Author: Breffni Banks

Irish up and coming neo-trad band Strings & Things are set to release their first track off their highly anticipated “Re: Works” EP

“Too Much To Ask” Speaks of longing for the sunny days, the distaste and bitterness towards the dull skies and rain from the heavens. Written in 2016, this is a track from their first original album, “Turbulence”, that Strings & Things felt deserved to be updated to their ever growing & evolving unique sound.

This song has a dark, mysterious undertone which develops throughout and opens up into a grand chorus. The mood throughout the song is carried by the dynamics and key changes between the verses & the choruses, with vocalist James O’ Meara taking us on this journey, singing along the lines of a great Irish conversation starter, our never ending dispute on the weather.

Band sound engineer & Bassist Eoin Salmon says “It’s interesting to be able to take the experience that we gained from recording “The Unsolicited Dance” (2021) and use it to give these songs a fresh lift”.

This is the first of 3 tracks that Strings & Things will be releasing from their new release, so keep up to date with everything on their Facebook page or Stringsandthings.band

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With a mere 6 gigs under their belt to date, Lucan-based 5-piece dream pop outfit Cable Boy have quickly become one of Dublin’s most promising acts.

Having played slots at Ireland Music Week, Whelan’s Ones to Watch and support to the likes of Kean Kavanagh and Milk., Cable Boy never fail to impress. To the ear there are smatterings of Deerhunter, The Cure, DIIV, and Prince.

Cable Boy are due to return Sunday February 20th with ‘Useful Gift’ alongside the band’s biggest headline show to date in Dublin’s The Grand Social.

Tickets are available now from tickets.ie

About Useful Gift

The group’s first release since 2019, ‘Useful Gift’ was written by frontman Semi about being torn between two worlds, and not knowing what you’re supposed to be doing. The narrator wants to fully commit to creating music, however cannot due to external powers. To the ear, ‘Useful Gift’ displays likeness to bands such as Tame Impala, Inhaler, and DIIV. 

When asked about the track, Semi stated that the song ‘represents feeling like you’re lost for a cause, like you’re two separate people.’

Connect with Cable Boy via Instagram

Scattered Ashes announces their brand new single ‘This New Will’, due for release on Friday, 25th February. 

This follows The ‘Parallel Lines EP’, released on blood red vinyl,  selling out in its first week in Rough Trade stores throughout the UK. 2021 ended with sell out Dublin and London shows, alongside support with Sprints and THUMPER.

Scattered Ashes come straight out of the Dublin post punk underground that birthed Murder Capital and Fontaines DC. With their heady blend of Gothic influence and Brutalist imagery, the abrasive four piece rapidly developed a name for themselves with their debut single ‘Love Is Not An Option’ receiving immediate support and airplay from Steve Lamacq (BBC Radio 6) and KEXP over in the states.

2022 opened up with them listed as one of the Hot Press Hot for 2022 and the upgrading of their biggest Dublin headline show yet. The fourth consecutive single from the band sees them at their boldest ‘This New Will’ speaks of disintegration and rebirth, a call for action in the face of despair:

‘It looks so much better with my eyes closed…’

Constricted guitars and prophetic vocals set the stage amidst the relentless tribal pounding of percussion holding the track together. Released February 25th, the song marks another creative milestone for the band after the release of the genre-defying ‘Slow Motion.’ Frontman Robert Dalton remarks that “A lifetime of self-denial leads to a dramatic overhaul of character: a new hope, a new urge, a new will. This is our most poignant song yet.” The band are now set to embark on a series of Irish & UK shows in support of the single, including dates in Dublin, Galway, London, Manchester and Leeds.

This New Will was recorded at Darklands, in Dublin with Dan Doherty (Fontaines D.C.), mastered by Pete Maher (Echo and The Bunnymen). 

‘We take two steps again, just hold your breath ‘til I say when.’

SEE THEM LIVE: 

Thursday February 24th – The Roisin Dubh, Galway w/ Enola Gay

Friday March 4th – Whelan’s, Dublin w/ TV People

Saturday March 26th – Thomas House, Dublin

Manchester / Leeds / London TBA

Connect with Scattered Ashes: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify

The Irish pop artist on everyone’s watch list, Aimée is rocketing into 2022 with a high-octane new dance pop single that is sure to become an anthem and establish the 26-year-old Dubliner as a household name.

‘Nobody Else’ is an infectious dance track in the vein of Robyn with hints of Anne-Marie and it lands on Friday 25^th February, via Universal Music Ireland.

Pre-save here.

‘Nobody Else’ is a feelgood track that blends the 90s R’n’B vibe that will be familiar to people who know and love Aimée with a slick, modern Swedish pop twist that is sure to win her even more fans.

Working on the track with long-time producer Richey McCourt (Will Young, TINI) and Swedish writer Nick Jarl (Westlife, Loreen), the track really does symbolize the end of lockdown for Aimée, as, after beginning the writing process over video call, when restrictions eased, she flew to Stockholm to finish the song in person. Aimée explains:

“Finishing this song in snowy Stockholm was a dream come true. I got to write in person, in the room with incredible songwriters. I was lucky enough to spend some time with my songwriting hero Max Martin, at his home studio in Stockholm. It was a dream to play him the unfinished version of Nobody Else and some other unreleased material and chat all things songwriting with him. It was so inspirational, and I carried that excitement with me, as myself, Nick and Richey put the finishing touches to Nobody Else.”

Despite its infectious dance hook, ‘Nobody Else’ is, at its core, a love song that is very personal to Aimée. She says:

“I am lucky to be in a relationship with someone who is my best friend and my safe place all in one. This is actually the first song I’ve ever written about my boyfriend and it’s really joyful, so it’s a nice juxtaposition with some of my other songs that deal with heartbreak and more serious subjects! In the song I am describing the journey of my relationship and how it blossomed into more than just a friendship. It’s really close to my heart.”

Having rescheduled live shows like so many others, Aimée is delighted to have a string of Irish dates locked in for February 2022 in Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork. Tickets here.

Aimée’s arrival on the scene in 2018 led to a string of Top 40 hits at home in Ireland, as well as support from BBC, Kiss, Clash and more. Her debut EP ‘Confession’ shot to the No. 1 spot in the iTunes Pop Album Chart, not to mention the overall iTunes Album Chart.

Songs like ‘Don’t Call Me Pretty’ established her as an artist who wasn’t about to compromise on her feminism, while ‘Naked’ explored the full range of her vocals, finding comfort in embracing vulnerability. Single ‘Bulletproof’, written in response to online bullies, proved that hers was a voice committed to championing causes close to her heart, and led to a battle for the top spot in the iTunes chart with Billie Eilish.

Aimée is also part of the Irish Women In Harmony collective, whose first single ‘Dreams’ received over 5 million streams on Spotify and made history as the first female act to hold the number one spot on the Official Homegrown Irish Chart.

Since then, she has been a champion for Irish women’s voices in an industry dominated by men. While women still fight for equality on airways, in writing rooms and on the live stage, Aimée says no more. After spending lockdown reflecting on her journey so far, Aimée is approaching the future with clear-eyed determination. The goal? To create empowering, uncompromising, nostalgia-tinged pop, just when we need it most.

Live Dates

8 Feb ‘22

The Academy Green Room, Dublin

Tickets

9 Feb ‘22

Roisin Dubh, Galway

Tickets

10 Feb ‘22

Kasbah Social Club, Limerick

Tickets

11 Feb ‘22

Winthorp Avenue, Cork

Tickets

Follow Aimée

AiméeMusicOfficial.com

Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // Youtube // Spotify // TikTok

This powerful and emotional recording was captured as part of the Love Colin Project which is a celebration of the works of the late Colin Vearncombe aka Black. Although Colin is mostly remembered for his worldwide hit ‘Wonderful Life’, he was an extraordinarily proficient songwriter and the aim of the Love Colin project is to highlight his many other beautiful songs by inviting other singers and musicians to re-imagine them in their own style.  https://colinvearncombe.com/love-colin/

Dogtail Soup, the band originally formed by Colin Vearncombe, Camilla Griehsel, Fergus O’Farrell and Maurice Seezer in 2007 along with some of the other members of Interference, got together in august 2021, in the middle of lockdown, with nine guest singers to record some of their favourite Colin Vearncombe and Black songs.

This song is particularly of the time we are all living through. When so many of us have lost somebody close to us, it’s inevitable that our thoughts turn to the many things left unsaid. We always think we have more time.

‘Too Many Times’ written by Colin Vearncombe was originally released on the album ‘Black’ in 1991, re-appears on both ‘Live at The Bassline, Johannesburg’ in 2001 and in 2016 on the ‘Any Colour You Like’ special collection. This recording features Liam Ó’Maonlaí (vocals, Piano), Paul Tiernan (acoustic guitar), Maurice Seezer (Hammond organ), James O’Leary (electric guitar) & John Fitzgerald (bass).

One of Ireland’s best-loved musicians and singers, Liam Ó Maonlaí is himself well regarded in both rock and traditional music. Spanning over a quarter-century, Liam’s career has seen him achieve number one hits in over twenty countries, from playing with Aboriginal musicians in the Australian outback to recording with some of the world’s best-known musicians including Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, Carlos Nunes, Kila, Donal Lunny, Eddie Reader, Shane McGowan, Tim Finn, Steve Wickham, David Keenan, U2 and Van Morrison.

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, artist, painter, dancer, who was once described, by Bono, as ‘The best white boy soul singer in the world’, he’s also noted as one of Ireland’s best Sean Nós (traditional Irish) singers.

Liam formed Hothouse Flowers in 1985 with schoolmate Fiachna Ó Braonáin and together they produced over half a dozen albums not including compilations and live recordings and continue to gig in Ireland and abroad. He also released solo albums Rian and To be Touched, the former of which was turned into a dance show with Michael Keegan-Dolan. In 2014 he released Ré, an album recorded with Rian dance show band-mates.

Lisa Keane is a Dublin based singer/songwriter. Inspired by artists such as Taylor Swift, Griff and HAIM, Lisa blends elements from different genres to create her own distinctive sound. Lisa began singing from a young age and underwent musical theater and jazz vocal training. She began songwriting around the age of 13 after learning about a music course for teenagers which focused on songwriting, recording and performance. This course sparked her interest in songwriting and composition and Lisa has been writing her own songs since.

In 2019, she graduated from BIMM Dublin with a BA in Commercial Modern Music and Songwriting. Previous support for Lisa Keane has come from BBC Across the Line, Cork’s Red FM, FM104, The Last Mixed Tape and Hot Press. Lisa was named ‘One to Watch’ by Spin 1038 following the release of her third single “Run” last year.

2022 will see the release of a host of new singles from Lisa, starting off with ‘Concrete Jungle’ on February 25th.

“Concrete Jungle” is a contemporary pop song. “The lyrics celebrate the small moments in a relationship that make it special. It’s about finding beauty in the simple, everyday things that connect you with someone else. It focuses on the moments that stick with you and the times you want to remember forever.”

The production was inspired by artists such as Griff and Conan Gray and reflects the feel-good nature of the lyrics through an up-beat, pop sound. The song was produced by Sam Stevenson. The track was mixed and mastered by Stephen Lovatt. The three worked remotely over zoom and email to create the finished track over the past few months.

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Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh & Irish Chamber Orchestra have breathed new life into the noble, classical songs of our ancestors with this new album, Róisín Reimagined, due for release Thursday 10th March 2022.

The sean nós tradition is undergoing a revival. During lockdown, award-winning singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh’s renditions of classic sean nós songs such as An Chúilfhionn or Róisín Dubh introduced a new generation of listeners to these melodically complex and richly ornamented songs.

Now Nic Amhlaoibh joins the Irish Chamber Orchestra for Róisín ReImagined, an exciting new project that pairs her peerless vocals with fresh orchestral arrangements of sean nós songs.

Kilkenny Arts Festival and the Irish Chamber Orchestra have co-commissioned special arrangements from six leading Irish composers: Cormac McCarthy, Paul Campbell, Linda Buckley, Sam Perkin, Niamh Varian-Barry and Michael Keeney. Produced by Dónal O’Connor, Roisin ReImagined explores the connections between classical and traditional music and reimagines these timeless songs for a new era.

These works typically date from the 16th-19th century, and bear the hallmarks of high art and learning. In many instances, they bear witness to the artistic culture of Gaelic Ireland, which was under siege and endangered; the high art of their era. Amongst them are classics such as Róisín Dubh, An Chúilfhionn, Slán le Máigh & An tSeanbhean Bhocht.

Nic Amhlaoibh’s distinct voice and outward-looking approach has elevated these songs to yet another level through this project, and along with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and producer Dónal O’Connor, she has given a platform to a tradition that gives a deep insight into the Irish psyche. These sean-nós songs emerged from a practice that was part of a wider European and international culture, and this project will resonate with people from every corner of the world. The new incarnation of these old songs is a beautiful, uplifting sonic journey, especially for those fortunate enough to experience it live, and is sure to leave an imprint on the consciousness of the Irish song tradition.

Pre-order ‘Róisín ReImagined’ at: https://www.muireann.ie/store/roisn-reimagined

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is firmly established as one of Ireland’s most loved singers. Her renditions of songs such as Mo Ghile Mear & Róisín Dubh, on the television and the airwaves during the lockdown, showcased them to a wider audience, with people commenting about their sense of connectivity to these ancient songs and experiencing an enhanced cultural insight into the Irish psyche. Long regarded as a leading exponent of traditional Irish song, she has reached a point in her career where she is keen to push the boundaries of her own technical and artistic abilities.

https://www.muireann.ie/

https://www.facebook.com/MuireannNicA/

https://twitter.com/MuireannNic

Irish Chamber Orchestra has a proven track record of successful collaboration in strengthening and exploring the creative interplay between traditional and classical music genres. The ICO is orchestra-in-residence at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, and is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/

https://www.facebook.com/irishchamberorchestra/

https://twitter.com/ICOrchestra

https://www.instagram.com/irishchamberorchestra/

Dónal O’Connor is considered to be one of Ireland’s most accomplished music and television producers. Having produced & recorded over 50 records for many of Ireland’s leading folk & traditional musicians and singers, he is also a multiple IFTA award winning television producer and presenter. Critically acclaimed programmes such as Ómós Michael D. @ 80, Sruth, TG4XX, FleadhTV, Bosca Ceoil and ‘Sé mo Laoch are just some of the productions he has steered.

Pre-order: https://www.muireann.ie/store/roisn-reimagined

Christian Cohle is set to reveal his stunning new track Spinning Heart, an intimate insight into entering a new era after the breakdown of a relationship. Cohle affirms his reputation for effortlessly flowing from soaring, cinematic productions to moments of delicate heartbreak. The track slowly swells into a broad, ambient soundscape where every sonic pulse resonates with his lyrics on one’s place in the world in the midst of painful circumstances. It reaches a euphoric pinnacle before finally tapering down to a captivating ending of simple piano strokes.

Spinning Heart continues the Irish artist’s stellar list of releases. He has received praise as one of the top artists of the year from the Line of Best Fit, airplay on BBC radio, and additions to leading Spotify playlists. Cohle has the ability to effortlessly weave drama, catharsis, and vulnerability into his music; and continues to experiment with each release. This marks the first time he has added acoustic instruments to his productions, as well as other musicians – including collaborators of artists like Bjork and Antony & the Johnsons. Actual voicemail recordings were also used on Spinning Heart, giving the song “an intimacy which I wanted this release to have.”

Discussing the new track, Cohle reveals –

“Spinning Heart’s title was inspired directly by one of my favorite Irish author’s books, by Donal Ryan, titled ‘The Spinning Heart’. I borrowed the title and made it reflect my own predicament at the time during a really difficult breakup I went through, when Covid first hit. I felt like my life was just spinning along, moving forwards but directionless. I was being spun around by the pain, the loss, the confusion, the doubt caused by having to end what was a really beautiful relationship.”

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