Pauric O’ Meara has released his new single ‘Lately’. Pauric O’ Meara is an independent Pop/Rock singer-songwriter from Co. Tipperary, based in Dublin. Over the last few years, O’ Meara has seen his headline shows sell out all over Ireland, including venues such as The Workmans Club, The Grand Social, Monroes, Dolans and Cyprus Avenue, as well as supporting major acts such as Hermitage Green and Hudson Taylor, and stand out performances at festivals such as Electric Picnic, Sounds of Summer and Kaleidoscope.
‘Lately’ is a shimmering indie pop tune that boasts Pauric O’ Meara’s catchy and vibrant musicianship. Driven by a bubbling beat, bright funky guitars, and luscious synth embellishments, the track has an expressive soundscape that simmers for the verses before becoming more energetic for the chorus. With soft tropical elements wisping about the radiant instrumentation O’Meara creates an upbeat gem that oozes a sense of euphoria while honest lyrics deal with themes of relationships, friendships and the importance of the time spent and how we spend it. O’ Meara’s music is a joy to listen to and ‘Lately’ is a fine display of how diverse and exciting this artist is.
Damian McGinty has released his new single ‘Like Moments Do’ alongside announcing his upcoming album “Moments” which is out on the 25th November. I spoke to the singer-songwriter about what inspired the song, how this new album is a new creative facet to his songwriting and a new cycle to his sound and the prospect of an Irish show.
“This is the start of a new cycle for me and a cycle I’m really excited about. It’s been such a fun creative experience writing this album and the theme and the feelings behind it are very important to me. I stand strongly behind what the album represents and what the new single represents. I’m genuinely proud of it. Yes, this is what my music looks like right now. It’s common knowledge that as an artist, the hardest thing to do is, find your sound and hone in on that. ‘Moments Do’ is just a perfect representation of where I am as an artist and I just think it’s an uplifting song that I’m excited for people to hear and enjoy in their own time.”
“Honestly, it wasn’t even something that I was searching for. It’s a period of time that I went through where last autumn myself and my wife moved from California to Nashville. We bought our first home, moved across the country and what I didn’t expect, was just shortly after the very harsh covid period, in the industry and it had fully reopened I was just so slammed with work, and with the personal life and moving across the country and setting up a home. So it was the first time ever in my life that I was waking up every day and just felt like I was suffocating. It just felt like I couldn’t catch a breath. Like I was on a hamster wheel and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t get off. No matter what I did. It just wasn’t working and my brain was going 1 million miles an hour every day and it felt very overwhelming for a fairly long period of time. Then I just started having some conversations about how to fix it like how to slow things down a little, how to be more present and that’s just where ‘Moments Do’ was born. It’s about appreciating small moments. It’s about appreciating moments that don’t get the notoriety or the recognition. You know life isn’t always about bright lights and limousines in the magazines and the billboards and as the song says, it can be something as simple as having a coffee in the morning or having a conversation with your family or just the really simple stuff that doesn’t get recognition. It was about being present and appreciating those moments. That’s just where the single was born. That’s where the whole album grew from.”
‘Like Moments Do’ is a bright upbeat song filled with warm guitar and light piano twinkles between a powerful uplifting soundscape. There is something soothing about the song that creates a wholesome atmosphere throughout.
“Yeah, you’re spot on. I think we started out the session and I was very clear that I wanted something upbeat. But I wanted, it not just upbeat. I wanted it to be hopeful. I think hopeful is the keyword. So you know whenever you go into a writing session, you sometimes throw things on a page or you’ve been messing around with a few chords on the guitar and the piano, whatever it might look like, but just hoping that you can find something and for this particular song, I really knew what I wanted. I’ve been writing all week at this point in Nashville and it was the last session of the week and I just want to write something hopeful. I want to write something that feels like it’s gonna inspire people. I want people to feel simultaneously like they’re getting a hug but also like they’re being told that your life is as normal as my life and that’s great. You don’t need big lights. You don’t need your name on billboards, on magazines. You don’t need all that to live a fantastic life, social media truly is a highlight reel and that’s all we see and therefore that’s a problem of our generation. You compare yourself to what you see on your phone. But yet the moments of the song talks about the in between moments that I think actually have the most beauty. When you are present in those moments, you learn to appreciate them a little more. So it’s definitely like a tip of the hat to all of that.”
The single comes alongside the announcement of McGinty’s upcoming album “Moments” which is out on the 25th November and the singer explained to me the concept behind this album.
“This is the first single and it is the concept of the album. So the whole album dives into these moments that I’m talking about, these moments of the in-between. Different moments in our lives where we feel happiness, where we feel sadness, where we feel contentment, where we’ve been challenged. It’s an album that goes on a journey of all of that and what I like to call you know the journey of the in-between because it really is about normal life and because I just felt there wasn’t a lot of representation for that and I think that a lot of people will hopefully relate. So the album really goes on a journey of all of that and ‘Moments Do’ is the lead single. It’s the perfect song I think to represent the first track and to give the flavour of the album. Then the album takes you on a journey through the in-between.”
In 2021 McGinty released a pandemic project, where he released a new single every month. This album takes a different approach. We discussed how differently he approached this album.
“Initially whenever you’re starting out a project or a record and you’ve got a blank canvas sometimes the only way to start filling that canvas is to just naturally start writing and start creating and see what comes out. That was the really fun thing about this project. I did start writing and start essentially, like painting on the canvas for the lack of another analogy, I started painting on the canvas, and the album and the idea started presenting itself very early on. So I was able to hone in on what boxes I wanted ticked on the album because the album is all about being present and recognizing little moments that never get the recognition because life so fast-paced. Because the album is about that I was reminded on a daily basis to be present. I was reminded on a daily basis to slow down. So it happened to be the record cycle that I’ve enjoyed the most just because I was so present and just because it didn’t feel overwhelming. The entire process has not felt overwhelming. It’s felt well timed, well-paced, so much so that the last song on the album is a song I was able to write whenever the other 10 tracks were already finished. I was like, I want to write a song that really wraps up this theme and I was able to do that which is not like any other writing experience I’ve ever had. So that felt really nice as well.”
To celebrate the release of his new album, Damian McGinty will be hitting the road this autumn for his ‘Live in the Moment’ tour across the US, with dates in eastern Canada as well. With a lot of artists approaching touring differently since the pandemic, I wondered if McGinty was going to take touring at a slower pace and if a show in Ireland would be a possibility.
“Yeah, I’m really excited to get on the road. I’m really excited to perform this music. Obviously, I’ve never performed it live yet. It’s gonna be great. Live music looks a lot different now. It just feels different in a very weird way and I think almost in a healthy way live music for the artist doesn’t feel like it’s 100% necessary anymore. I’m trying to explain that because I’ve seen a lot of artists being like I don’t want to tour right now. It’s not good for my health. It’s not good. So I think we’re entering a really healthy period for music, where people are not letting it define them. Which is really important because touring, sometimes can feel like the be-all and end all and how many shows you do in a year, defines how successful your year is. Whereas now, people are just learning a little more to look after themselves and the music and the performance will then benefit from that. So it’s almost like a partnership. It’s like if you take care of your health, and if you’re in a good place, then the performances don’t feel like a chore. They just feel like something that you enjoy, and that you happen to do and you’re lucky enough to do. So that’s where I’m at. I’ve been just trying to be present, be steady look after myself and then I just feel very fortunate that I get going and do six weeks of live shows in the autumn. That just feels really exciting to me to get to see people on a face to face basis. So I’m really excited.”
“It’s something that I’m very interested in [ a show in Ireland]. I’m heavily considering so I’ve had a couple of conversations about it. At the moment, it’s most certainly a watch this space thing so yeah, that’s definitely something I’m gonna keep my eye on.”
Filled with wonderfully expressive instrumentation, sweeping melodies and warm lyrical content ‘Like Moments Do’ is a compelling glimpse into the joyous musicianship of Damian McGinty. This song is a fantastic appetizer for his upcoming album.
FYA FOX has released her new single ‘Like Loving Jesus’.Following a stellar set of releases, sold out Whelans Dublin headliner (Nov 2021), showcased at Ireland’s leading festival for emerging artists Ireland Music Week and selected to play the BBC Introducing Stage at OutPut & Stendhal Festival, FYA is gearing up to play her 1st ever UK festival Live At Leeds (Oct 15th). Gaining major support across Irish national and regional radio stations along with plays on BBC Radio 1, ‘Track of The Week’ features on RTE 2FM, Spin South West and Today FM, to mention a few. To date FYA has gained over 203K Spotify streams with playlisting on ‘New Music Friday’, ‘New Pop UK’, ‘EASY’, ‘Chilled Pop Hits’, ‘New Pop Revolution’, ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Fresh Finds Pop’, along with playlisting on BBC Radio Ulster ‘Where Music Matters’.
‘Like Loving Jesus’ is powerful alternative pop at its finest. FYA presents a soul-filled tune brimming with catchy melodies and R&B tones that is a joy to listen to again and again. Melancholic verses brood atop a lamenting piano and ethereal soundscapes before a vibrant punchy chorus kicks in. The track is an emotive-filled banger from start to finish enhanced by gospel elements and lush textures throughout. Produced to perfection with FYA’s compelling vocals at the helm, ‘Like Loving Jesus’ confirms FYA FOX as a true force to be reckoned with.
About the track FYA said: “I wrote this song over zoom with Bill Maybury (Cian Ducrot, Ryan Mac, Lenii & Fia Moon) & Matt Weir during lockdown. I’d been listening to a lot of Noah Cyrus at the time, so I feel like some inspiration for the session came from that”.
Blood Donor has released his new single ‘Lonely Street’. Blood Donor is an alt-pop artist based out of Dublin, Ireland. The solo project of ex-Otherkin frontman Luke Reilly, he has released two singles thus far (the euphoric pop belters ‘Bienvenue’ and ‘Under the Sun’) and is now on the cusp of releasing his debut album (due summer 2023). Blood Donor will debut his new material alongside ‘Lonely Street’ with a 5-piece band in the Workman’s Cellar in Dublin on October 29th and plans on releasing a new single every couple of months in the lead-up to his debut album.
Saturated in hazy nostalgia, ethereal pines on guitar and delicate shimmers on synths, ‘Lonely Street’ is a compelling new tune from Blood Donor. Reilly’s warm vocals soothe atop a country – esque melody while buoyant beats create a soft cushion from the sombre lyrics “A sad sad song, a sad sad scene We waste our time with fever dreams”. The song is a well-crafted tune that reveals many instrumental gems with each subsequent listen; ethereal keys, western-toned guitar and glorious musical embellishments to name a few. The track subtly builds becoming more cinematic as a shredding classic guitar solo leads the song to its lingering fade out. With ripples of delicate ambient soundscapes and rich instrumental moments; ‘Lonely Street’ is a fine display of Blood Donor’s emotive musicianship and deft musical prowess.
About the upcoming album Blood Donor said: ‘’The album has been a long time coming. It was supposed to be out in 2020 but when COVID kicked off I went back to working in medicine. It was a very intense time in my life to be honest, and for the guts of a year and a half I lost all contact with music-making. It was only when I played a gig with some friends in March 2022 that I realised the extent of the void in my life. It was an Indie Covers night with James Vincent McMorrow and other Irish musicians, and it such a cathartic and life-affirming experience for everyone involved. I resolved myself to get the album finished and get back to playing live.’’
Rowlette has released her third release of 2022, ‘Perfect’.The song explores the relationship with one’s body and our tendency to chastise it, despite all the amazing things it enables us to do. The song was produced by Dave Skelton and mastered by Aidan Foley. Rowlette, currently based in London, has been busy since the world of live music has returned. She recently hosted a packed-out headliner in the British capital with fellow musician Faraway Martin. As well, she’s back in Dublin frequently, performing at venues such as Workman’s and The Soundhouse. As a solo performer with an acoustic guitar, Rowlette is recognised for her powerful vocals, inspirational lyrics and captivating performances. Hailing from Co. Mayo, she has a distinctive writing style, known for her storytelling ability. Rowlette’s tracks have received radio play across Irish radio stations and abroad and were added to several Spotify editorial playlists.
‘Perfect’ is a tender ballad that displays Rowlette’s eloquent songwriting over delicate yet cinematic soundscapes. With swooning strings and warm bass sweeping over folk-esque acoustic guitar and elegant piano, Rowlette creates a well-crafted backdrop for her soothing vocal delivery. Her voice caresses the soothing melody with a sense of comfort and uplifting earnestness as the song ventures into its cinematic crescendo with a grace and elegance that is to be admired. Filled with warm tones and ethereal orchestral elements ‘Perfect’ is an emotive gem from Rowlette.
Having performed with Adele and impressed greats like Elton John and Avicii with his songwriting, Moncrieff is back with his new EP ‘Warm’ via German label energie. I caught up with Chris Breheny aka Moncrieff to talk about the EP, playing the main stage at Electric Picnic and how he lays all his raw emotions bare through his intimate and powerful songwriting.
‘Warm’ is an emotive EP that takes a different approach to Moncrieff’s music. His previous release ‘Class Of 2020’ was angst-riddled with powerful punk/pop elements while the earnest emotion pouring from ‘Warm’ showcases a more tender side to Moncrieff’s sound.
“Well, to be honest, I’ve always struggled to stay inside a box because I get bored of myself very often. I think with the ‘Class of 2020’ I was just very influenced by how crazy the world was seeming to get and Yeah, songs like ‘Playloud’ and ‘America’ spoke about that and I don’t know, even within ‘My Room’. I just felt even the sort of soundscape of that EP, portrayed how I felt really about that year. It’s a big mix of craziness. But after the sort of two years it was pretty hard in those two years with the pandemic. I had a time where I was thinking, should I keep going at this? Or should I call it quits? and I think what made me realize that I wanted to keep going was the fact that I hadn’t done something super personal. I ended up making these songs along those lines that are just trying to be as personal and as honest as possible and I think that’s what it’s come back down to.”
The lyrics within the EP are very raw and honest. Lines such as, “If I don’t believe in God who can I call? Maybe it’s easier to end it all” from ‘Talk’ see Breheny re-imagine difficult moments in his life through powerfully evocative songwriting and the singer-songwriter explained to me how cathartic the writing process was for him.
“I think it was definitely quite cathartic. ‘Warm’ is quite a positive song, ‘Ruin’ is kind of a positive song. ‘Talk’ itself is kind of sad, but I think the overall theme across the EP is Hope and that’s the thread that brings it together. So yeah it was like anything when you’re trying to make something super personal, you’re gonna have some challenges, but I feel it definitely was more cathartic than anything.”
‘Talk’ is a heartbreaking but beautifully presented gem. Breheny recounts the first time he opened up about having suicidal thoughts. His soulful vocals sincerely pour out lyrics of pain while the music delivers this song with a ray of hope. It’s as if the artist gives strength to the listener to push through whatever they are going through. That’s quite a special impact.
“Yeah, it kind of came together on the piano. I was just sitting down one day and usually, it doesn’t happen, where it just comes together so easily. But the song just fell out and I don’t know I feel maybe it’s the chords that are kind of reassuring. Because it keeps coming back to that major root chord and that gives it that reassuring vibe, that sense of hope within me and hopefully for other people. But yeah, it wasn’t done, really on purpose. It just came out that way.”
Breheny has a knack for writing powerful and uplifting melodies. He explained to me how melody drives his songwriting process.
“The melody comes first generally. Or it’s maybe a little phrase or something. But melody is the main thing that really inspires me and then that will influence where the lyric goes.”
The title track ‘Warm’ was an instant hit when it was released. It went to the top 10 in Irish Radio and was performed live on Germany’s ARD Network (“Frühstücksfernsehen”).
“Yeah, considering ‘Warm’ was the first track off the EP that I wrote and that was in, I think November 2021. I was like, wow, this is really, really good, not like patting myself on the back but it made me feel something. I wrote it with a couple of friends and I was like, this feels like something special. So seeing people react the way they did, considering it was written at a point where I was at my lowest, feeling the lowest in terms of where I felt in my career. Seeing then the next song be like the biggest received song in Ireland that I’ve ever done is crazy.”
Breheny also provides the listener with a little treat on the EP in the form of a time-stopping version of Avril Lavigne’s ‘I’m With You’. I wondered what sparked his decision to cover that song.
“ I think I wanted to make something for the tour that I was doing. I wanted to make a cover for the tour and I think I did it towards the end of 2021. I produced it myself. I was bored in my room and I was like, this sounds really good and I wasn’t really planning on releasing it. Then I was like, Why the hell not? I mean, what’s the point in having another mp3 sitting on my laptop? So yeah, I just put it out and because I made a little video to go with it back when I was on tour in Limerick we did this one-shot video where we do like a transition and I walk out onto the stage. I was like, that’s a cool video, its a cool song, people would enjoy it if I put it out. So that’s why I did it.”
This year Breheny was moved up to play The Electric Picnic main stage last minute and we discussed the excitement and anxiety that came with the news.
“Yes, I did. That was amazing, it was super special. I was very worried, to be honest because I wasn’t supposed to be on the main stage and then Thursday morning came around and my manager gave me a call and said we’ve been asked to move up to the main stage which is obviously such an amazing privilege to have. But I was a bit worried at the same time, what if it’s raining, and it’s like pretty much second on Sunday, like what if nobody shows up and all this stuff. Luckily, it was really good weather and luckily it was really busy, so many more people turned up than I thought would. So yeah, all in all, it was something I’m not going to forget for a long time.”
Moncrieff has announced a headline show in The Olympia in December which has since our interview sold out.
“ The Olympia is something for the bucket list really. So yeah, hopefully, we can get it sold out and move forward, I can’t wait for it. We’ve got also Belfast in November, and London in November and two shows in Germany as well which can be my first ever two shows in Germany and show in Amsterdam as well.”
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Moncrieff is a passionate musician and an exceptional songwriter. Within ‘Warm’ EP he provides moments of heightened emotion while the depth in the lyrics will take your breath away. He is a musical wizard who can break your heart in an instant with one gripping line while his refined and uplifting music comforts your soul. It’s quite a masterful display of musicianship that Moncrieff finds effortless. He is an artist to treasure and the songs within ‘Warm’ are a fine example of this musician’s boundless talent.
22-year-old artist-songwriter, Bradley Marshall has released his new single ‘Hurts The Most’. Bradley Marshall co-wrote the song with TikTok music stars and highly talented artists in their own right, Ryan Mack and Rob Grace. The duo also produced the song along with Jimmy Rainsford of Picture This.
Wrapped in swooning melodies and ethereal soundscapes ‘Hurts The Most’ superbly continues Marshall’s run of tender tear jerkers. Piano-driven and cinematic, the track glides gracefully on a melancholic melody while wispy electronics and pulsing beats adorn the backdrop in lush dramatic builds. With his warm crooning vocals at the helm ‘Hurts The Most’ is an emotive tune that boasts Marshall’s knack for heart-wrenching earnest songwriting.
Speaking about the song Bradley Marshall said: “‘Hurts The Most’ tells a story about how everything can feel and seem so good with someone but you are still not convinced that you are good enough for them”
Having performed with Adele and impressed greats like Elton John and Avicii with his songwriting, singer-songwriter, Moncrieff has now released his new EP ‘Warm’ via German label energie. The EP follows the successful release of the title single ‘Warm’ which was an instant hit that went top-10 on Irish Radio and was performed live on Germany’s ARD Network (“Frühstücksfernsehen”).
Throughout ‘Warm’ EP Moncrieff unleashes a tidal wave of emotion while fleshing out his eloquent songwriting and expressive sound. ‘Warm’, ‘Rewind’ and ‘Ruin’ exude anthemic soundscapes and rich instrumental flourishes that make for an immersive and exciting display of musicianship from the artist.
There is no denying Moncrieff’s magical songwriting ability. The artist delves deep into his innermost emotions and deepest thoughts and expresses them through wonderfully poetic lyrics. Each lyric has movement and depth adding an exciting dynamic to the EP. ‘Talk’ is a sublime example of this. In this raw heartbreaking ballad, Moncrieff recounts the first time he opened up about having suicidal thoughts. His soulful vocals sincerely pour out lyrics of pain, “If I don’t believe in God who can I call? Maybe it’s easier to end it all” while pulsing beats, a choir on backing vocals and ethereal soundscapes rush with emotion. Though the subject matter is heavy and dark, in true Moncreiff manner the gripping lyrics are presented with a ray of hope. The lyrics look back at a dark time in his life while the uplifting music becomes the light at the end of the tunnel and depicts a sense of inner strength and new-found empowerment.
Although ‘Talk’ is a powerful and stand-out gem on the EP, each track in its own right has something special that allows it to shine just as brightly. Throughout the EP, feel-good moments ( alongside heavy subject matter), expressive instrumentation and poignant songwriting abound as ‘Warm’ stirs the listener’s soul on a deep level making for an exquisite listening experience.
There is something for everyone in this EP. Moncrieff lays bare themes of loss and loneliness while maintaining an air of hope and comfort throughout. Moncrieff is a rare talent and ‘Warm’ is just a glimpse at this artist’s ability.
Omar Addis has released his new single ‘Never Let You Go’. Addis is an artist from Cardiff, Wales, who has been making music for almost 10 years and has collaborated with artists such as Julian Lamadrid and Heavy Pulse. Addis produces, mixes and masters his tracks so he has complete creative control.
‘Never Let You Go’ is a beautifully crafted tune as Addis takes supple melodies and delicate soundscapes to create a track that is a soothing listening experience from start to finish. With pulsing beats, chiming guitars and wispy synth the song has an ethereal atmosphere that is utterly captivating and wonderfully compliments the artist’s warm expressive vocals. Addis blends hues of R&B with pop and indie elements within ‘Never Let You Go’ to create a timeless song that takes away all your worries and soothes the soul.
Jim McHugh has released his new single ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’.This is the second single from Jim’s upcoming fourth album ‘I Whisper to the Dawn’. ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Niamh Reagan, James Vincent McMorrow) at Transmission Rooms Studios, Drumlish, Longford and The Stables Studio, Castleblayney, Monaghan. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse). ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ features Jim McHugh on Vocals/Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Paul McCabe on Bass/ Backing Vocals, Paul Sherry on Electric Guitar, James ‘Butch’ McNeill on Drums, Alex Borwick on Trombone and Ronan Morgan on Backing Vocals.
Riding on a relentless buzz of biting guitars and punchy rhythms, ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a fiery anthem from Jim McHugh. Showcasing the artist’s powerful indie rock in all its glory the track discusses social media influencers and the artist’s disdain for the power they yield and their negative influence on society, “Do your followers conform?Oh yeah, they’re all under control with a flick of my hand, But your selling lies online, Oh yeah, I’m an influencer and I’m influencing you”.With swaggering rock bravado, infectious melodies and invigorating soundscapes ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a catchy musical delight from Jim McHugh.
Stream ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
