Pauric O’Meara has released his latest single ‘Techno or RnB’. Pauric has had a standout year so far, with the ‘Looking forward to Hindsight’, EP gathering 50k streams and being received well with both radio and press.
Another richly melodic tune ‘Techno or RnB’ fleshes out the passionate and charming songwriting of Pauric O’Meara. With a sweet pop melody spread upon a bubbling indie backdrop this catchy number is a fun, infectious ditty reminiscing on the days of love, laughter and the connecting element of Festivals. A sweet radiant guitar glimmers between a steady beat as O’Meara’s emotive vocals coo with a lilt over the hazy melody. ‘Techno or RnB’ displays the emotive and radiant musicianship of Pauric O’Meara as he blends genres to create an engaging and irresistible earworm to listen to.
About the track O’Meara said ”I guess the message of this song is most definitely central to my love for festivals and how when I’m there, I’m not fussy as I’m just consumed by the atmosphere and the buzz from everybody. I also want to get the message across that when things go wrong, just focus on the good around you. In other words, when you get rejected at a festival by the love of your life, just pick yourself up and keep dancing!”
‘Hey Young Soul’ is the latest single to come from Australian singer songwriter Paul Moleta. Growing up in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne, Paul began writing songs at an early age. Blending alternative pop rock melodies with thoughtful and introspective lyrics, Paul Moleta has used his music as a driving force to follow his dreams. Paul relocated to Ireland in 2017. He fulfilled his dream of recording in Windmill Studios where he recorded his recent single ‘Hypnotised’ which has amassed nearly 20,000 streams on Spotify. Whilst living in Ireland he played major Irish festivals such as Electric Picnic, before moving back to Australia to continue pursuing music.
‘Hey Young Soul’ is an upbeat vibrant indie pop track brimming with energetic vibes and passionate songwriting. Inspired by his time spent in a rehabilitation center following lower spinal surgeries, ‘Hey Young Soul’ is laced in positive energy and rich instrumentation. With buoyant beats, jangly warm guitars and that summer-feeling atmosphere it’s a golden ray of sunshine in a song. Moleta’s warm vocals glide over the peppy melody while the sing along catchy chorus and clapping refrain make ‘Hey Young Soul’ quite the cheery anthem ready to brighten your day.
Talking about the song, Paul Moleta explains : “I wrote the song to remind myself and other Rehabilitators and families that love, persistence and a positive mindset will help us conquer the challenges each day presents us with. With its upbeat and summery sound, ‘Hey Young Soul’ marches us towards a stranger and happier mindset, a sentiment that has become increasingly important in our daily lives.”
Miles Graham has just released the video for hisbrand new single ‘Give It Up Now’, which has recently been selected for the latest national Bank of Ireland television and radio ads, in addition to him announcing a live London show which will see him play The Grace, London on the 19 November 2020. His EP ‘All The Right Things’ is out now across all digital platforms.
Miles Graham’s latest track ‘Don’t Change’ resulted in him performing the single live on BBC Radio 5 and a stunning version of Dido’s Thank You, and picking up further airplay from BBC Introducing. It accelerated a fresh stage in the Irish singer-songwriter’s career, having previously scored international dance hits alongside Don Diablo and L’Tric, as well as being playlisted on BBC Radio 2 for his breakthrough moment ‘I Can’t Love You Again’.
Fans who admired ‘Don’t Change’ now have more of his creative world to explore as he shares his new EP ‘All The Right Things’, which features the new track ‘Give It Up Now’- a bittersweet piano ballad laced with lush string arrangements and sky reaching vocal harmonies.
About the video Miles said : “The concept for this music video challenges the conscious & unconscious assumptions of the viewer, highlighting equality & the Black lives matter movement. It follows the journey of a man venturing on a jog and the people he encounters along the way. It’s the viewers choice to make their own mind up who is behind the hoodie. It could be anyone.. ‘It could be better for all ya know’.. ‘Give it up now’ . To make things better we sometimes need to challenge our own views and assumptions. There is purposely an air of hope for the future.. Let’s make it reality!”
Mechner has released his new single ‘Working Yourself to Death’. This is part four of his upcoming mini-LP “Club Idem”. Mechner is a new Cork based Artist, completely self-funded and self-produced, Mechner had great success with debut single “Surfacing”, notable for its music video which garnered over 25k views and was included in Indie Cork’s Film Festival to great crowd reaction. The music video of Working yourself to Death is especially notable for it’s lead “Lorcan O’Neill” playing the mysterious owner of “Club Idem” the fictional club which has featured across Mechner’s 2020 releases, as a continuing storyline emerges. O’Neill’s performance is not to be missed, shades of “Heath Ledger’s Joker and Tom Hardy’s Bronson” can be seen in his carefully controlled but explosive acting, he commands the cameras lens, with his background in dance providing his movement with meanacing intent.
‘Working Yourself to Death’ is a dark number as Mechner uses synths and precise soundscapes to create another chilling track. The flashing electronics drive the song while the cinematic production and haunting vocals create an icy atmosphere.The pulsing beat and mysterious melody exude an eerie melancholic tone as the song builds to its hair-raising crescendo. ‘Working Yourself to Death’ is a brooding catchy number which boasts the finesse and masterful musicianship of Mechner. He has a sublime ability to create intoxicating pieces of music which express his lyrical themes and ‘Working Yourself to Death’ is another prime example of this.
About the track Mechner said : “It is decidedly different than the previous singles released this year, acting as a rallying cry for the youth whom are working themselves to death with little hope for a secure future, a generation who can’t save, who will never own a home, because of a poorly regulated system that favours the landlords pockets…”
Watch the video for ‘Working Yourself to Death’ below
Cork-based three-piece The Lost Gecko have released an animated music video for their recent single, “On Sundays.” The song tells the story of two people caught in the waves of life, their lives colliding in uncertain times, with no idea how long it will last.The video was animated by Mark Corrigan, an award winning animator.The Lost Gecko is the brainchild of Malcolm and the tune was inspired by a boat trip that Malcolm took to Sherkin Island in West Cork.The band have released seven EPs, one album, and in the past few months five singles, all accompanying music videos, building up to their next album. Their music has been featured on RTE’s late date with Fiachna O Brainon and Cork’s 96fm Arts House with Pearse McCarthy. They’ve also played festivals in Amsterdam and toured in Finland, have gigged extensively around Ireland, including several festivals and sold-out shows in Cork.
‘On Sundays’ is a soothing acoustic track which showcases The Lost Gecko’s earnest songwriting and expressive musicianship. With warm cello lamenting through a steady beat the band surge rich melodic tones and cosy vibes into the track. The melancholic melody is softly caressed by Malcolm’s heartbreaking emotive vocals. His soothing rasp coos over the building backdrop and harmony on backing vocals while an acoustic guitar steadily keeps pace with the drums. ‘On Sundays’ is a tender and moving number showcasing The Lost Gecko’s masterful skill to tell a story through music.
The video displays the song’s tragic love story, and viewers are left with an open-ended resolution. The ethereal, dream-like animation compliments the acoustic, storytelling elements of the song. The handcrafted video reveals its narrative in small vignettes, where information is revealed and then quickly obscured.
Frontman Malcolm Urquhart says, “It’s about love, loss, mental health and the fallout.”
Dublin four-piece The Riptide Movement are back with their eagerly anticipated new single ‘Fall a Little More in Love’ which was co-produced in Attica Studios with Tommy McLoughlin (Villagers, SOAK).Hailing from Lucan, The Riptide Movement’s music has taken them all over the world from Main Stage at Electric Picnic to Glastonbury and Benicàssim. Their extensive recent ‘Something Special’ tour included a blistering headline performance at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre. From busking on their native Grafton street to playing with the BBC Orchestra, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones, music has taken the band from Lucan to India, America, Russia, Australia and everywhere in between.With six critically-acclaimed studio records to their name – most notably The RTÉ Choice Music Prize nominated, Gold selling, Number 1 Album “Getting Through” – The Riptide Movement are renowned for their energetic live shows and soaring, guitar driven anthems, like “All Works Out”, “You & I” “Elephant in the Room” “Changeling” and “Something Special”. They also released an environmentally conscious web series called “Plastic Oceans” in 2018.
‘Fall a Little More in Love’ is honey to the ears as The Riptide Movement drizzle heart skipping indie-pop over a dreamy infectious melody. Jaunty guitar refrains add a buoyant lift to the track while the snappy beat and synth swirls create an intoxicating soundscape to perfectly accompany the beautiful melody. There is nothing sweeter than a heartfelt ditty and The Riptide Movement know exactly how to write one that is destined for repeat plays.They don’t over do it, adding just enough of each element to create a well blended mix of musical delight. The production on this track is superb as the synths effortlessly slip in between the full band sound to create the perfect harmony while Mal Tuohy’s warm vocals melt upon the catchy melody. With elements of country rock, indie, electronic and pop The Riptide Movement make a triumphant return with ‘Fall a Little More in Love’.
Released to raise awareness and save children from child trafficking, ‘Pyramids of El Salvador’ is the latest single to come from Indie Dance group Pink Star Universe. As part of this mission Pink Star Universe has been developing new quantum light and sound technologies to encourage better ways of living. Their music is entangled with quantum frequencies designed to help all people heal from the traumas of systemic oppression, discrimination, and thought slavery.
‘Pyramids of El Salvador’ is a catchy electronic number as Pink Star Universe use a labyrinth of beats, soundscapes and techno elements to create an engaging dance number. With shimmering synths flickering between sticky rapid beats and catchy vocal hooks it’s quite the dazzling track. The smooth vocals soothe while the backing harmonies lull in the backdrop adding an upbeat and positive vibe to the songs atmosphere. Driven by hypnotic beats and flashing electronics ‘Pyramids of El Salvador’ is a unique, emotive and uplifting track from Pink Star Universe.
West-London based band Slender Pins have released their new single ‘Apprentice To Life’.This infectious stomping tune blazes in, swagged up and ready to rock. With 70’s punk pounding through a retro rock soundscape, the band present quite the fire cracker. Slinky guitars weave through a shimmy rhythm while the elastic bass line greases the tracks backbone in body moving grooves. The saunter on guitars meander between the heavier moments with elegance and skill while the charismatic vocals wail and flood the track in rebellious character. Experimenting with multi-genres is nothing new to Slender Pins and this carefree track is a fine display of their musical prowess. ‘Apprentice To Life’ is another fantastic and exhilarating track from Slender Pins.
Australian singer-songwriter Shira has released her latest single ‘Class Clown’. Following in the footsteps of some of her favourite artists, Shira channels her personal experiences and emotions into her music.Her songs deal with mental illness and the effects it can have on your day to day living. Her stage name Shira was inspired by a Studio Ghibli character and incorporates her Ukranian heritage. ‘Class Clown’ will be her second release, with her first single having been released earlier this year. Using honest and frank songwriting to express her experiences coping with anxiety and depression
Shira has created anemotive and powerful single in ‘Class Clown’. There is an elegance and innocence to the song as Shira’s beautifully expressive vocals caress a melancholic pop melody while wispy soundscapes surround the piano-driven accompaniment. The track is meticulously layered to give the feeling of subtle bursts of hope between the sombre heartbreaking moments. Lyrically, ‘Class Clown’ offers a peek behind the mask to see the true Shira that is underneath while the clean production and darker tonalities add icy elements to this raw and moving track.
Fluttertone and dootdoot Records have come together to create an online live music venue, called Virtual using the Zoom platform to host a series of intimate evenings of exclusively live and interactive performances and this week’s Virtual saw Tony Villiers take to the platform for an exclusive performance.
Together with his band ‘The Villains’, Tony Villiers has released three studio albums, receiving ‘Honourable Mentions’ in The International Song Writing Competition, judged by Tom Waits, Robert Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis and Black Francis amongst others as well as a ‘Daily Discovery’ feature by American Songwriter Magazine. On the road with ‘The Villains’ he has played many festivals in Ireland including Kilkenny Roots, Electric Picnic and Stendhal as well as radio plays by Ricky Ross on BBC Radio Scotland, Fiachna Ó Braonáin on RTE Radio and BBC Radio Ulster with Ralph McLean. With an artist like Villier this week’s Virtual was sure to be one heck of a show.
Villiers’ soothing vocals delight the swaying viewers as his warm croons drift through enigmatic tracks like ‘Mexico’. He dedicates songs to friends as he banters about The “Old” American Bar in Belfast, reminiscing on a time someone bravely danced barefoot there as well as discussing the memories he has of jamming with his band.
Accompanied by his trusty old Spanish guitar ( which was made in 1983 and Villiers claims is “temperamental, doesn’t like the Irish weather” ) teamed with his busted harmonica the show is relaxed and effortlessly fun. Villiers is a passionate and professional performer. His buoyant blues-hued folk songs will charm your foot to tap along or entice you to get up and sway around the room. He bewitches with his smooth melodies, witty lyrics and majestic musical display. Once Villiers begins to play, a cloak of good times nostalgia hides and covers everything hectic that could have happened that day and leaves you in a state of elated jubilation.
With blues elements coupled with indie folk undertones and country twangs along with glorious blasts on harmonica he provides a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere. There is something enthralling about his performance style; maybe it’s the uplifting cruising tunes or the laid back soundscapes of his acoustic set up but Villiers set was a special moment for sure.
He occasionally sips red wine as he greets and gives shout-outs to the viewers while playing recently written tracks such as ‘The End of The World Blues’ and old favourites ‘Rock Salt’ as well as a smashing rendition of Bob Dylans ‘Dream’.
Villiers has a knack for presenting relatable themes through his charming songwriting however it’s his likable character and effortless persona which ignites his tracks and makes them so enjoyable. The new music he is jamming and working on at the moment is an exciting glimpse of what is next from Tony Villiers.
An intimate Q&A follows the performance with Villiers talking about his biggest obstacles, his new album and how he got through lockdown as well as some wonderful anecdotes about his life. This is an invaluable aspect of Virtual, for fans to get to talk to the artist and have a personal chat in a relaxed environment. Virtual is proving to be an excellent opportunity for both fans and artists alike.
