Author: Breffni Banks

MCMXIV by Lisa Hannigan & Crash Ensemble is the third single taken from In The Echo: Field Recordings from Earlsfort Terrace, due for release on the Ergodos label on 30th September. The eight-track concept compilation album was curated and produced by Ross Turner.

Recorded in various locations in the historic National Concert Hall building in Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin – ranging from old lecture theatres to dis-used stairwells, to a former morgue – this record features collaborations between a number of diverse Irish musicians including: Lisa O’Neill & Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Katie Kim & Seán Mac Erlaine, Paul Noonan & Roger Moffatt, Eileen Carpio & Sean Carpio, Conor O’Brien & Cian Nugent, Brigid Mae Power & Adrian Crowley, Saileóg Ní Cheannabháin & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, & Lisa Hannigan & Crash Ensemble.

MCMXIV by Lisa Hannigan & Crash Ensemble is the album’s cinematic closing track. At once stately and transcendent, MCMXIV progresses with a gentle, ritual-like inevitability. Lisa Hannigan’s wordless vocals soar above and weave and within Crash Ensemble’s shimmering instrumental textures.

Producer Ross Turner explains the origin of the song’s title: “The title ‘MCMXIV’ refers to the year 1914, which is the year the grandiose façade and entrance to the [National Concert Hall] building was built. If looking at the front of the building you can see MCMXIV written in stone. The recording of this piece took place in a large space directly above the front entrance, and above the Kevin Barry Room – the historic room in which the 1922 Dáil Éireann debates on ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty took place.  I believe the piece captures a mood and tone that is timeless and almost haunted by what had come a century before. It was a privilege to witness and be amongst the eight musicians exploring and complimenting each other as they did.”

Lisa Hannigan recalls the process of creating the track, and the openness in the collaboration: “I was thrilled to collaborate with Crash and my bandmate Ross Turner on this project, having spent many happy and productive afternoons in the rooms of Earlsfort terrace over the years. We started from a very open place, no words or notions really to speak of, when Kate suggested using a simple bassline from another song as a peg to hang the piece on and it became unrecognisable in the capable hands of Crash. I tried to forget about songs or structure and just become a member of the ensemble. It was a great day singing with such a wealth of musicianship and fun.”

Kate Ellis, cellist and artistic director of Crash Ensemble, remembers the recording session:“[Producer] Ross Turner asked if Crash would be interested in collaborating with Lisa. The answer was a resounding “yes”! When Lisa sings, something magical happens. She is such a beautiful and sensitive musician. Ross is a brilliant musician and producer – one that really understands both the music and the musicians – and I loved the concept of the project. I remembered a sliding chord progression from a song that Lisa had played during a residency at Lismore Castle and I sketched that out as a starting point for the musicians. We met and recorded during the course of one afternoon upstairs in one of the rooms on the 2nd floor of the National Concert Hall building. Radiators were played, laughs were had, and some beautiful music was made.”

Alt-pop duo ELKIN return with their new single ‘Tokens’, providing an uplifting and summery anthem which showcases their unique sound. Alongside the lush tones of their harmonies, a pulsing bassline provides the backbone to the buoyant alt-pop production, which bends into shimmering folk textures. The talented duo provide irresistible melodies and poetic lyricism, singing of how music has the power to connect you closer with loved ones: I like collecting tokens of our loving, leave them in playlists, one day rediscovering… they croon in the dreamy chorus. Crafting a refreshing soundscape, ELKIN are en route to achieving big things on the indie pop scene.

To us ‘Tokens’ is a celebration of all the memories we’ve made in our early 20s,” ELKIN reveal. We wanted to capture the nostalgia you feel when a song comes on and reminds you of the person who first showed it to you. This song is an homage to all the friends we’ve made along the way. 

Ellen and Carla were writing and singing together from the age of 15 before taking their music to a new level as ELKIN. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Joni Mitchell the duo began writing and performing folk-pop, but it wasn’t until they began working with producer lullahush that ELKIN blended their love of thought-provoking folk lyrics with fierce alt-pop production. ELKIN made their mark in 2019 with singles ‘Green Eyes’, ‘Cut My Tongue’ and ‘DIY’, as well as releasing ‘Fall So Easy’, a collaboration with Cork producer 1000 Beasts.

The self-managed duo have received growing support with ELKIN being selected to perform at showcases such as Whelan’s Ones to Watch, Music Cork and Ireland Music Week. 2020 saw O’Mahony and Ryan continuing this momentum with new release ‘Win Win’ alongside performances at OutPut Showcase in Belfast and Other Voices Music Trail, Ballina. With the Covid pandemic putting a halt to their other plans, the duo spent the rest of the year writing and recording a collection of singles, ANTHOLOGY, which will be released across 2021. This will be followed by an EP release funded by the FMC Recording Stimulus Grant.

Longford/Mullingar band Cronin will be back live onstage to an actual audience for the first time in 18 months this September with 3 special shows.

The band who during the pandemic have released a mini album, 4 radio singles, 4 videos, played 3 live stream shows and appeared on Ireland’s premiere TV Show ‘The Late Late Show’ special to raise money for The Simon Community alongside U2, Glen Hansard with many more.They also appeared briefly in the Julien Temple Shane MacGowan documentary ‘A Crock of Gold’ which has been wowing film festivals globally.The band continue to work on the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut The First Kiss of Love with an early 2022 release date pencilled in.

Cronin play:

Friday 10th September Music at Mearscourt
Tickets https://www.mearescourt.ie/

Saturday 18th September Longford live and local are Drumlish community centre car park
Tickets https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/cronin-tickets-162670408571

Thursday 23rd September The Grand Social Dublin

Tickets https://www.thegrandsocial.ie/events/cronin

Their last release from March 2021, Bank of Love was recorded at Transmission Rooms, Drumlish, Co Longford by Mick Cronin. Mixed by Ger McDonnell (U2, Manic Street Preachers) and Mastered by Richard Dowling at WAV Mastering, Limerick.The video for the song was shot and edited by Kingston around Transmission Rooms Recording Studio, Drumlish.

This was one of the first songs we started jamming to get the juices flowing after not seeing each other for 3 months when the first lockdown was lifted last year. We wanted to get back to the feeling of being a young band playing songs in a garage.

We were listening to a lot of Lou Reed’s Transformer, Richard Hawley, Jarv Is. We started it the night Scott Walker died and it took another form with the pandemic. A love song that you can wash the dishes to, Mick Cronin reflects.

Ruby Moss is a 14 year old, living in Cabra. Ruby’s musical career began in St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir School when she was 8.  She plays piano, flute, guitar, button accordion and has been awarded a prestigious organ scholarship with Dundalk Grammar School.

Ruby wrote Ruby’s Song/Invisible  last September when she was struggling to fit in on starting secondary school.  It was recorded in one take as part of an U16 programme in Crookedwood Studios in Slane.  It went to Number 1 in the iTunes charts the week of its release, the week of Ruby’s 14th birthday and is still Number 1 in the singer songwriter charts in Reverbnation.

Shades of Grey was written, recorded and co-produced by Ruby in July of this year two weeks before her 14th birthday in Crookedwood Studios in Slane and released on digital platforms on Wednesday 8th September.

It deals with the theme of frustrating conversations with people who see things in black and white and don’t like change.  Ruby was thinking about climate change and conversations around that when she wrote it but it could apply to so many themes.  The initial concept and first two lines resulted from a frustrating conversation about musical genre.  It went to Number 1 in the iTunes singer songwriter chart the day of its release.

Both of Ruby’s songs are being sold in aid of GoVeganWorld and Jigsaw for Youth Mental Health.

More new music coming soon from Ruby Moss!

Cork Opera House is set to welcome two multi-platinum selling Irish troubadours for a double-headline show on Wednesday October 20. Paddy Casey and Mundy have recorded albums and music that have touched the hearts of Irish listeners since the late 90s and the two will perform a show that is set to deliver some of this country’s best-known songs of the last two decades, including ‘Saints and Sinners’, ‘The Lucky One’, ‘July’ and ‘Mexico.

Having been at the forefront of the Irish music scene since his multi platinum selling debut album Amen (So Be It), Paddy Casey’s career has taken him all over the globe touring with acts like The Pretenders, R.E.M, Ian Brown, Blondie and Tracy Chapman to name a few. Closer to home he has played all over Ireland, including a sold out Dublin Castle, RDS and a record-breaking week long run in The Olympia Theatre, alongside special guest spots with U2, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan and more.

Paddy Casey’s hugely successful debut album achieved many international highlights including tracks being featured in hit television shows such as Dawson’s Creek and Roswell alongside extensive American and European tours. Further establishing himself as one of the country’s most successful artists, his second album Living went on to become one of the biggest ever selling albums in Ireland (approximately 15 times platinum). Paddy also released his fifth album Turn This Ship Around – a double album – in August this year.

Mundy meanwhile is one of a number of artists to successfully make the transition from street busking in Dublin to international stardom during the ’90s. Mundy’s mainly acoustic, folk-based pop/rock has been compared to Damien Rice and Josh Ritter; however, his style is more upbeat and celebratory than either, and his jangle pop influence and tendency to experiment with unconventional sonic textures and beats further distinguishes him.

Mundy signed with Sony subsidiary Epic Records, and released his debut single, ‘To You I Bestow’, shortly before his album Jelly Legs was released in 1996.  ‘To You I Bestow’ was included on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s Shakespeare adaptation Romeo & Juliet, alongside tracks by Radiohead and Garbage.  It sold 11 million copies and Jelly Legs a respectable 50,000 worldwide.

Mundy went on to release the multi platinum record 24 Star Hotel, with hit tracks ‘July’ and ‘Mexico’ becoming firm favourites. Raining Down Arrows, which hit the #1 slot in the Irish Album Charts, came next and was recorded in the musically revered city of Austin, Texas. His first live album Live and Confusion followed recorded at a storming and sold out Vicar St show.  It was certified platinum in 2007.  ‘Galway Girl’ was recorded as an encore and went on to become the best selling single and most downloaded song 2 years in a row in Ireland.  He has since released Strawberry Blood, Shuffle and the self-titled Mundy.

Limited tickets for this socially distanced live event go on sale this Friday from Cork Opera House Box Office €26 + B/fee

This show will be subject to any public health guidelines in place at the time of the event. It is part funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through the Live Performance Support Scheme.

Following the announcement of their performance for Seconds Away Series airing tonight on Nialler9 YouTube channel, MELTS has confirmed a headline show at The Button Factory for 16th December 2021.

Tickets €15.00 available from singularartists.ie from Friday, 10th September at 9am

Tickets to the band’s previous two socially distanced sold-out shows are valid for the 16th December show. This show is a full capacity standing show. 

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Vale is Irish electronic songwriter and producer, Eoin Hally. With emotionally stirring songwriting and lush electronic, atmospheric production, Vale excels at marrying ambient, cinematic tones with rock and pop sensibilities and conventions.

Having spent the last decade living in Cork City, the Tipperary native found himself returning home and, for the first time, with a studio of his own. From here recording began and tracks formed. Vale released his debut single Tore It Down in October 2020, in collaboration with producer Owen Lewis, who’s based in Nashville. His second track Border is the result of an in-studio collaboration with Icelandic musician Sin Fang, creating an accompanying ambient track to the artist’s first release. Vale’s second single All Rise, co-produced with multi-instrumentalist and ongoing collaborator David O’Connor, follows on from where Tore it Down left off, expanding the sonic landscape.

Rich synthesisers, distorted drum machines and heavily effected vocal samples provide the backdrop to, and almost juxtapose against, All Rise’s moving lyrical and vocal performances, before culminating in a destructively climatic end. Vale’s newest single The Sun Is My Filter is cinematic in tone, yet retains a fundamental electro pop structure and feel. This dynamic shift from previous releases further showcases the creative scope of the artist’s sound.

The yet undefined track, which was largely written and recorded over one evening with collaborator Steven Mullan, is presented to the listener through the tension created between thought provoking – and at times dark – lyrics and a backdrop of an upbeat electro/pop track. As stand-alone single releases  or as ambient soundscapes, this electronic project is Hally’s most striking music to date, showcasing honed writing skills with production that pushes the boundaries without apology.

Speaking about the track the artist says… The Sun Is My Filter’s meaning and context are something quite personal and close. Something I’d rather not “share”, as I don’t want to refine or define someone else’s experience of the track by making the assumption for them. What I will say is that it was a joy to make and put together. No two takes were the same and everything from the drums to top line parts were totally improvised. And only after the fact, could we make sense of this piece of music. If I had to say anything about it, I would say it is a song about friendship, and a song about love.

‘The Sun Is My Filter’ is out 10^th September

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With the release of her debut album ‘Hemet’ on Black Gate Records one year ago, Galway singer-songwriter Niamh Regan delivered an emotionally rich and sonically textured delight that has effectively put her at the table beside some of the biggest names in Irish folk music.

Despite the challenges in releasing new music during a pandemic, the 26 year old breakthrough artist gained nominations for ‘Best Album’ at both the prestigious RTÉ Choice Awards and the RTÉ Folk Awards; played a series of live stream shows around the country; performed for national television (Other Voices, The Late Late Show); received substantial radio play on national platforms RTÉ Radio 1, BBC NI, BBC 2, RTÉ 2FM; collaborated and performed with singer songwriter David Kitt and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra; and performed her first show abroad, alongside folk troubadour Damien Dempsey.

Marking exactly 1 year since the release of ‘Hemet’, Niamh shares a new video for “Two Seagulls”, a song she co-wrote with her husband. The video was made as part of the First Cut! Youth Film Festival’s Youth Music Video Competition 2021, where young directors are paired with artists and mentored to make their first music video. Niamh was paired with Dublin filmmaker Aisling O’Regan Sargent.

Watch the video for ‘Two Seagulls’ here:

Speaking of the video, Aisling says “From the very first time I heard Two Seagulls I was sucked into the world of this melancholy love song. Niamh’s voice and melody wraps around you, and you want to listen and understand what the story is. After speaking with Niamh, she made it very clear that this was a love story and a song about ‘weathering the challenges’ that most long term relationships face but what brings you together is the foundation of the friendship you share.

 The slow pace and repetitive phrases within the song really inspired me to follow the longing that Niamh so distinctively illustrates in Two Seagulls. There had to be space to reflect while watching the video, to allow its audience to feel that longing, using both pacing and visuals. 

 I wanted to place the couple within a confined space, their home, where they couldn’t escape each other and I suppose they didn’t want to either. The line “I can’t hear what you’re saying” expresses a want to still listen, it reads that they are physically close, but emotionally distant. 

 This music video doesn’t have a typical romantic story but to me, Niamh wrote a love song about coming out the other side of hardship and making that choice to see each other again.”

‘Hemet’ was released on Black Gate Records, Galway, September 2020. Peadar King, co-director of the Back Gate, says:

“Four and a half years ago, I first heard Niamh sing. Her voice transfixed me. Fused to the spot, I remember thinking that I needed to know who she was – to meet this person that had such a profound and effortless way of moving people with her voice, her words, and her deeply emotive delivery.

 After a fairly spontaneous decision to ask Niamh to release her first album on our Label (which didn’t yet exist!), we embarked on a journey that has given me and the Black Gate team more joy and pride than we could have ever hoped for. Today, on the first anniversary of the release of Hemet, I would like to say thank you to everyone who got behind the album, everyone who bought it, everyone who made it what it is, and mostly to Niamh, who has been a beacon of joy and creativity for so many of us over the past year.”

Niamh adds “I’m not sure how to put the past year into words. The reception to ‘Hemet’ has been overwhelming in the most positive way. I have so many people to thank who made the journey and record possible and thanks to everyone who has listened, shared and supported me to this point. Wouldn’t be writing this without all you’ve done. I look forward to making and sharing more music with you all soon.”

Niamh was recently awarded the Elevate Bursary from Galway International Arts Festival, which will see her releasing a new EP “In The Meantime” in October. The first single, ‘Happy Again’ is out now  https://niamhregan.bandcamp.com/track/happy-again

New limited edition ‘Hemet’ tote bags and t-shirts, designed by Lauren Varian, are on sale on now Niamh’s Bandcamp: https://niamhregan.bandcamp.com/merch

See Niamh perform live at the following venues and festivals:

Weds 8th Sept – Autumn Air Festival, Mitchelstown (with Stephanie Rainey)

Thurs 8th Sept – Autumn Air Festival, Mitchelstown (with Hermitage Green)

Sun 12th Sept – The Whale Theatre, Greystones, Wicklow (FULL BAND SHOW)

Sat 18th Sept – Doolin Folk Festival

Fri 24th Sept – Mountshannon Arts Festival

Tues 21st Sept – The Set Theatre,Kilkenny (FULL BAND SHOW)

5th – 8th Oct – Ireland Music Week (online)

Sat 13th Nov: Róisín Dubh, Galway

Sun 14th Nov: DeBarra’s, Clonakilty

Mon 15th Nov: Levis’ Corner House, Ballydehob. Email for tickets leviscornerhouse@nullgmail.com

Tues 16th Nov: Coughlan’s, Cork

Wed 17th Nov: Dolan’s (Upstairs), Limerick

Thurs 18th Nov: Whelan’s, Dublin (Presented by Singular Artists)

Fri 19th Nov: The Duncairn, Belfast

Sat 20th Nov: Spirit Store, Dundalk

Wed 24th Nov: The Green Note in London, UK

Dublin-based dreamwave band, A Ritual Sea, release new single ‘Radiate’ on 3rd September 2021, through French independent label Icy Cold Records, in advance of their debut album release.

Following the success of recent single ‘Because You Hate to Care About’, ‘Radiate’ is a beautiful wash of melancholic dreamwave, with reverb-soaked vocals and the band’s signature layering of shimmering shoegaze guitars and synth. The song explores the breakdown of a friendship, and the push and pull of trying to keep it alive.

Formed in 2016, the band’s distinctive sound is heavily influenced by the esoteric imagery of Andrei Tarkovsky, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Robert Altman and Ingmar Bergman. Having featured at the renowned Other Voices Festival in 2018 and supported international acts such as Gwenno and Jane Weaver, the band played a sold-out headline show in Dublin’s Whelans venue in early 2020.

Donna McCabe, singer and songwriter, explains the song came about following the breakdown of a friendship: “We went through a painful period of trying to keep an eye on someone that was in a really bad place, but respect their need to isolate themselves. Having lost friends to suicide, you know that no matter how far they distance themselves, you need to stay connected, to keep an eye. The song channels that invisible link. The pain on both sides is so visceral, that sometimes you have to learn to let go. The ending soars into something hopeful, reaching out to try to manifest a different, more joyful reality.”

‘Radiate’ precedes the band’s highly anticipated, self-titled debut album due out on 24th September 2021. Self-produced and recorded at A Ritual Sea’s home studio, mixed by Paris-based musician and sound engineer Nicolas Subréchicot (Vagabond, Lou Doillon) and mastered at Biduloscope, it will be released through French independent label Icy Cold Records.

Irish singer songwriter Aoife Doyle releases ‘Strength To Be Strong’, the first single from her upcoming album on 3rd September. The song is a groovy, soulful mix of gospel, jazz and roots, with stomping brass arrangements.

“’Strength To Be Strong’ is about having to dig deep to find the strength to stay strong in the face of ongoing adversity. To release this song as the first single off the album felt like an appropriate choice, given the world events of the last 18 months.”

Aoife Doyle is originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow, and has been living in Liscannor, Co. Clare since 2014. She grew up in a house steeped in traditional and folk music, and completed a BA in jazz performance at the prestigious Newpark Music Centre, and an MA in Songwriting at the World Academy of Music and Dance in UL in 2018/2019.

She cites a wide and varied range of musical influences including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Alison Krauss and Eva Cassidy, as well as Marvin Gaye, Tammy Tyrell, Joni Mitchell, Beyoncé, Declan O’Rourke, Ger Wolfe and Bjork, and echoes of this intriguing mix come through to various extents on different tracks on the album.

“When it came to writing this album, I was trying to push myself creatively. The writing itself is quite instinctive, so there wasn’t an overall plan to step away from jazz, it just sort of came out that way. My first two albums have elements of folk, soul and blues so I guess a step further in that direction isn’t all that surprising.”

‘Strength To Be Strong’ was produced by the highly-regarded musician, arranger and producer Michael Buckley, as was the album, “one of my best musical decisions.” Doyle is joined by a stellar band on the track, featuring some of Ireland’s most in-demand musicians including pianist Johnny Taylor, guitarist/singer Jack Maher, trumpet player Ronan Dooney, vocalist Margot Daly, saxophonist Michael Buckley, bassist Andrew Csibi and drummer Dominic Mullan.

‘Strength To Be Strong’ will be released on 3rd September, and will be available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music and on Aoife’s website www.aoifedoyle.com

‘Strength To Be Strong’ was recorded and filmed at House of Horns studio in Dublin.

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