Shane Beirne has recently released his new single ‘Anymore’. Beirne is a rising 21-year-old singer/songwriter who is signed to Hasard records in Zürich, Switzerland. ‘Anymore’ is a beautifully emotive and compelling tune that boasts the earnest songwriting and powerful sound of Beirne. This piano-led tune is laced with supple soundscapes and delicate melodies as Beirne uses his warm tender vocals to convey the heartfelt lyrics. He croons “ I’m tired all the time it’s like I don’t even feel what I see. Maybe because it’s not real “ over minimalist arrangements while the sweet melody swoons with bitter-sweet tones. Well-crafted and timeless ‘Anymore’ is an enjoyable new single from Beirne.
Upcoming indie/pop singer-songwriter RUE has released her new single ‘Call on Me’. This shimmering pop tune displays the invigorating sound of RUE. The track is an absolute gem to listen to as RUE mixes subtle contrasting elements of electronic beats, swirling synths and dark undertones to create a dynamic wall of sound. RUE’s smooth vocals coo a sweet melody as the song bubbles and builds in the background. With clap-along rhythms, spacious electronics and irresistible pop hooks ‘Call on Me’ is a compelling tune from start to finish. Keep an eye on this exciting artist.
Hailing from Co. Kerry, 22-Year Old Singer/Songwriter Nially has released his new single ‘Something So Real’.From the age of 16 Nially has gigged extensively across Kerry, Cork and as far afield as Augsburg, Germany. His debut single, ‘I Want It All’ released in January 2021, amassed over 10,000 streams in it’s first 4 weeks and received support across a number of radio stations in Ireland such as Spin South West, Radio Kerry, Red FM, Dublin City FM and FM104 and also reaching listeners across Europe, the UK and the US.
Filled with heartfelt songwriting and cinematic soundscapes, ‘Something So Real’ is a compelling tune from Nially. Nially pours his heart and soul into this emotional number and the result is an emotive tune that showcases the artist’s passionate vocals, poetic lyrics and immaculate production skills. Beginning with a soft piano-led arrangement the song builds into a sway-along power ballad that boasts steady beats, expressive guitars and soaring soundscapes. Nially has created one hair-rasing tune. ‘Something So Real’ is a sublime display of rich musicianship. Keep an eye on Nially.
Neil Dexter has released his new single,’I’ll Be Ready’, the final single from his forthcoming debut album due October 14th 2022. Along with the album announcement and single release, Dexter shares details for his debut headline show in Dublin’s Workman’s Cellar on October 20th. Tickets are available through Singular Artists.
‘I’ll Be Ready‘ is a rich and compelling tune from start to finish. The track is a fine display of musicianship as Dexter deftly blends contrasting elements together to create a mesmerising listening experience. Dark propulsive beats create a push-pull effect that draws the listener into the track’s immersive soundscapes while flashing synths, dynamic bass and indie rock guitar moments inject a gritty/edgy element to the track.
‘I’ll Be Ready’ is truly a magnificent piece of music. It’s lushly textured and meticulously layered to create a constantly evolving soundscape that is an exciting rush to the senses. A fine example of this is Dexter’s sweet vocals coupled with the track’s pop-speckled melody that subtly contrasts the fuzzing soundscapes and bubbling rhythms allowing the song to take on a dreamy almost psychedelic state before it progresses to its intoxicating crescendo – simply divine. ‘I’ll Be Ready’ is a wonderful example of Neil Dexter’s exquisite musicianship.
Dexter describes ‘I’ll Be Ready’ as a “Frankenstein composition comprised of three different ideas saved in one project file” that he’d been working on in his Dublin-based home studio. Expanding upon the demo with David A. Tapley (Tandem Felix) and recording engineer Stephen Dunne, Dexter notes that their guidance allowed him to approach the arrangement without artistic boundaries; layering textures and taking the song in different directions. Lyrically, ‘I’ll Be Ready’ confronts feelings of apprehension. Neil says, “I wrote the song when I was in my mid-to-late 20s, it’s about jumping into the next stage of your life and the fear of not knowing whether or not you’re ready to take those steps. In those moments, you try to reassure yourself by saying, ‘Ok, I’m ready. I’ll be able to do this,’ whilst simultaneously having a sense of uncertainty. I think at one point or another, everyone goes through this feeling of overcoming self-doubt.”
22-year-old Irish artist-songwriter, Bradley Marshall has just released his brand new single ‘Better Left Unsaid’. I caught up with the singer-songwriter to talk about the single, his upcoming headline show in The Workman’s Cellar and working with Danny O’Donoghue (The Script), Ryan Hennessy and Jimmy Rainsford (Picture This), Jimbo Barry and David Lucius King on the song.
“Yeah, it’s quite surreal to be honest, working with people that I’ve looked up to for the last few years and writing with them was a really great experience because you get to understand how they work and you learn a lot from it. So it was really cool.”
“It was kind of me bringing some ideas to them and then they had ideas for me and so we just mixed them together. But, I’m confident in my ideas and what I had. It was daunting at first, but when they said that they liked the ideas and stuff then it was really cool.”
“Luckily enough when I was in London with the guys, we were there for two days and we got three or four songs done which was really cool, which doesn’t really happen a lot but I’m happy that it did work out that way.”
“Sometimes I think when I go into a studio ‘will something come out of today?’ but if something doesn’t come out of studio session, then that’s okay. You just do it again and again and again and something will finally come.”
‘Better Left Unsaid’ is a wonderfully tender tune that discusses coming to terms with the fact that some relationships are just not meant to be. Marshall told me how the idea for the song formed and the personal concept of the song.
“In relationships sometimes things aren’t just meant to be and that’s okay, and sometimes things are just better left unsaid. That’s why it’s called Better Left Unsaid, yeah, that was the reason behind the song.”
“It was on my behalf an experience, but it was also an idea that the lads had as well. So when they actually had the idea I was like, that’s really cool because I’ve actually experienced something like this.”
Emotional cinematic tunes seem to be Marshall’s forte. ‘Better Left Unsaid’ follows the heart-gripping power ballad aesthetic of his first single ‘Make Believe’ – the song exudes lush soundscapes and an elegant soaring piano melody before the anthemic chorus kicks in.
“Personally, I don’t love too much crazy production because I think the piano and vocals are really most important to me. You can add some drums and some strings just to make it really heartfelt and emotional that’s really all that I need in a song. So when I’m writing, I imagine the production and I say to the lads what I would like in it. Jimmy Rainsford produces most of the stuff that I do right now, and he’s just incredible. So, I let him just do what he does and I’m always happy with it.”
Marshall released a stripped-back performance of the song which was captured on video by Jimmy Rainsford during a recent London trip and recorded in Hoxa Studios. Stripped-back versions of Marshall’s songs are so impactful. Marshall told me he feels at his best performing live.
“Yeah, I’ve done a few gigs, the last couple of months and it’s just been my pianists, Jake Richardson and me and I feel that’s where I thrive”
The track is awash with relatable content and eloquent lyrics. Lines such as “few more years of being broken trying to right my wrongs and when I find a brand new person I’ll still write you breakup songs” are honest and impactful. We discussed how daunting it is for artists to pour their heart and feelings into lyrics for other people to hear and interpret.
“Yeah it really is because you’re putting all your personal experiences that you haven’t really talked about to anybody into a song, and everybody listens. So everybody knows what you’ve gone through and stuff like that. So it’s a little bit daunting, but that’s the reason why I do it because I know that through my experiences other people will also have experiences like that, and that’s why I write music. I want people to relate to it”
“It’s absolutely therapeutic for me. Definitely. I’m not the best at talking about things. So writing was always my way of just getting things down. It’s literally like talking to somebody when you’re writing a song because you’re putting it out there even though it’s not out yet. When you’re writing on paper it’s still like you’re putting it out to somebody. So yeah, it’s definitely therapeutic for me.”
The last time we spoke Marshall told me he was building up his tunes and I wondered if we can look forward to an EP soon.
“Yeah definitely. I do have a next single lined up. I will probably do singles until the end of the year, maybe two or three more and then next year, we’ll think about something like that [an EP]. Last time we talked, I didn’t have many, but now I have a lot of songs lined up so they’re all ready to go out and it’s just about patience and time. “
Bradley Marshall is a talented artist who is growing and developing his sound wonderfully. He is an artist to keep an eye on and his velvety voice is sure to charm all who hear it. Luckily for fans, Marshall has some live shows coming up.
“I actually just announced my debut headline show in Workman’s Cellar on December 16th. So really happy about that and then I’m also playing a festival next month Kildareso yeah, just a few things lined up”
Ria Rua has released her new EP ‘chaos/control’ on the German indie label MPM. Ria Rua is a modern Irish female hyper pop singer, songwriter and producer.
‘chaos/control’ is a fantastic display of Ria Rua’s irresistible electronic pop. Showcasing slick production, attitude-saturated lyrics and intoxicating soundscapes the EP is a knockout that is a joy to listen to again and again. ‘Boss’ and ‘Breathe’ ooze attitude through dense soundscapes with the electronic beats venturing at times into EDM territory. However, it’s ‘I Don’t Care’ that is the holy grail of the EP.
The lyrics create a dark tone over a building cinematic backdrop, as Ria whispers ” I can feel your hands around my neck. Squeezing tightly. I hate it”. Sultry and at times sinister the song is an evocative number that is simply goosebump-inducing and a fine example of Ria Rua’s mesmerising musicianship.
Ria’s sound is truly thrilling. Within her music the tight brisk rhythms are executed with such skilful precision it is awe-inspiring. Ria Rua is a force to be reckoned with and ‘chaos/control’ is an exciting keyhole glimpse into this artist’s talents.
Dublin-based and Australian-born Singer/Songwriter, Conor Hamilton-Long, is back from a long phase of writing and recording for his EP with his new single ‘In My Feelings’. Conor has spent the last year collaborating with producer and close friend Paul Jarvis .
‘In My Feelings’ is an R&B-infused tune that showcases Conor Hamilton-Long’s refined musicianship and honest songwriting. With velvety vocals and mellow guitar oozing warm tones atop a soft bed of punctuated beats, the song exudes a chilled and effortless charm throughout. Within the track, Hamilton-Long discusses the warmth a love interest or significant other can provide when feeling emotionally vulnerable. Through the lyrics he highlights how having someone around when your mental health is low can uplift that struggle and make you feel more present in the moment, forgetting about your worries and looking less inside yourself. ‘In My Feelings’ is an utterly irresistible earworm from Conor Hamilton-Long.
About the track Hamilton-Long said: “I hope people find some solace in the song, similar to how I felt when writing it. Whilst you can feel detached and separated when going through a mental struggle, you’re never alone.”
Florence-based songwriter Peter Dulborough has released his new EP ‘The Fixer’.Written as a reflection of the lessons learnt during the journey of life, ‘The Fixer’ is an introspective look inside each of us as we look to mend our broken world. The EP was recorded in live sessions at Blue Moon Recording Studios with Samuele Cangi (Guitars) and Tommaso Giuliani (Drums) and features beautiful guest vocals from Marie Delfino.
Filled with beautifully expressive rhythms, ‘The Fixer’ is a warm piano-driven EP that boasts Peter Dulborough’s unique brew of classic/contemporary musicianship. Each song surges with heartfelt melodies and elements of jazz that glimmer through the piano on tracks like ‘Heading for the Shore’ while sweet ballads ‘Shooting Star’ and ‘As the Sun sets now’ ooze classic undertones throughout between indie bops ‘The Fixer’ and ‘Pressure Cooker’. The EP is a musical delight and a compelling listen.
About the EP Dulborough explains: “‘The Fixer’ is an archetypal character inside us who tries to change themselves and put the happiness of others above their own – at a price. Their obsession keeps them enslaved to pleasing others,”
Pa Sheehy has released his new single ‘Surrender’ feat. Sinead White. Pa Sheehy paved the way for his debut solo EP ‘The Art of Disappearing’ with the radio hit ‘Róisín’, which received widespread acclaim, and on release, the EP shot to Independent Number 1 in the Irish album charts. To celebrate the release he also took to the road for a sold-out nationwide Irish Tour. Sheehy’s upcoming live dates include Indiependence Festival, Cork on the 29 July as well as a host of European Tour dates.
Featuringcinematic soundscapes and sweet harmonies from Sinead White, ‘Surrender’ is a compelling new tune from Pa Sheehy. Sheehy has a knack for narrating relatable stories through vivid songwriting and emotive musicianship and ‘Surrender’ is a sublime example of this. His warm vocals croon evocative lyrics that ignite the senses and engage the listener’s imagination “now I wait for you with the coffee getting cold” while warm guitars twinkle behind the bittersweet melody before string elements and a gentle piano elevate the track to its hair-raising chorus. ‘Surrender’ is an absolute musical delight from Pa Sheehy. The track is a joy to listen to and beckons repeat plays.
Speaking about the single Pa Sheehy said: ‘This song swivels through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Contrasting imagery that creates a longing for what was and a sadness for what is. It was written in the middle of nowhere with a few friends this time last year. Some songs are hard to write and some songs just fall on your lap. This song was written so easily. I hope people can connect with it the same way I do.’
You can catch Pa Sheehy Live at Indiependence Festival, Cork on the 29 July as well as a host of European Tour dates.
Emma Hynes has released her new single, ‘The Space Between’.The song is the third and final release in a trilogy of songs written by Emma and recorded at JAM Studios in Kells, Co. Meath. The track was produced by Martin Quinn who also performs on it together with Emma, and Andrew Quin To celebrate the release of all three singles, Emma will host an intimate night in Vintage Room at The Workmans Club on Thursday 28 July at 8.30pm. She will be joined across the evening by three very special guests; Dublin-based psychedelic dream pop artist Keeley; Ray Gilligan, lead singer and songwriter from Dublin power-pop band StereoType; and, Brew, frontman and songwriter from garage rock stalwarts Blue Sun. Tickets are €6 and available on Eventbrite
‘The Space Between’ is an enticing tune that displays the expressive songwriting of Emma Hynes. With warm country tones and indie embellishments wrapped around a smooth melody and gripping storytelling, Hynes creates an intriguing tune that keeps you on the edge of your seat, hanging onto every suspenseful note. Through eloquent lyrics, she narrates a story of frustration and desire “his passion is a battle cry but I can’t win” while the backdrop subtly builds to create an immersive and thrilling listening experience. ‘The Space Between’ highlights Hynes’ profound and thrilling songwriting through poignant musicianship. The track is a fine addition to her catalogue of magnificent tunes.
Stream ‘The Space Between’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
