Author: Breffni Banks

The name Farah Elle is never far from anyone’s lips when discussing the most promising musical talent in Ireland. Despite the singer-songwriter and pianist’s stellar reputation as a composer and performer, to date she has only one track available to listen to on DSPs: a sublime cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ that has earned almost 20,000 streams.

It’s with long-awaited joy, then, that we welcome the release of Farah Elle ’s new single, ‘Play It By Ear ’, which is be released independently today, Wednesday 20th April 2022 .

At 3-and-a-half minutes long, ‘Play It By Ear’ opens with twinkling keys before the Libyan-Irish musician’s distinctive vocal draws the listener into her world of intrigue. Opening the second verse she sings, “Empty but open are my eyes because I tried to lie but I can’t deny this feeling” before the song reaches a joyous, no holds barred crescendo in true Farah Elle style.

Farah says: “​​‘Play it by Ear’ is a song about how we can only ever really take life as it comes. Even when striving to achieve and believe in our long-term goals, we still, in a practical sense, can only take things day-by-day. Some things just need to be played by ear, whether we like it or not.

“The middle eight in this song is simply about my ‘why’ for making music: “I do this to remove it from my bones”. “It” represents the pain that comes with the gift of being alive. In polarity to that pain, is the beauty that motivates us to keep going. Music is one of the most moving aspects of my human experience and helps me see the beauty in the bigger picture.”

Farah Elle’s powerful cadence is a commanding force amongst instantly captivating cinematic soundscapes. Through songwriting, the North African-Irish artist explores her heritage and upbringing and how it manifests as she experiences life.

On her debut album FATIMA , due for release this autumn, themes of displacement in the period post-Libyan Revolution coexist with songs navigating the challenges of adulthood. Farah describes this introduction as a “coming of age record”, one across which she hears herself “unfolding in the songs”. Farah Elle has melded her combined North African and Irish heritage to create a sound that is thoroughly contemporary and completely her own.

To date, Farah has played numerous prestigious venues and festivals including Vicar Street, The Sugar Club, Electric Picnic, and All Together Now. In November 2021, Farah collaborated with renowned Irish folk musician Liam Ó Maonlaí for a performance commissioned specially for the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. As well as working as an artist, Farah dedicates time to humanitarian aid work and working with young people from ethnic minorities on creative expression through music. She also gives music and wellness workshops to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Connect with Farah Elle 

www.farahelle.com

Photo: Abe Neihum

Up and coming indie artist smythy (Andrew Smyth) is set to soundtrack the Summer as he teases new music for 2022.

Following the success of his debut single ‘When It Happens’ in 2020, the Galway based artist has worked tirelessly in the studio, curating a selection of up-beat indie tunes which he’s set to release over the coming months.

The debut track of the highly anticipated EP, ‘turn back the time’, is set to release on the 22nd of April, with 2 more songs pending release throughout the summer.

‘turn back the time’ was recorded on site in Galway alongside acclaimed producer and fellow musician Rory Ryan;

“Rory was extremely helpful in allowing the track to blossom and become what it was meant to be. He had great vision for the final product and was fantastic to work with.”

With accompanying drums from Shane O’ Connell and swelling strings from guitarist Seanie Bermingham, ‘turn back the time’ offers a distinct melancholic nostalgia for days gone by, perfectly setting the tone for Ireland’s first summer free from lockdown’s.

The debut single of the impending EP tells the story of two former lovers desperate to fight the clock and return to a time that once was theirs. Filled with a sickening sentimentality and waning wistfulness, smythy perfectly captures the feeling of wanting what you can’t have.

Jangly guitar riffs, energetic drum beats and sweeping synths flow throughout the track, which alongside symthy’s reminiscent lyrics and buttery vocals, create the perfect backing track for your doomed summer romance.

With clear influences from the likes of The Cure, Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender and Irish Indie stronghold SOAK, there’s no denying that ‘Turn Back The Time’ will earn its place in your summer session playlist.

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Born and raised in the North Inner City of Dublin, Moran announces the first single taken from his upcoming EP (Life Inner City) in which pays homage to the imperfections & struggles of his hometown, but still displays the beauty of the imperfections of the characters, himself and community throughout.

At 13 Years of age, he was tutored by some fascinating names in the Irish industry including Colm Quearney & Christy Moore. The project compliments the songwriters ability to write and arrange songs in different styles and shows he doesn’t limit his style into one particular genre, he transcends any genre of music and lends us the confidence that He is simply just himself.

During the period in which the world came to a halt, Moran took a year to write, record, film and document the process of his community driven ‘Life Inner City’ (EP), his first release from the EP, ‘Too Hard on Myself’ narrates the environment in which most experience at least once in their lives, Been too hard on themselves! He recalls on when he first wrote the record “It was during the last two years, with everything that happened, I was fed up, people in my area and around me seemed to feel the same, We got a bit “in” on ourselves and forgot our worth when reality paused for a while, writer’s block was creeping in until I came up with a line of lyrics, “if these tears could build a perfect world then I’d cry”, I didn’t want to write another sad-ish song but managed to fit a tiny bit of everything into it, faster hooks, faster flow’, and kept that real raw emotion too! I had loads of Demo tracks written for Life Inner City that didn’t make the project, but never second guessed “Too Hard on Myself”, Once I began writing it, I was thinking, you know what?, Maybe I am too hard on myself, and I found my worth again, The rest of the EP came much easier to me after that”

Ciarán Moran & Family are no strangers to the Irish music scene. As a young child he was one of hundreds to stand in the crowds of venues and streets throughout Ireland watching his older brother Keith perform and lead Irish Teenage Busking sensations No Angels D.C to success and glory throughout the country.

Since his steady entrance into the Irish scene in 2017, acts which Moran has gained attention from, and had the opportunity to tour and perform with Damien Dempsey , Aslan, Jamie Webster , and many more, on iconic stages such as The Olympia Theatre, Vicar Street, The Academy! Through these experiences, he built a loyal fan-base throughout Ireland and beyond, and consistently re-assures his audience and following that they are as included on this journey as himself.

March 2020, Ciarán Moran’s Last Official Release was when he received approval from the Irish Media, Stuart Clarke of Hot Press quoted “Falling Down trended for 72 Hours on Hot Press! The track is attracting rapidly increasing amounts of airplay, We’re definitely going to be hearing a lot more of Ciaran Moran”

‘Too Hard on Myself’ was recorded in Ireland’s Jealoustown Studios with multi-talented Irish musician & producer Stuart Gray (Christy Dignam, Aslan, Royseven, Gavin James, & many more) and mastered by Billy Farrell.

Moran has just announced his first headline show since his sold out debut headline back in 2019, at Whelan’s in Dublin on Friday April 29th 2022, and tickets can be purchased at whelanslive.com.

The first track from Life Inner City, ‘Too Hard on Myself’ will be released on all major streaming platforms on 22nd April 2022.

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Mullingar Power rock-pop four piece, The Blizzards are delighted to announce their fourth studio album ‘Sometimes We See More In The Dark’ out May 13^th

The band used their time in lockdown to explore their music and work on really defining their sound. Honing their melodic, dynamic hooks and crafting their pop guitar-driven song-writing. A true reflection of their musical identity in 2022.

The new album features the singles ‘Friction Burns’, Trigger Me’ and ‘Play God’ and showcases their strongest sound and writing since the bands formation. The previously three released singles are accompanied by equally stunning videos, the bands ethos to work with local Mullingar creative outlets and locations shines through their videos and production.

The initial plan was to release an EP of music, but the bands creativity levels were at an all-time high. A wealth of material developed from time spent in the studio by returning to their roots of just plugging in and playing.

The album making process represented many things for the members of the band but a common thread for all was creative freedom with no restraints..

Frontman Bressie says ‘it was about going back to the rawness of being in a garage band. The idea of making your instruments work for the song rather than the song work for the instrument. Lyrically it felt like the album wrote itself… Like they were there already. That’s always a special feeling because you know it’s coming from an authentic place’

Bassist, Louize Carroll first time making a full length album and being part of the process from start to finish ‘It’s the first time I’ve been part of an album from start to finish as a bass player and..in many ways I feel more belonging and meaning together as a band with this new body of work. I’m so proud of what the band has achieved.’

Lead Guitarist Justin appreciated having a creative outlet during the global pandemic ‘For me it was being given an opportunity to write and record music during the pandemic. It gave us a chance not only to rediscover ourselves musically but also hone our dynamic as a four piece band and I’m looking forward to performing these songs live and likewise for drummer Dec, having a creative outlet during life’s chaos and creating music that represents the bands best material ‘To be in a position at this stage in our lives, where life is hectic and sometimes overwhelming, to be able to find time to create a special batch of songs has been very rewarding. Working creatively where the priority in the feel and vibe of each song has been dictated by us and not the industry feels very empowering after 15 years mostly spent trying to please people’

Niall Breslin aka (Bressie) (Guitar / Lead Vocals), Louize Carroll (Bass), Justin Ryan (Lead Guitar) and Dec Murphy (Drums) are stronger, more passionate and energised than ever and are ready to share it with the world. The previously released tracks are just an introduction to the album, recorded in Camden Recording Studios. The Album was produced and mixed by Aidan Cunningham and Bressie and engineered by Eloise Molle.

‘Sometimes We See More In The Dark’ out Friday May 13^th across all digital platforms and to celebrate the release they will be playing an album launch party in The Academy Dublin on May 14^th, tickets are on sale now and will be an explosive live show not to be missed.

SOMETIMES WE SEE MORE IN THE DARK TRACKLISTING

1. War Time General
2. Friction Burns
3. Sometimes We See More In The Dark
4. Trigger Me
5. Play God
6. Currency Of My Soul
7. Magic In Misery
8. Something Grips You, Something Holds You
9. Great Party
10. Closing Time

PORTS release new single ‘Swimming Pool’ on 21st April. They show here their great sense of melody, strong lyrical ability and song writing craftsmanship, whilst maintaining their haunting signature sound.

‘Swimming Pool’ was written whilst recording their new album. “We were just messing about between takes and it started to take form” explains Steven McCool. “The music and melody fell together within minutes, so we decided to record it”. “We were using a new lyric writing technique, where we would imagine a scene. So I said I can see someone diving into a swimming pool at night in slow motion” says Steven. “The song ultimately became a metaphor for our emotions, if you fight them they become harder to manoeuvre. So, like swimming you just go with it and it gets easier the more relaxed you are”. PORTS had just started writing together after a brief hiatus when they returned from touring US, Canada and Australia and then Covid hit, which stalled things a bit further. “It’s funny how things work out. We wrote a lot of new tracks during lockdown that have now replaced many on the album. We really worked hard on our sound and where we want it to go”, explains Steven.

PORTS toured extensively after the release of their album ‘The Devil is a Songbird’ garnering support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio Foyle and RTE with performances on Cerys Matthews show (Radio 6) and Other Voices (RTE). This earned them a strong following. They have 3 million +  Spotify plays, and 45k monthly listeners.

“During our short hiatus, we didn’t know what we wanted from the band. We had some discussions on what direction to go and what sound we should create, but it became frustrating, trying to find a sound. When we decided to start writing again we decided we’d stop overthinking and just write. We found out pretty quickly we loved writing together. We messed around with soundscapes, lyrical concepts and many different genres and only went with what felt natural”

The new album has a mix of folk rock, Cajun feel with an electronic lo-fi shoegaze soundscape. Mixing folk with heavy synths. Taking influence from contemporary artists such as Phosphorescent, Big Thief, Andy Shauf, Aldous Harding and Stars of the lid. PORTS built a strong repertoire over the years, with 8 tracks off their first album being used for Television, on MTV, BBC, RTE, on shows such as Teen Wolf, Bloodlands, Awkward, Wild Ireland and Love in a day. One of their tracks was also used on the Discover NI advert.

This is testament to the power of PORTS songwriting ability.

PORTS have big plans to release lots of music this year, with the release of their sophomore album ‘Wild Awake’ to be announced in the coming weeks. They return with a deeper mature sound, lyrically strengthened and re-establishing themselves as one of the more interesting, exciting acts in the country.

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Two weeks before the global pandemic hit in March 2020, Mick Flannery invited Susan O’Neill to perform their freshly released duet ‘Baby Talk’ with him in front of a sold-out audience at Cork Opera House. This new arrangement by fellow Cork musician Cormac McCarthy was performed accompanied by the Cork Opera House Orchestra.  At this stage not only did everyone in the building have no clue it would be one of their last concerts for nearly two years, but also Mick and Susan’s highly acclaimed 2021 album ‘In The Game’ of which ‘Baby Talk’ was the forerunner, was yet to be written.

Two years on, this enthralling rendition of ‘Baby Talk’ is released, as a special preview of more orchestral recordings to come a little further down the line. Alongside the new release is the official video for the album recording of ‘Baby Talk’, filmed on location during their long awaited show at Vicar Street last October, with additional footage from the Co. Clare coastline. The pair collaborated again with director Christopher Luke, who worked on all of the ‘In The Game’ album official videos from his studio in West Cork.

Christopher comments “Working on this series of videos has been such a treat. Both Mick & Susan are tremendous songwriters at the top of their game and this album is evidence of that. For them to have allowed me to be a part of its release is truly touching.”

Susan adds: “This duet song was the start of a cool adventure that led to the making of an album based on a similar concept. I’m really happy to share this version with the concert orchestra in the mix now. Some of the video was also taken on home turf in Co. Clare, thanks to Niamh Davies for the footage. Hope that ye enjoy”

Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill released their critically acclaimed debut collaboration duet album in September 2021. ‘In the Game’ hit the No.2 spot in the Official Irish Album Chart, after a closely fought battle for the top spot with Drake, the pair knocked Metallica out of the No.2 spot and charted ahead of Kanye West’s Donda and Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’. The record stayed in or close to the Top 20 for several weeks post release, and the pair have just received an award from IRMA for the biggest selling independent Irish record in Ireland of 2021.

Selling out a full European and Irish tour last autumn, the pair also supported the record on an extensive U.S tour, where Mick & Susan were personally invited by Phoebe Bridgers as her special guests when she played the Mann Centre in Philadelphia to 7000 people.  Describing her feelings for their new record, Phoebe simply said, ‘I love this F****** record’.  The sentiment is shared across the board with American Songwriter calling it ‘A sorrowful Masterpiece’, Clash Magazine calling it ‘Superb’ and The Sunday Times describing it as a ‘Seductive, beautiful crafted album’

‘In The Game’ was also nominated for the Choice Music Prize, and various RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards including: ‘Album of the Year’,  ‘Chain Reaction’ one of the lead singles won ‘Best Original Song’ (‘Baby Talk’ won this same award in 2020) and Susan was also nominated for ‘Best Female Folk Artist’ at the 2021 ceremony.

Mick will play his biggest Irish headline date this summer at Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, on July 7th, 2022. Support for this show will be Los Angeles-based street singer, guitarist, and roots music revolutionary, Sunny War. https://www.ticketmaster.ie/mick-flannery-iveagh-gardens-dublin-tickets/venueartist/198684/1424222

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Infinite Space is the debut album from Irish artist Síomha. A collection of 11 unique tracks in Irish and English, it is truly one of a kind. These heartfelt and enduring songs, paired with the deep complexity of their production and arrangements, make for an original yet instantly approachable sound – a kind of cosmic, folk- rooted, jazz-tinged, post-pop. Listeners are drawn in by the familiar while simultaneously catapulted into a space of ethereal newness and musical mastery.

The album was recorded in Ann Arbor, MI, and  produced by Grammy nominated Tyler Duncan (Carly Rae Jepsen/ Theo Katzman/ the olllam). It features an all-star lineup of musicians including bassist Joe Dart (Vulfpeck), drummer Louis Cato (Bobby McFerrin/ Snarky Puppy) and violinist Jeremy Kittel (Bela Fleck/ Chris Thile).

Síomha explains “The album is an exploration of our ability as humans to change, to break the habits and patterns imposed upon us from a young age by family and society through fully engaging with our true selves, exploring both the light and dark within and around us.”

Síomha’s love for music was passed on to her by her father, a traditional Irish musician. Growing up in the West of Ireland, her first introduction to the stage was at an Irish language primary school where music and song were revered. She picked up the guitar at age 10 and began to find her own voice through songwriting soon after.

Síomha is an artist full of heart. With the wisdom in her lyrics and the sheer power of her voice, she asks some of the most relevant and important questions of today and explores them with courage, transcendence and yet utter humanness. Her voice is imbued with raw,  profound experience. When listening to Síomha, audiences are instantly moved to feel on the deepest level and emerge from the experience more intimately connected to their own worlds.

Infinite Space is an emporium of passionate artistry, a tapestry woven by exceptionally skilled musicians. The musical landscape is painted by breathtaking strings, worlds of percussion, lush horns, rich choral arrangements and a rhythm section rooted in groove. The tracks induce a soulful journey for the listener, who is intrigued first by curious sounds, then swept away in symphonic genius. Beautiful,  reflective writing, in both Irish and English, inhabits this sonic universe, creating a truly culture-shaping work.
Infinite Space is a musical narrative to meaningful life. It is a declaration of the individual as part of a greater whole. To listen to this album is to be held in the embrace of a midnight sky, feeling the stars ignite within your heart and hearing the roots grow beneath your feet all at the same time. Infinite Space invites us to question and celebrate in equal parts the very blood and bones of being human.

The recording of the Three Dots Ep began in 2018, demoed at home and thrown into rotation with other songs so that a running order could be figured out for his critically acclaimed debut. ‘There were others in there already fitting the same purpose, or ones which might have changed the mood of ‘(…) And you chose not to laugh.’ Having decided not to include them, the songs still carried their own life and story and James knew he had to finish them and share them with the world.

The EP showcases James’ varied skills, having performed, recorded and mixed it himself, almost in its entirety. It features up and coming artist KEZ who helps James depict a severance of a relationship and how that affected his family. Push Up is a story of resilience and desire to turn a life around. Members of Glasshouse Orchestra, recorded by Grammy winning engineer Ben Rawlins, add to the sombering track. They were recorded in his home during the tracking of both James and brother Kevin’s (Kojaque) debuts. Finally, Again Again Again, highlights J’s finger picking style in this song about changing relationships; how things you once found endearing can suddenly seem grating and the doubt that ensues. Adding all these to the single Skipping Stones, which was released in March, the Three Dots EP captures what many felt over the last two years and gives fans a different side to James and his productions.

James plays Whelan’s Upstairs on the 22nd of April, bringing his music to life with an impressive band which include his brother Dan (Gypsies on the Autobahn), Donagh Seaver O’Leary (Sodablonde), Luke Howard (Glasshouse/Moondiver). Support is from friend Stevie Appleby.

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Photo Credit: Susannah Appleby