All posts by Indie Buddie

Perfectparachutepicture ‘Lonely Landslide’

UK noisemakers Perfectparachutepicture have released their new single ‘Lonely Landslide’. Sharp concise and brimming in rock soaked bravado, ‘Lonely Landslide’ is a fantastic new single. The band spread a scorching guitar riff over snappy drums and raw basslines to create a hyper relentless pace as the track chugs into its explosive indie rock chorus. The vocals coat the fluid melody in swagger while the acute guitars jab and saw through the backdrop with majestic power allowing the coarse bass to maintain the punchy foundation. It’s a catchy, dark and well crafted track as the band flesh out their refined and adrenaline inducing musicianship to create a lean mean and thoroughly exhilarating new tune ready to ignite a live audience. It’s a song to blast from the speakers as the relentless pace of the track is too infectious to resist. ‘Lonely Landslide’ is another smasher from Perfectparachutepicture.

Stream ‘Lonely Landslide’ below


Author : Danu

Gooside Offline (feat. Torin)

Up and coming Derry/Londonderry based artist Gooside teams up with English rapper Torin for his latest single ‘Offline’. The track utilizes spacious lonely soundscapes teamed with punchy vocals to create an emotive and infectious R&B hued number. With sticky dark beats bubbling through icy keys, the track has a haunting melancholic tone which is subtly broken by the hypnotic warm guitar refrain. Gooside creates pockets of space within the track to provide that isolating vibe while Torin adds an edgy quality with his tight rapid rhymes. ‘Offline’ is a well crafted and emotive new single from Gooside that boasts his refined and majestic musicianship.

Stream ‘Offline’ below


Author : Danu

Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders ‘Waking The Damned’

Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders has released his new song ‘Waking The Damned’. London based metal artist Jason Payne has taken 2020 to embark on a new journey in the form of  ‘Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders’, a culmination and reincarnation of his strongest rock compositions, with numerous releases ready and waiting. Jason Payne’s musical journey began at age 9, developing his musicianship for over a decade and solidifying his musical experience through years of rigorous practice! Between 2017 and 2020, Jason fronted the British rock outfit Louzada on guitar and vocals, achieving over 300,000 streams across Spotify & YouTube and amassing thousands of worldwide fans, all through a modest discography of just one single, and one EP.

An alternative soaked blast of nu-metal, ‘Waking The Damned’ is an explosive and powerful new song from Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders. Shrouded in dark tones with crashing guitars, heavy bass lines and pummelling drums, the track is a mighty force to be reckoned with as Paynes’s growly vocals carry the song’s emotion and grit.A song of freedom and exploration Payne uses nu-metal dynamics to create a euphoric and adrenaline inducing atmosphere as the track ventures from luring verses to explosive choruses. With 90’s alternative rock elements and tight raw soundscapes ‘ ‘Waking The Damned’ is a thrilling new single from Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders.

About the track Payne said “Waking the Damned is about being reborn and celebrating the birth of something new – the beginning of my career.”  

Stream Waking the Damned’ below 


Author : Danu

Ross Breen ‘Mrry Xmas @ 1st Lght’

Ross Breen follows October’s acclaimed release of ‘Some Other Time, Maybe’  (RTÉ Radio Recommended list,) with his new single ‘Mrry Xmas @ 1st Lght’. Previous singles released include  Heather in December  (Dec. 2019 – supported by  RTÉ Radio 1, Radio Nova, RTÉ 2FM ) and  Idyllic Valley  (performed on RTÉ television’s  The Saturday Night Show, top 30 chart placement, no.1 iTunes Rock chart ).  Ross was awarded the title of Ireland’s Best Unsigned Singer-Songwriter  by Newstalk’s The Tom Dunne Show, with his song Monet  singled out for extensive airplay from over a thousand submissions. He has also consistently impressed on the live stage, earning special guest invitations with acts like Midlake, Bell X1, Damien Dempsey, Sinéad O’ Connor  and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard  while building a following with his band at a number of Ireland’s premier festivals, including Electric Picnic, Body & Soul, Indiependence, Sea Sessions, Vantastival  and Knockanstockan .

‘Mrry Xmas @ 1st Lght’ is a glistening Christmas track with an indie edge. This triumphant track has darker fuzzed guitar lines contrasting the bright church bells and shimmering synths as Breen spreads melodious hooks over a tight and richly textured backdrop to create a lush, well crafted new single.With an air of nostalgia, sprinkles of joy and Christmas cheer mixed with darker undertones the track takes us on a musical journey of past Christmases and experience them through a new lens as Breen’s warm vocals drift over the sweet melody. Exuding deft songwriting and a rich vibrant wall of sound ‘Mrry Xmas @ 1st Lght’ is a refreshing and dynamic addition to Breen’s emotive musical collection.

Ross offers an insight into his latest song:   “I come from a background of family and social life where gatherings with music are intrinsic to the enjoyment of Christmas. For many, music is a tie binding us together during this period. Art can unify when restrictions keep us apart.  Mrry  Xmas @ 1st  Lght  envisages the close of 2020, how we will be engaging with our families, friends and partners during this time, and how it will be different to what we’ve known before. These lyrics are threaded with references to songs and instrumentals I’ve loved at sessions throughout the years, including obligatory party pieces from my grandparents, parents, sisters, close friends and extended family. I see it as a painting of Christmases gone by, rendering memories through verse and hoping we can all reach a point in the near future where we can once again feel free to experience that sense of warmth, openness and release.”

Stream ‘Mrry  Xmas @ 1st  Lght’ below


Author : Danu

Jack Joyce ‘Electric Love Letters’

Up and coming unsigned Irish singer-songwriter Jack Joyce has released his new single ‘Electric Love Letters’. Joyce first embarked on his music career at the age of sixteen when he began performing and booking gigs in local pubs and clubs. He released his debut demo EP, ‘Get Down’, in October 2018 and spent the summer of 2019 busking through Europe. Following his return he sold out The Vintage Room in the Workman’s Club and the Whale Theatre. He followed this by opening for Cassia in Whelan’s and playing a slot at the New Year’s Festival in Dublin.

Vibrant, melodic and wrapped in slick indie goodness, ‘Electric Love Letters’ is a knockout bop from Jack Joyce. The track travels on bright jaunty guitar lines which hop through the shuffling beat as Joyce creates a fun, light and infectious gem. Joyce’s witty lyrics drift over a chugging rhythmic backdrop as his cheeky chappie charm and unique warm vocals highlight his impressive storytelling. All the fun lyrics aside the track is tight and well crafted, there are glorious little moments peppering the track in subtle refinement including a shredding solo and intricate weaving on percussion. ‘Electric Love Letters’ is another sublime pop sprinkled indie earworm from Jack Joyce.

Stream ‘Electric Love Letters’ below


Author : Danu

Barefoot Magicians ‘Another Year’

Barefoot Magicians have released their new single ‘Another Year’. Formed in early 2017 after a recording session In Dublin’s prestigious Windmill Lane Studios, the band dedicates itself to writing and performing original material based around a blues groove. Comprised of Dave Greene on harmonica and vocals, Graham Stewart on Guitars, Brian Steemers on drums & percussion, Paraic Carroll on Bass and Petra žižak on Keys the band has recently enjoyed two live recording sessions in Windmill Lane and Sun Recording Studios.

A funk-peppered blues rock number, ‘Another Year’ is Barefoot Magicians swagger soaked latest release for 2020. Slick guitar lines flood the track in rock n roll panache while a groove rooted bass line exudes hip moving fluctuations against the punchy drum foundation to create an infectious 70’s undertone. However Barefoot Magicians contrast this chic soundscape wonderfully through pining harmonica twangs and lyrics riddled with uncertainty. Lyrically the band say track wrestles with “being trapped in a certain life, a life you are not fully fulfilled in, with decisions you wish you could change, but there is still hope burning inside you to take a leap of faith and dive into something new but every year time is running away from you.”

Exuding rich musical prowess, emotion and refined instrumentation ‘Another Year’ is a strut worthy, foot tapping new single from Barefoot Magicians

Stream ‘Another Year’ below 


Author : Danu

Nathan Mac ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’

Nathan Mac has released his new single ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ produced by Brian Dwyer. Exuding majestic instrumentation ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ is a wonderfully magical song from Nathan Mac. Soft aerial synths caress fluttering percussion and twinkling guitar as Nathan’s sublime storytelling holds your heart in suspense throughout. As the track builds, lush soundscapes weave innocent electronics between warm melodies and earnest lyrics – this enthralling soundscape showcases the refined and beautifully crafted musicianship of Nathan Mac. The song describes a boy who sees his father crying for the first time. There are layers to the story but the message is distilled into its final lyrics: “You will grow into a man, and it’s okay to cry.” ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ is a captivating and cinematic number from Nathan Mac. His music is always a joy to listen to and never disappoints.

About the track Nathan said “Everyone has a story about this. When I sing this song to people, it seems to compel them to tell me about the first time they saw their father, or mother, or older sibling cry. The sheer amount of stories I’ve been told in response tells me that I’ve struck some kind of ‘chord’ with this song.”

Stream ‘The Boy Who Learned To Fly’ below


Author : Danu

Stephen Kelly ‘Pile Up’ Video Premiere

Frontman and songwriter for Dublin Rock Band RAGLANS, Stephen Kelly has embarked on his first solo crusade with his new single ‘Pile Up’, taken from his collection ‘Home Brew Volume 1’ a lockdown concoction of newly written & home produced material. Working with mixing engineer, Eamonn Conway (Raglans, The Scratch, Sorcha Richardson, Otherkin) remotely from pandemic bedrooms, ‘Home Brew’ is a collection of exciting new tracks and bonus unreleased older recordings that have never seen the light of day.

Steeped in loose laid back grooves and lush backing vocals ‘Pile Up’ is an enticing and tantalizing indie rock track from Stephen Kelly. The infectious guitar riff simmers with a western-esque humidity as Kelly’s warm, rasped vocals ooze panache and confidence over bluesy-soaked soundscapes. Soft sprinkles on keys inject a quirky and balmy element into the tracks muggy, sultry atmosphere while the catchy melody and rich instrumental components exude a relaxed persona within. Boasting deft production and first rate musicianship, ‘Pile Up’ is an exciting glimpse into the creative mind of Kelly as a solo artist.

‘Pile Up’ is accompanied by an animated video by Adam Daniels from London based visual media company PrimitiveEarth and Indie Buddie gets to premiere this amazing visual today. Have a look below. It’s a real treat!

Stephen intends to continue with Home Brew Volume 2 in Early 2021 before embarking on live solo dates, further releases and touring with Raglans but for now, ‘Home Brew Volume 1’ is available on Bandcamp and from January 2nd on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. Check it out and enjoy on Bandcamp here

https://stephenkelly1.bandcamp.com/album/home-brew-volume-1?fbclid=IwAR22wpBeui0YMkhagyzGGlfYdi2l7GnJ7avW-Sxwpi3eZXor_FecFwHiYfw


Author : Danu

Dan Donovan ‘Recover’

Dan Donovan has released the first track, ‘Recover’ off his debut EP ‘Light and Dark’. Written about a woman who inspired Dan with her strength and character and the good that she does, ‘Recover’ was recorded in his studio with Dan playing all of the instruments himself. Dan’s first release was a compilation album of artists recording at the studio called ‘State Of Mind, Expose the Hide-Out’ and was released on the Bristol Trip Hop label Cup Of Tea Records. Two of the tracks from the album were licensed to 6 various artist dance albums, including ‘Secret Affair’ and ‘Moments of pleasure’.

‘Recover’ is a bluesy hued track that glides effortlessly on bright guitar, swirling elements on electronics and intricately played percussion. Donovan’s warm vocals drift over the smooth melody while jaunty guitar lines sprinkle a dash of warmth into the track. The steady beat and subtle electronic bursts create a vibrant atmosphere as the track ventures into a mellowed easy listening soundscape. ‘Recover’ is a refreshing and laid back new single from Dan Donovan.


Author ; Danu

A Chat With : Mal Tuohy from The Riptide Movement

I caught up with Mal Tuohy from The Riptide Movement to talk about their latest release ‘Turn on the Lights’ which is featured on the current Guinness campaign #KeepTheLightsOn. After some chat about our preparations for Christmas and the new vaccines being rolled out we discuss how the track was written and what brought about its use for the #KeepTheLightsOn campaign. 

‘We got contacted by someone from Guinness, they were telling us about the campaign that they had planned and that our song was perfect for it. They talked us through the campaign highlighting all the pubs and in particular the family pubs around the country that have been affected by the COVID restrictions and have been closed down.They wanted to do a campaign that was uplifting and they thought our song was perfect for it really, which we agreed with. The song itself, taps into that feeling that everybody has had this year where everything has been shut down and everybody’s at home and haven’t got to see their families and stuff and I think that whole message of turn on the lights, is a really uplifting message that was perfect for the Guinness campaign and perfect for the times we are in. It’s funny because we recorded that song four years ago and we released it this time four years ago. We all thought it would be a great Christmas song and it never really took off when we released it, not like other songs on that album, ‘Elephant In The Room’ really took off but ‘Turn On The Lights’ didn’t. I’m a big believer in timing and this song is more relevant today than it ever was, even the video for it is as well. The video was made around Christmas time four years ago. This time four years ago, it was shot around Dublin, and it highlights Dublin at Christmas in pre-COVID times. So it’s nostalgic to look at it now and it actually makes more sense now in a mad way than it did four years ago,”

The fact that ‘Turn on the Lights’ featured as part of the 2016 ‘Ghosts’ album shows how timeless the track is, as well as showcasing sometimes, all a great song needs is time to grow legs.  

“Definitely, yeah, and the great thing with that song is the journey it took as well because with the song there’s a few other writers involved, it was not only just the band. I was on a writer’s retreat five years ago with an English writer who invited me to it, Kat Williams ( Kathryn Williams ). Basically songwriters spend a week together and write songs and one of the songs Kat was showing me was this song called ‘Turn On The Lights’ and she was showing it to me on the phone. It was actually called ‘Same Time Every Year’, I think that was the original song and I thought it was great. We had kind of forgotten about it and then she came over to support us for a few gigs in Whelan’s back in December 2015 just before we went to Texas to record ‘Ghosts’. She showed us the song again and all the lads in the band loved it as well. When we were doing the album out in Texas, we were putting all our ideas together and the whole album was taking shape. Ted ( Ted Hutt ), our producer, asked us, had we any other ideas that could tie into the whole feel of the album, and we said we’ve got a song that was written by three other writers that we like. We showed him the phone recording, and he loved it. So what we did then is we rearranged it, and we added our own bit to it as well. So we kind of wrote it as well with them. So, all in all, there’s actually eight writers on the song. It’s brilliant, and it’s great because we’ve never done that before, had so many writers on one song, and it just happened organically and we had the Suso Gospel Choir sing on it. We recorded it all in Texas, and we got the choir to sing on it in Windmill Lane Studios when we got back from Texas. We put out the song four years ago and there was no real interest in it. Here we are four years later and it’s used in a Guinness ad. It’s great.”

The Riptide Movement are pretty good at Christmas songwriting. Last year the band released ‘All I Ever Wanted’, a heartfelt Christmas tune laced with luscious melodies. It’s not easy to write a Christmas song. It can be difficult to create the right recipe of atmosphere, heartwarming feeling, sense of sad/jolly undertones and inner reflection. However the band have achieved this. I wondered if they find it easy to write a Christmas song.

“No, not at all. With “Turn On The Lights”, it was definitely a Christmas song. The first original version of that song from the phone recording that was the idea – trying to make it home for Christmas because there’s a line ‘There was a place for me, an empty chair waiting for me to take it’ – so it’s that idea of trying to make it back for Christmas and if you don’t, there’s going to be an empty chair around the table at Christmas and then it’s that idea as well when we lose loved ones there’s always an empty chair around the table where, that loved one used to sit for Christmas dinner. That song was always like a Christmas song. We have to give credit for the lyrics to Kat Williams, Joel Sarakula and Josh Kumra, brilliant songwriters in their own right. They are singer songwriters so their craft is lyrics and they wrote a majority of the lyrics for the song.”

All I Ever Wanted’ it’s like a day in the life, kind of a song. It just happened to be on Christmas Eve on Grafton Street, it wasn’t set out to be a Christmas song. It was just depicting the day if that makes sense and it happened to be Christmas Eve. So we didn’t actually sit down to write Christmas songs, it just happens”

Everyone finds something different that hooks them into a song, whether it’s a melody, riff or beat and for me, with ‘Turn on the Lights’ it was how the band ended each line in the verse with a sort of dramatic dum dum part in the instrumentation.

” It was actually one of the toughest songs to record. When we were doing the whole album it took the most time because of the timing, it’s not a 4/4 timing, it’s an off beat time. Even where the vocals start and where they end, they come in at times where, for me anyway, where I would normally put the phrasing in, if that makes sense. A lot of that would come down to Ted, the producer because he had a vision for the way it should sound, and I think Ted should really take credit for the way it sounds and that’s really cool that your ear was drawn to that so he’s gonna be delighted to hear that.”

I wondered did Mal find it difficult to sing ‘Turn on the Lights’ considering the arrangement is not what he is used to.

” Usually a lot of our songs I would write them, so the phrasing, and where the vocal comes in and goes out would be my natural rhythm. The way I just naturally sing it or naturally come in at certain parts where it feels right. So, this song was a real challenge for me because it was on a different timing and it was the way Ted envisioned that it should be. When I was in the studio trying to drop the vocals it took a long time for me to drop them because my instincts were telling me to come in at different parts, and I had to restrain myself from doing it. I suppose when you’re making an album, writing an album, and recording it, you don’t really have the benefit of having played it live for three months or six months… so it did. The songs are new, and it takes time to find the flow of where everything is supposed to bed in.”

Last time I spoke to Mal he mentioned that next year will mark The Riptide Movement’s 15th year as a band. I was delighted to hear they have some big plans ahead with or without a vaccine.

“We’ll probably start planning for shows later in the summer, I imagine. In terms of playing live we have to base it around the vaccine being rolled out so we will probably play it by ear next year and see how that pans out instead of booking and that might not go ahead. But that’s only one part of it. We’re doing stuff with the National Symphony Orchestra so we’re gonna be releasing some of that next year…We’ve some cool ideas around the 15 year anniversary of the band being together.. As I say, we’ve done some stuff with the National Symphony Orchestra which sounds really cool and can’t wait for people to hear that. We’ve done two songs with them so far and they’re rearrangements of our songs with the Orchestra, it just sounds beautiful. So it’s stuff like that and releasing behind the scenes stuff from albums that we made over the years. It’s gonna be a lot of focus on that for next year. In terms of gigs that will come secondary based around how things are going to roll out next year and if we’re allowed to go back to the way gigs were.” 

We are all looking forward to the return of live shows but I couldn’t help but think there must be some consequences or casualties to this year. I asked Mal if he thought the industry will actually come back to the same level as it was pre- Covid. Will we have the same venues we had in previous years or will a few talented bands and artists not survive the strain of this year. 

“I’d say there will be to be honest, some bands and some artists might move out of the industry because it’s a tough industry to make a living in anyway. But in saying that you are always going to have art and you are always going to have artists and you are always going to have musicians that want to play, and want to release albums and the same for venues. I think the idea of a venue is going to change from this whole COVID experience. It’s not just going to be your standard venue – a stage, a large room and a bar. I think people want something more. I can see gigs moving into nice spaces like churches and heritage buildings and different venues that are exciting for the punter as well. But I imagine some venues won’t be here after all this, but other ones will open up and it will be an evolution of the whole industry.”

” I think once COVID goes away it will definitely go back to normal, go back to mosh pits and full rooms, there’d be no reason not to because there’d be no threat of people getting sick. I imagine next year, they’d be just rolling out the vaccines and we will still be practicing social distancing until we get past COVID but I reckon, maybe 2022 will be a throwback to the oldest type of gigs with packed rooms and mosh pits.”

‘Turn on the Lights’ is a heart-warming and passionate single that seems to have been written ahead of its time. It’s uplifting and tender message expressed through evocative lyrics makes the track a timeless Christmas gem.

Watch the video for ‘Turn on the Lights’ below


Author : Danu