, I don’t agree with them. Everyone went through lockdown, and a lot of people used music as a kind of escape to forget it all, so I never understood why people would write a song about the one thing that people want to get away from. But that’s just my opinion!”
“Other areas of my music life are taking precedence at the moment, so I don’t have any shows in the diary right now, but I’m okay with that! I am very happy where I am musically just now, everything seems to just be falling into place!”
I wondered if ‘Milk And Flowers’ is the first taste of an EP or album from Wallace and what he has planned for the coming months.
“I can’t promise anything but I’m building up material for an album, but I am in no rush to get it done, I also don’t have the funds for it!”
“More releases! I’m loving the creative process just now and I want to get more stuff out soon!”
Jonnie Wallace is a talented artist who creates vibrant, witty tunes brimming with passion and infectious melodies. His relatable storytelling and deft musical prowess make his songs a joy to listen to. I’m looking forward to seeing what Wallace has in store for us in the future.
Bio: Dublin-based Four Nights has released his debut EP ‘Bed’. Four Nights (the moniker of Cork-born Tommy Buckley) has amassed over 3500 monthly listeners on Spotify, and combined streams of over 150k.
Track: Let’s Stay Up
Why We Like It: It’s an ethereal slice of alternative pop that display’s Buckley’s tight production skills and impressive musicianship. Flashing electronics and a bubbling beat creates an intoxicating soundscape while airy keys and dreamy melodies provide a refreshing edge to the track. Filled with smooth vocals, sweet melody and finger-clicking rhythms ‘Let’s Stay Up’ is an invigorating new tune from the talented Four Nights.
Bio: Static Vision are a three-piece rock band hailing from Limerick, Ireland. The band consists of 2 brothers, lead/singer, songwriter and guitarist Cian O’Dowd, bass player Tom O’Dowd and drummer Toby Shane.
Track: Grapevine
Why We Like It: This buoyant tune is the perfect example of Static Vision’s quirky and well-crafted sound. The band spread an infectious riff over groovy bass lines and punchy drums as the song ventures between a bright indie backdrop and heavier punk-ish rock sound. Cian O’Dowd’s expressive vocals exclaim the vivid lyrics, “Have you ever felt this burning fire, casting from the flame of desire”, over the building instrumentation while sunkissed embellishments on guitars inject vibrancy into the soundscape of the track. ‘Grapevine’ is a thrilling new single from this promising band.
Bio : After completing a medical degree in pursuit of the ‘ideal’ life, Ian (O’SULLIVAN) turned his back on a doctors’ life to become a recording musician in Budapest, Hungary. Starting out as part of a band he toured through Europe and even ended up as far afield as the border of North Korea at the DMZ Peace Train Festival, and in 2020 he launched his solo project – O’SULLIVAN. In November 2020 O’SULLIVAN released his first single ‘Little Bird’ entering the Top Viral 50 charts on Spotify, and received over 100,000 Spotify streams. ‘Little Bird’ also gained extensive radio play on Radar FM (Portugal) and Romania, in addition to plays in Ireland, Germany, Greece, Hungary & more.
Track: Dig Gold
Why We Like It: It’s a beautiful number laced in laid back vibes, soft, mellow guitar and subtle percussion. O’SULLIVAN creates a delicate and expansive atmosphere as he swirls supple keys and reverb moments into the track to create a wonderfully sweet and compelling listening experience. ‘Dig Gold’ is an absolute joy to listen to and showcases O’SULLIVAN’s deft musicianship.
Bio: Train Room has released his new single ‘Delicate Bones’. Train Room is the brainchild of Co Mayo songwriter, musician and producer Joe Monaghan.
Track: Delicate Bones
Why We Like It: Train Room gives us a glimpse into his more Country-Americana style with ‘Delicate Bones’. He sprinkles warm twanging guitar and smooth melodies over an elegant piano feature and subtle beats to create a bright and wholesome soundscape for listeners to indulge in. The song builds superbly for the crescendo with a rumble on drums and shredding guitar solo as Train Room displays his passionate and well-crafted musicianship.
Bio: Ciaran Lavery shares his infectious new offering ‘I Love the Inevitability of Death’. Offsetting one of his biggest fears with a generous dose of deadpan humour, Ciaran Lavery offers a sarcastic take on facing up to one of the only certainties in life. Recorded just before lockdown, ‘I Love the Inevitability of Death’ is the second collaboration to be revealed with Brighton based two-piece, Soft Sports.
Track: I Love the Inevitability of Death
Why We Like It: Lavery creates a spectacular piece of music with ‘I Love the Inevitability of Death’. Boasting a lush soundscape drizzled in twinkling guitars, glimmering keys and rich rhythms the song unfolds superbly. The track becomes more expressive and vibrant as the tune progresses while Lavery’s smooth vocals caress the warm, wholesome melody to create a charming quality to the song. Filled wIth brass elements, retro tones and euphoric builds, ‘I Love the Inevitability of Death’ is a catchy and masterfully crafted tune to indulge in.
Zach James Douglas has released his second single ‘Even As The Knife Went Through’ on ZJD Records via Faction Records. Zach James Douglas is an indie/alternative producer and songwriter, hailing from the South Dublin suburb of Tallaght.
‘Even As The Knife Went Through’ is a beautifully arranged tune that balances tender emotion with experimental electronics. Zach James Douglas layers the track spectacularly. He introduces fresh new sounds through guitar embellishments, twinkling sounds, elegant piano and synth flurries with each verse to create a constantly evolving listening experience. The track has an ethereal quality to it that is enhanced by the soft, soulful vocals from guest vocalist Saoirse. She coos over a dreamy melody while tropical tones and wispy atmospherics build throughout. Zach James Douglas is an impressive and extremely talented artist who uses rich and diverse soundscapes to create wholly immersive and engaging tunes that are simply a joy to listen to.
About the song Douglas says…“Even as the Knife Went Through explores the scarred mental state of someone who’s been hurt by a previous partner. It details the intimacy and trust issues that a person develops within future relationships and how despite being the target of such abuse, they still tend to carry a sense of guilt and a deeply hard wired love for their ex partner.”
Stream ‘Even as the Knife Went Through’’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
