Tag Archives: New Music

EP Review, Indie, New Music

The Exact Same Kid ‘Amateur Hour’ EP

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The Exact Same Kid has released his new EP ‘Amateur Hour’. The Exact Same Kid is the moniker of Dublin-born songwriter Alex Conroy. Initially trying his hand as a folk musician, Alex has performed alongside acts such as The Ghandis, Clara Byrne, Apella, The Blizzards, I Have A Tribe, Cathy Davey and Neil Hannon. Ultimately growing uncomfortable with the stillness and isolation that comes from being a solo artist, the desire for a bigger sound and more collaboration led to some years of experimentation. The Exact Same Kid is the result of this, a heavier indie rock sound that still retained the lyrical focus of folk music. Recorded in the summer of 2021 with producer and sound engineer Aidan Cunningam, ‘Amateur Hour’ is about confronting your own emotions, finding out who you are and finding the strength in that knowledge.

Riding on a dense wave of sprightly indie rock with country and jazz flirtations, ‘Amateur Hour’ is a fresh and well-crafted three-track EP. With lush almost doo-wop melodies gliding above jaunty guitars and steady beats, ‘Don’t Cry’ announces the EP in a blaze of bittersweet nostalgia while ‘Butano’ blends bright indie elements with frenzied guitar embellishments and horn adornment. The songs are fun, honest and lyrically witty. Conroy manages to blend a diverse range of instruments and genres to create an EP that is satisfying and brimming with energy. Throughout each song we see Conroy flexing his musical muscles to create a sound that is refreshing and satisfying right up to the final track, ‘Blue China’. The track’s dark atmosphere exudes hypnotic qualities that brood beneath pounding drums and resounding stings on guitar while Conroy’s deep vocals croon the smooth melody. With bright tones on guitar interspersed between soft synths and jogging percussion, the song is superbly crafted.

‘Amateur Hour’ is a sublime EP laced in tight and refined musicianship. It’s a joy to the ears and boasts Conroy’s fine musical prowess.

About the EP Conroy said: “I don’t think I’m alone in having turned to music for answers at some stage in my life. Amateur Hour is definitely not for that. It’s about saying I might not have the answers, but I have the same questions as you do so you’re not alone. I think there’s comfort there, in being united in our confusion.”

Stream ‘Amateur Hour’ below


Author: Danu

Indie, indie rock, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

SweetCake, Reserved for Rehab and Sean Looney Live In Fred Zeppelins Cork

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Last night three up-and-coming indie bands SweetCake, Reserved for Rehab and Sean Looney electrified Fred Zeppelins in Cork.

Sean Looney kicked the night off. His tunes exuded good old-fashioned danceability with funk hues blended between indie and jazz tones. With his musically tight band behind him, the room bounced with vigour as Looney crooned over slick key refrains and smooth melodic flows. These guys are naturals on stage and their organic knack for sweet-toned riffs, rhythmic drums and catchy melodies left no doubt they are a talented band with a lot of potential.

Reserved for Rehab followed. A heavier band in sound, they knocked our socks off with lush grunge tones, dense riffage and pummeling drums that reverberated through the venue. These guys have something, an exciting Je ne sais quoi that I can’t put my finger on. Perhaps its the expressive sinister tone of their unreleased tune ‘Ivory’ ( though unreleased, the song had the crowd singing as if it was a fan favourite of a well-known indie band) or the well-paced track list that showcased very sleek instrumentation and musical prowess but there is a sense that with a bit more time this band could move on to bigger things. Consider me intrigued. 

Just as the name suggests, SweetCake brought the night to a close with some very sweet and lush tunes. These guys are impressive in the live setting. The band exuded charisma with a hint of suave nonchalance onstage however the set list was fun, funky and kept the crowd lively and dancing throughout. Musically their sound is very expressive: guitars effortlessly glide from catchy heavy riffs to debonair licks with ease while grooving basslines stylishly complement rhythmic drums and warm vocals. Unfortunately, I had to rush off before their set finished but keep an eye on these guys.

It’s always refreshing to see the immense talent of upcoming bands displaying their raw talent without fluff or rehearsed bravado and just performing off the natural buzz on stage and feeding off the crowd. It’s a difficult thing to do but SweetCake, Reserved for Rehab and Sean Looney put on a fantastic show. 


Author: Danu

Album Review, New Music

Dan Fearon ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ Album

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Dan Fearon has released his new album,’Church of the Crooked Spire’.Inspired by the paintings and pictures around his home, the project was recorded in just 4 weeks from the comfort of Fearon’s home.

Edgy and laced in intricate guitar embellishments ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ is a dynamic album from Dan Fearon. The album pulses with rich rhythmic progressions, punchy drums and classic rock bravado. From the luring ‘The Old Stone Bridge’ to the dark undertone of ‘In The Ruins’ each song showcases a different facet to Fearon’s sound as he crafts an album that ventures through a lush array of genres from classic rock, grunge, blues and rock. ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ is an intriguing musical display from Dan Fearon.

Stream ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ below


Author: Danu

Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music

Thrillhouse ‘Fatal Flaw’

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Brighton-based alt-indie band, Thrillhouse return with their latest single ‘Fatal Flaw’. A love letter to those that stick with you through the tough times. With their debut album being mixed ‘Fatal Flaw’ will be their last single before beginning the release of the album in early 2023.

Thrillhouse have a knack for creating wonderful textures and nuances within their music. ‘Fatal Flaw’ is a fantastic example of this. The band’s taste for mixing and matching synth elements with chugging bass lines and buoyant beats keeps the tune bright and catchy while the melodies exude sentimental nostalgia throughout. Every track from Thrillhouse is a joy to the ears and with warm vocals, and chiming guitars that ooze charm from every note, ‘Fatal Flaw’ continues this band’s record of heart-racing irresistible gems. 

Stream ‘Fatal Flaw’ below 


Author: Danu

Indie, New Music

Drop The Shadow ‘Cross to Bear’

Drop The Shadow has released his new single, ‘Cross to Bear’. Drop The Shadow is the alternative music project of Irish songwriter and musician Mike Walsh. Joined both in the studio and live by his brother Eric (drums), Sean Carey (bass) and other musician friends. The track was originally recorded in HellFire studios, Dublin and later produced/ mixed by Darkin in Black Mountain Studios. It also features additional backing vocals by Cliodhna Gahan and keys by Killian Browne.

‘Cross to Bear’ presents Drop The Shadow’s passionate indie rock through a cinematic soundscape and brooding atmosphere. Filled with pulsing beats, chiming guitars and ethereal tones the song is tastefully crafted and showcases complementing elements throughout. ’Cross to Bear’ is a tight and impressive musical display that highlights the wholesome and powerfully evocative sound of Drop The Shadow.

Stream ’Cross to Bear’ below 


Author: Danu

Indie, New Music

The Heathen Choir ‘London Bridge’

The Heathen Choir have released their new single ‘London Bridge’. The song was Co-produced in Belfast with modern rock/electro-pop producer Si Francis (Bastille, Mumford & Sons) and features acclaimed session drummer Stephen Leacock (General Fiasco). The new single has long been a fan favourite having appeared in a stripped-down version on the album ‘Live at Diceys’ (2021). 

‘London Bridge’ is a tender and wonderfully lush tune that boasts the emotive songwriting of The Heathen Choir. With a lofty guitar injecting indie rock passion into the mix while punchy drums and ethereal soundscapes create a sense of wholesome longing, the track is sentimental and soothing all at once. The lyrics discuss desiring someone or something so deeply but stating clearly that they will have to take you as you are and the band reinforce this with cinematic instrumental builds that add power and emotion throughout. With warm vocals and precise crisp production ‘London Bridge’ is a compelling new tune to indulge in.

Stream ‘London Bridge’ below 


Author: Danu

Indie, indie rock, New Music

Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets ‘Life’

Photo Credit: Jamie Moore

Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets have released their new single ‘Life’.Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets make music for twenty-somethings living in a country that completely ignores them. The indie up-and-comers have amassed over 170,000 streams on Spotify, secured support slots with fellow Irish acts NewDad and Milk as well as embarking on their first Irish tour playing a number of sold-out headline shows. A recent clip of their last single ‘Running Away’ hit almost half a million views on TikTok.

‘Life’ displays Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets’ mesmerising creative musicianship in all its glory. The band create a distinctive blend of Americana with modern pop/rock nuances to create a sound that is natural, relaxed and a joy to listen to. Filled with emotive melodies, bubbling beats and chiming guitars the track’s bright instrumentation excites the imagination while at the same time cushioning the listener from the sombre lyrics. Boasting lush harmonies and the right amount of guitar gusto to give it that powerful edge; ‘Life’ is a charming ditty from start to finish.

Stream ‘Life’ below 


Author: Danu

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

Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music

Savonarola ‘Ash’

 ‘Ash’ is the latest track from Canadian band Savonarola. The title refers to a chapter in Robert Bly’s novel ‘Iron John’ called ‘Road to Ashes Decent and Grief’. Savonarola wanted to pay homage to his philosophy that you must examine your own wounds to discover your gifts. It’s a sentiment that is brought to life by the track and produced/ engineered by Felix Fung at Little Red Sound Studios. ‘Ash’ is also accompanied by a hazy, chaotic and impactful video shot by Chris Catalano in Pandora’s Box Studios. This video, packed with flashing lights, eccentric camera angles, and trippy editing, brings another dimension to the striking emotions in ‘Ash’. The band once again reference another momentous piece of art with scenes of odd crowd behavior; these people move in circles comparable to Gustave Doré’s painting “Prisoners Round”, later reinvented by Vincent Van Gogh.

Saturated in dark indie rock,‘Ash’ is a refined and compelling new single from Savonarola. The track travels on a pulsing bassline, hypnotic guitar refrains, punchy drums and haunting melodies that create an immersive soundscape that is a joy to listen to. With raspy vocals and striking lyrics, “Watch and bare, the night’s despair, Faint of hope, come up for air, Treasons light, is my delight, The span of time, Don’t Shed No Light.” ‘Ash’ is an expressive and moving new single to indulge in.

Stream ‘Ash’ below 

Watch The Video Below


Author: Danu

Alt- Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

modernlove. ‘Until My Heart Stops Beating’

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Irish indie band modernlove. have released their new single ‘Until My Heart Stops Beating’ along with announcing their UK and US Spring 2023 tours. When modernlove. were formed in 2016, they reacted to the lack of opportunities for live music in their hometown of Drogheda by effectively creating their own scene. By organising packed DIY pub gigs and encouraging other local bands to step out, they provided a creative outlet for themselves as well as a vibrant community for young music obsessives in their area. That ethos of making something from nothing still serves them well to the current day. And now their music is being embraced on a much bigger platform – including support from Jack Saunders at Radio 1 for their recent single ‘Take Me Far Away’.

Saturated in earworm melodies modernlove. present an impressive alternative pop track that is simply a joy to listen to. ‘Until My Heart Stops Beating’ is a fine addition to the young band’s musical repertoire. The tune is an exquisite example of their enviable musical prowess. Sonically the song is a musical gem as with all of the band’s tracks to date. Expressive guitar elements immersed in a soundscape of shimmering synths, dynamic rhythms and edgy riffs create an 80’s post-punk-hued soundscape that reveals much to the listener with each subsequent listen. The soundscape is quite poetic and cinematic at times and is complemented by earnest lyrics that hit hard through a smooth nonchalant vocal delivery. These combined musical aspects are a delight to the senses and easily beckon repeat plays from the listener. Once again modernlove. knock it out of the park with ‘Until My Heart Stops Beating’.

About the track modernlove. commented, “until my heart stops beating’ is a song about losing feelings. It chronicles the moments of tension leading up to a breakup. The lyrical narrative of the song explores arrhythmia and cardiac arrest as metaphors for the end of a relationship and invokes that sudden wrenching feeling when something goes terribly wrong. The song is stark, realistic and unromantic. It’s clear that the relationship is beyond hope and beyond saving. The lyricism and sonic composition of the tune are extremely minimalist, almost as if there’s nothing left to say. “

Stream ‘Until My Heart Stops Beating’ below


Author: Danu