Singer-songwriter Nate Harar, also known as Dalton, has released his new single ‘This Way’ lifted from his upcoming album, ’To the Woods’, due out October 22nd via AWAL. Dalton released his self-titled debut album on the indie label Fierce Panda Records in 2015. The album was well-received (London In Stereo, NME, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, Drowned In Sound). He then followed that up with a five-song EP released in 2017, along with a second full-length, ‘Take Shelter’, in 2019.
Driving on a swarm of fuzzy guitars, ‘This Way’ is an invigorating new single from Dalton. Filled with lush harmonies, buoyant rhythms and a breezy melody Dalton creates a sweet nostalgic gem laced in euphoric instrumentation – the track packs one hefty shoegaze punch as the blitz of sharp guitars bluster around a dreamy melody and sun-kissed 90’s soundscapes. ‘This Way’ is well crafted and layered to perfection to create a richly textured tune that boasts Dalton’s refined and exhilarating musicianship.
HAVVK have released their new single ‘Halfway Out’. ‘Halfway Out’ is the final single to be released from the band’s upcoming album ‘Levelling’. It follows the success of ‘Automatic’, ‘Home’ and ‘No Patience’, which have all received excellent radio play worldwide on stations such as RTÉ 2fm, Today FM, BBC Radio Ulster, NewsTalk, 98fm and Beat 102103 (Ireland), Radio X, Amazing Radio (UK) and KEXP (USA). HAVVK are trio Julie Hough (Vocals, Bass), Matt Harris (Guitar) and Sam Campbell (Drums). Julie and Matt are also the founders of VETA Music – the artist-led record label that is home to Maria Kelly, Sive, DYVR and St. Bishop, as well as HAVVK themselves. Originally based in London, and then Berlin, the label now calls Dublin home.
Filled with whirring guitars and the perfect blend between hazy shoegaze and punk rock, ‘Halfway Out’ is a fantastic teaser for HAVVK’s upcoming album. The track ebbs and flows with lush melodies and ethereal guitar embellishments as Julie Hough’s sweet lulling vocals chime throughout. She croons with awe-inspiring vocal strength while the building instrumentation creates a swarm of chaos in the backdrop. The song travels like a thrilling roller coaster with buzzing instrumental builds and soft swooping releases as the song reaches its dynamic crescendo. HAVVK have created a musically balanced masterpiece that surges with emotion and expressive intricate instrumentation, if ‘Halfway Out’ is anything to go by, ‘Levelling’ will be one spectacular album.
Halfway Out is a song about disengaging from life and from going through the motions. About the track, Julie Hough said: “We wrote the song as a response to the pressure that comparison culture can put particularly on young people and how it can be such a blocker for finding joy and purpose. It’s also so easy to curate your life as if everything is going fine. The song is about connecting with someone and telling them you can see that they’re struggling and offering support.”
HAVVK have also announced that they will play The Workman’s Club, Dublin on Wednesday 29th September. Doors are at 8pm and tickets are €10. Ticketson sale Thursday 19th August at 10am
Sun Mahshene have released their new single, ‘The Righteous One.’ Sun Mahshene’s collective years of experience have helped them deliver some incredible live shows, including appearances at Whelan’s Ones to Watch 2018 and 2019, Ireland Music Week 2019, and high-profile support slots including Black Doldrums (UK), Magic Shoppe (US), Stony Sugarskull (DE) and Wand (US). Releases to date include three self-published EP’s, followed by three critically acclaimed singles on Reckless Records IE. Spotify and extensive national and international airplay supported these singles with playlists on the BBC and RTÉ Radio radio.
‘The Righteous One’ is an exhilarating psychedelic rock anthem that fizzes with the luring musicianship of Sun Mahshene. The track effortlessly weaves between hazy shoegaze, crashing indie rock, and dazzling psychedelia to create a high-quality gem that is a joy to listen to. Layering fuzzed guitars over agile rhythms the band provide an expansive and biting wall of sound. The whirring on guitars creates an ominous and mysterious quality within the band’s brand of psychedelic shoegaze whilst also capturing the most captivating sonic elements of 90’s guitar music.
The blazing instrumentation swirls around a sweet, delicate melody while supple vocals from Nathan Henderson anchors the listener within the musical maelstrom. He coos through the bewitching soundscape with a cool, emotive tone while bass rumbles, and pounding drums, wrestle for dominance in the thrilling background. Frenetic distortion covers the atmosphere in a crazed frenzy of crashing guitars, agitated bass and resounding drums as the harsh backdrop becomes aggressive for the building crescendo. At the same time, Henderson’s vocals echo gently, creating a blissfully dreamy, hypnotic contrast for the listener to indulge in.
‘The Righteous One’ is a glorious assault on the senses. Sun Mahshene have a masterful ability to express emotion through the medium of music. This is what makes them so special. They have a remarkable sound that entrances the listener from the very first note. ‘The Righteous One’ takes their music to a new level of achievement as Sun Mahshene continue to explore the depths of their unique, mesmerising musicianship.
Model Society have released their new single ‘Are You For Real?.’It’s the first single from Model Society’s brand new EP ‘Entertainment’ and is released through London-based Indie label Kitchen Disco Records. The band have recorded tracks with the likes of Paul Tipler (Idlewild, Placebo) and Fraser Smith (Shed Seven), they’ve also featured as BBC 6 Music’s Band Of The Week and made an appearance on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable. With additional radio backing coming from BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, BBC Introducing’s Gary Crowley and Radio X’s John Kennedy.The band also has a successful list of live shows under their belt including festival appearances at Bestival, The Great Escape, Guilfest and a main stage performance at Northbound.
‘Are You For Real?’ is a blazing indie rock track doused in Model Society’s energetic, earnest songwriting and instrumental vigor. The track travels on sharp guitar lines which create a shoegaze -esque soundscape while punchy drums tie down the atmospheric keys. The song is richly layered as the band provide ethereal moments within a raw indie rock backdrop. Building to a dynamic blistering crescendo, Model Society display their refined musical prowess through this biting indie rock number.
Thom Southern has released his highly anticipated second single ‘Perfect Someone’. The song was co-produced by the legendary Adrian Bushby (Muse, Foo Fighters, Feeder).After recently bursting onto the scene with the fuzzy debut single ‘Shivers’, the Belfast based artist is already making a powerful and unforgettable first impression.Thom Southern also co-writes and produces for his sister Lucy Gaffney. Following the success of their previous joint ventures Southern and MMODE, the pair are both now simultaneously striking out with exciting solo projects.
‘Perfect Someone’ is a sweet slice of shoegaze. Thom Southern has created a song doused in rich textures and lush tones, he builds the track superbly creating soundscapes so pure and passionate it holds your heart in suspense for each note. With pulsing beats and dreamy melody this chillwave pop tune is saturated in sweet nostalgia. The flashing synths create a mystifying wall of sound as Southern’s velvety vocals coo through the rush of sonic flurries to soothe the scorching backdrop. Exuding tight production and superb musicianship ‘Perfect Someone’ is a beautifully crafted track from Thom Southern.
Thom Southern elaborates on the lyrical sentiment for the new single…“Perfect Someone is a bittersweet story of nostalgia and young love. I wanted to write a song about that moment when out of the blue an old romance pops into your head and takes you straight back to a specific time and place. The lyrics are about finding an old coat that hasn’t been worn in years with a photograph inside one of the pockets. You remember how good that day was but inevitably you know it will never be the same again. I wanted to embody the track with repetitive melodies which create the immediate atmosphere of nostalgia. I used an 808 drum machine to make the track hypnotic to take you through the story in a quick, simple way just like when a memory flashes into your head and then it’s gone.”
I caught up with Lucy Gaffney. We talked about how she became comfortable as a solo artist, her inspirations and how she wrote and recorded her new single ‘Send Me Away’.
Hailing from Belfast, the now Liverpool based, Irish songwriter has released her new single ‘Send Me Away’, via Frictionless Music.The track was produced by The Coral’s James Skelly, positioning her as a rising artist in the fertile Northern English indie scene. Featuring on the track alongside Lucy is Thom Southern (Electric Guitar, Bass) and Jim Sharrock(Drums).
“The reaction has been amazing, the radio play as well there’sbeen so much support from radio stations.I only released my first single, back a couple of months ago, and I’m obviously a brand new artist. So coming out with the second single, I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out because for me it’s more of a lo fi track, but everyone seems to be loving it and there’s RTE behind it and Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6 played it the other day so I’m so chuffed about that as well. So yeah, it’s great.”
The track has a heavier sound with fuzzy guitar, psychedelic soundscapes and dream-pop melodies which is quite different to the sound of Lucy’s other projects Southern and MMODE.
“Well what happened was I was coming out of, one of the previous bands, and I was on tour with The Coral at the time. James Skelly produces a lot of bands and he was just watching us live, you know every night and he said ‘you guys are great, would you ever want to get into the recording studio’. So it was just kind of a natural thing and we didn’t really have any expectations. It just felt right for me to be doing my songs that I’ve had on the shelf for ages and he was really into the vibe that we were getting, it was kind of like Krautrock, kind of shoegaze. Thom, who was in the previous band with me, my brother he creates a lot of guitar sounds and I would write a lot of my melodies on top of that, probably, almost the same way like The Stone Roses would work. It’s very melody orientated with elements of deadpan vocals and a lot of reverb and things. So that’s really what I’m into, and the sound really just developed after doing those two tracks in Parr Street with James so I’ve had them ready to go since last summer.”
“I was just taking the time to do gigs, I went on tour with Bill Ryder-Jones and that was a great learning experience for me because it was the first time I was solo performer, without a band or anything so working with him as well on that tour, gave me that kind of, I don’t know full roundedness that I have in my vision for the music that I do. So yeah, the songs are coming across really well and it’s just a shame I can’t gig them. “
Doing shows on your own can be difficult when you are used to having a band with you. I wondered if the solo transition was daunting.
“Definitely, yeah for sure because it was my first, I had done gigs just kind of one off gigs. My first gig was actually supporting the DMA’s in Belfast which was an amazing first gig and yeah I was super nervous. It’s more the build up to it that you’re nervous about and then when you’re on stage it just comes so naturally, because that’s what you’re good at, and on tour with Bill (Ryder- Jones) was more about learning how to engage the audience and finding your place on stage in terms of, do you want to give a lot of yourself away to the audience, because Bill in particular, he is almost like a comedian on stage. In between the songs he’s telling tales and I’m not really like that you know naturally I’m probably a little bit more of an introvert and I wouldn’t want to give too much of myself away but yeah, so just finding that balance.”
“It was definitely daunting to begin with but it’s like anything, you know, practice makes perfect. Since being in lockdown it’s weird because doing the live gigs online has been really beneficial for me, because I think it’s more daunting to play a gig online for people than it is in real life. I mean it’s like doing faceTime with someone and the camera you have to get your camera angles right and you know there’s all that flack and you’re always worrying is the signal gonna go mid set, whereas live, the freedom that you have to play live is just amazing there’s nothing like it. So yeah, I’m definitely missing that but I’m hoping next year we’ll have some socially distant gigs.”
In her solo career so far, Lucy has already had acclaim from Liam Gallagher (who called her music ‘celestial’), a collaboration with DMA’s and tours with Bill Ryder Jones and She Drew The Gun with support on Radio from BBC Radio 1, as well as BBC Introducing Merseyside and BBC Introducing Ulster.
“ I’m just launching literally and if anyone tells me they like my song I’m glowing after it. Whatever you get in response to your track it’s just nice for it to resonate with people. I put out the cover of Oasis and I don’t normally do covers but I happen to really like the song ‘Songbird’, by Oasis and obviously, Liam Gallagher is very influenced by John Lennon, and the Beatles and I’ve always been really influenced by, The Beatles and their songwriting and John Lennon in particular, so that’s obviously why I like that song, but I put it up on Twitter and in the few hours it had gone viral and Liam Gallagher caught wind of it and commented on it. So yeah, it’s just amazing, it is mad how the internet works.”
The music industry has changed a lot with streaming and social media and Lucy has managed to keep on top of her social media by putting out a lot of content during lockdown to keep her fans engaged. This is a task artists can find difficult with pressure of finding visually appealing settings etc.
“Yeah definitely, it’s a job in any sense having to do that kind of thing and it’s been a learning curve for a lot of musicians, trying to come to terms with the fact that the only way we can promote ourselves is online. I am a bit of a technophobe, apart from posting photos and stuff and tweets, I would never have been going live on my phone. But you do get the hang of it and it is really nice you know when people tune in and people are lovely. I’ve never had anyone say anything bad, I’ve always had really nice feedback during the gigs and everyone was being really supportive and people love it. In fact the only thing for me that I don’t have at the minute is any merch and a lot of people say to me, do you have any vinyl things since the songs have come out but obviously it’s early days for me so I’ve not had them made”
“The whole experience I think has been really beneficial for me, in particular, as an artist. I think for bands that were touring a lot before the lockdown happened it’s been hard for them. It’s funny and it’s something I have talked to, my friends who are musicians. It’s almost put the power back into the artists hand, and it’s taken a bit of the, I don’t know, control maybe away from the record labels, I mean social media was doing that anyway. Even my friend who plays drums for me, he is promoting himself online and he gets such a great reaction, people love it. It’s so interesting, even for me, to be able to watch someone online who I admire. I was able to see Beck, who is a bit of a recluse, you know he was never really sitting online chatting and I’ve looked up interviews of him from the 90s and things and there’s so few and to watch him sitting in his living room playing live has been such a novelty. So yeah, it has definitely been a game changer for musicians, I think. “
Lucy’s voice is beautifully sweet over the bubbling instrumentation in ‘Send Me Away’, it creates a lulling sense of calm. I wondered was she always a confident singer
“I definitely wasn’t, just because of my background. As a kid, I sang in the school choir and I was really into female singer songwriters. Like any young girl when I was seven or eight Avril Lavigne was my inspiration and so it was always in my mind to be a songwriter and sing. But because the way I started was in a duo, I started busking with my brother and we were really based around harmonies, so I sang alongside someone else for years, so it does take mental strength to work up the ability to do it completely alone. It’s always a learning experience throughout your musical career to do anything, for example I play a lot of piano, but I’ve never played it live so imagine if I was to have to do it I’d probably be nervous because it’s not something I’ve tried before. But I think now I’m definitely a confident singer, I could sing to anybody on the street I don’t mind.”
“I think it always depends on each song really but my influences in the last few years were bands like the Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star, so, I was always into that kind of soft, you know, sultry vocal and I love a deadpan vocal. I love Grian Chatten’s voice in Fontaine’s DC. I love how he sings, I love that kind of laziness to it, and even in the last few months I’ve really been listening to a lot more of Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile and that. That is just my kind of vibe, so I think towards next year the songs are going to be maybe less shoegaze, and more, I don’t know, you’ll hear more of my voice, to an extent. Yeah and I’ve definitely got a lot more new material since the lockdown happened. I’m actually working with a couple of producers at the minute for next year. I can’t really say who but the new songs for me are miles ahead of what I’ve done before. It’s gonna be really exciting to put them out, so I’m really looking forward to next year, to be honest.”
So what advice would Lucy have for anyone who wants to start a career in music or as a songwriter.
“ My advice, just from my experiences…You can only ever be yourself in your songwriting. I never liked it when I see someone who’s just regurgitating other artists. I can understand having an influence but I think it’s never good to just rip other artists off, and I think it doesn’t necessarily have longevity. So I think always working at your craft and always having a passion for it, it’s probably the same with any art form. But definitely being honest and making sure you actually like the songs you’re putting out because, I mean, I have spent years putting out things because I think it would fit, it would be something that people would want to hear rather than if it was something that I’d want to hear myself. And I think I’m at a position now after a couple of years of working my craft to know that if I love my song, that’s all I care about.”
Lucy has some exciting plans for the coming months and next year with lots of amazing tunes for us to indulge in
“ So I’m promoting ‘Send Me Away’ at the minute but hopefully I’ll be in a recording studio over in England in a couple of weeks, doing the third and fourth singles and they should maybe out by December or next year. I also have way more recordings and I’m booking in gigs and stuff at the minute for Ireland next year so if everything goes ahead hopefully, you know, lots of tours and lots more music.”
Lucy Gaffney is a compelling artist and talented songwriter, showing strong personal musical growth from her days in Southern and MMode. ‘Send Me Away’ is just a glimpse into her musical prowess and songwriting capabilities. It’s an immersing track laced in rich textures and lush instrumentation which hooks the listener from the start. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Lucy Gaffney in the future.
Hailing from Belfast, the now Liverpool based, Irish songwriter Lucy Gaffney has released her new single ‘Send Me Away’,via Frictionless Music. The track was produced by The Coral’s James Skelly and featuring on the track alongside Lucy is Thom Southern (Electric Guitar, Bass) and Jim Sharrock(Drums).Previously, Lucy was part of Marathon signed band Southern, alongside her brother and consistent collaborator Thom. Her short solo career – with just the one single out so far – has already seen acclaim from the iconic Liam Gallagher (who called her music ‘celestial’), a collaboration with DMA’s and tours with Bill Ryder Jones and She Drew The Gun. Big supporters at radio have come in the form of BBC Radio 1, as well as BBC Introducing Merseyside and BBC Introducing Ulster.
‘Send Me Away’ is a dreamyslice of psychedelic shoegaze as Lucy Gaffney’s delicate vocals drift over an expanding swirling soundscape. The effervescent instrumental backdrop fizzes and swells to create an intoxicating wall of sound. With sweet guitar refrains piercing the thick euphoric bass ripples and driving beat, the track instantly lifts you into an ethereal state of bliss. The melody is saturated in irresistible hooks and syrupy textures. As the song progresses distorted guitars superbly build creating pockets of piercing scintillation through the dazing synths while Gaffney innocently coos over the tense edgy soundscape. Lucy Gaffney is a compelling artist and talented songwriter, showing strong personal musical growth from her days in Southern and MMode. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Lucy Gaffney in the future.
About the track Gaffney explains: “For me the track really encapsulates the dreamy element in the idea of love, getting lost in intoxicating moments and the electric excitement of the unknown. With the recording I wanted to capture the garage band rawness from when I wrote it in the rehearsal studio. There’s an honest naivety to it that fizzes with electric quirks and kinks from start to finish, igniting an in the moment carefree edge.”
Dublin based alt-rock four piece Banríon have released their debut EP ‘Airport Dads’.Following the release of her solo single ‘bins’, songwriter and guitarist Róisín Ní Haicéid recruited drummer Michael Nagle, bassist John Harding and guitarist Ivan Rakhmanin to form Banríon and complete their immediately recognisable alt-rock sound. The jazz backgrounds of Nagle and Harding have allowed Banríon to explore a refreshingly eclectic mix of genres to create a powerful indie sound, already attracted a very loyal fanbase. Banríon has played in venues such as Whelan’s, the Workman’s Club, Bello Bar and the Sound House and their cult following is growing in numbers after every live show. Recorded in Nagle’s home in Connemara, the three-part EP was entirely self- produced.
‘Airport Dads’ provides a short glimpse into Banríon’s alternative indie rock as they create a mature, lush and well balanced EP. ‘Yesterday’s Paper’ kicks things in motion with jangly indie guitars piercing a thick punchy rhythmic wall of sound. It’s a light, sweet tune that floats delicately over an upbeat backdrop and tight musicianship while lyrics explore the fears of day to day life.
Through sweet and delicate tones and catchy refrains the band express pain, angst and vulnerability. Banríon take tender and raw themes of disability, feelings of uncertainty, emigration and heartbreak and place rich, delicate and compelling musicianship around them to heighten and highlight the emotion one feels during these experiences. A brave undertaking which the four-piece succeed in doing with skill and empathy.
The gliding and elegant flurries of ‘Bunk Beds’ pivot around a rooted guitar jingle and raw rhythmic bounce as the band create an illusive shoegaze soundscape with a more punchy rock foundation. The laid back lull of ‘Ouchie’ brings the EP to a close. The mood is glum as the twinkling on guitar glimmers through the tracks moody melodic flow. Róisín Ní Haicéid’s vocals have a pacifying and soothing tone throughout the EP while delivering coarse and painful lyrics. Her sweet lull and richer depths express emotion effortlessly as she draws you into each song’s enchanting sorrow and diverse emotions.
‘Airport Dads’ shows Banríon know their sound and what they want to achieve. The band have created a wonderful collection of time stopping and utterly moving tunes with sublime dreamy moments and raw emotive themes to provide an honest, real, and emotional EP.
Cork based noise pop outfit Deadbog have released their new self titled EP. The band formed in summer 2018 by friends Danny O’Shea (guitars and vocals) and Luke Daly (drums). After a number of gigs as a two piece, Rory Burke (guitar) and JJ Lee (bass) completed the line up.
Drenched in reverb with shoegaze elements swirling into a deep psychedelic pool of distortion, Deadbog’s EP is a richly blended four track concoction with equal measures of sweet and sour. The band melt soft dreamy melodies on top of acid soaked guitar and rich intricate rhythmic progressions to create intense moments of raw psych-tinged alternative rock through ‘Morning Swimmer’ and ‘Vending Machine’.With heavy instrumental crashes the tracks build becoming ominous and shrilling as light flickers on guitar progress to coarse pines soaring over thick heavy drum pounds and perilous rapid soundscapes. It’s a hard hitting collection of tracks however, amidst this onslaught of controlled chaos the band show glimpses of sweet delicacy and innocence.
There are very little vocals on the EP. When the vocals do appear it is through a wave of harmonies and expressions. In ’Behold the Coagula’ it’s the vocals and wistful melody that cool the tracks scorching intensity. Deadbog lay this melancholic melody and cooing vocals over a bubbling harsh backdrop of pounding drums and meandering guitars creating a wonderful contrast.‘Gurus’ begins with the most beautiful sweet guitar lament backed by a throbbing beat. The first half of this track ripples with clear and pristine clarity creating a time stopping moment within the EP before the band enhance the song building to its epic and hair raising crescendo.
Deadbog have created an EP that is rich in its intricacies with sweet melancholic and dreamy moments flickering between the band’s blast of controlled chaos. The intense and blistering instrumentation is created with such precision, as the band carefully allows the softer tender moments to flourish, almost untouched, in this frenzied atmosphere.It’s an impressive balancing act.
Easy Tide have released their new single ‘Carpet Grave’ which was recorded by the band in Fennor Lane Studios. Easy Tide are a DIY Garage band hailing from Navan Co Meath. Members include Aaron Dunphy on Bass and Vocals , Steven Rafferty on Guitar and Vocals and Mark Carolan on Drums and Vocals.
‘Carpet Grave’ presents Easy Tide’s punchy alternative rock through a hazy laid back garage rock filter. The band cruise through light ethereal guitar melodies and warm rumble on bass with a sluggish lazy day attitude. The track bops with an airy texture as the buoyant drums create both a spongy cushion for the verses and a punchy bite for the chorus. Glistening guitars ricochet off the heavy drum progression as the track drifts effortlessly from moody verses into the dynamic chorus and crescendo. Well crafted and exuding shoegaze elements, ‘Carpet Crave’ is a sun speckled sulky number that is just as sharp and punchy as it is melodic and dreamy.
Stream ‘Carpet Grave’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
