Author: Breffni Banks

‘In the Death Something Beautiful’, out 14th May, is the third single from J Smith’s debut album ‘(…) And you chose not to laugh.’ It speaks of a tragedy faced by he and his wife having suffered a pregnancy loss for the first time in 2018, giving listeners a key insight into the story of the album.

The singer states, “It’s something so many people face, with 1 in 4 pregnancies resulting in miscarriage. I learned of this after the fact. At the time, I thought I knew nobody who had gone through it, but friends and family came out and shared their stories. All of a sudden we didn’t feel so alone. I hope that’s what this song does for people.”

‘In the Death of Something Beautiful’ features his brother Daniel Smith on the drums (Gypsies On The Autobahn) and friend Donagh Seaver O’Leary on the bass (Soda Blonde/Little Green Cars). It was recorded by Ben Rawlins (Saso/Rhiannon Giddens) in one room together much like the majority of the record. It was mixed by Richard Kennedy of Assualt and Battery (The Murder Capitall/Celeste/EOB) and mastered by Pete Maher.

The highly anticipated debut album was written, arranged, produced and at part recorded by artist J Smith and is set for release on the 28th of May. Having learned to write with his former band Gypsies on the Autobahn who released two studio albums with Universal Records, and having acquired much of his skills in production releasing songs under Electronic alias YURN, James created his genre defining debut, pouring his heart and soul into the release. “I’m aware that these songs can be difficult to hear. I was in a tough place when much of this was written. Great art makes those who are comfortable, uncomfortable and those who are not, comfortable; I like to think ‘In the Death of Something Beautiful’ achieves this.”

https://www.instagram.com/jsmithmusicofficial/
https://twitter.com/jsmithmusicOfsh
https://www.facebook.com/jsmithmusicofficial
https://linktr.ee/jsmithmusic

South East Artist ‘Hallie’ has just released her brand new single ‘Remedy’, the eagerly anticipated addition to her rising critically acclaimed discography.

‘Remedy’ is available to stream and download on all major platforms right now!

The song deals with the topic of heartbreak and reflecting on a toxic abusive relationship. Hallie hopes the song can reach out and help others dealing with similar experiences.

Hallie is an Irish singer/songwriter who crafts emotive, honest, alternative pop with shades of synth pop and art pop.

Hallie emerged in early 2019 with her debut single ‘Familiar Place’ to critical acclaim, with rotation on multiple national radio stations. Hallie has made the ‘RTÉ Recommends Playlist’ with both her singles to date. Her online presence exploded, with her debut music video receiving over 100k views, and continues to steadily grow.

Hallie is an avid mental health and chronic pain advocate.

She began writing poems and songs as a personal release to soothe and channel her life long battle with major depression, anxiety and chronic pain.

Hallie’s songwriting passion was continually crippled by her mental health/chronic pain growing up.

Despite it all, she went on to graduate with a BA Hons Degree in Music (WIT) in 2015 after completing her first year in BIMM Dublin.

Her music and songs were kept private and personal for years but she worked on overcoming her fear of live performance by attending a local  ‘secret singers’ concert with her stage name ‘Hallie’.

From there she went on to win the first ever Golden Discs Golden Busker Competition in 2019, along with Best Original Song in the Guinness Singing & Swinging pubs a few months later. With her Golden Disc’s prize she recorded her music professionally for the first time at The Orchard Recording Studio.

Her debut single ‘Familiar Place’ set the tone for Hallie’s message. The lyrics speak  about her battles with mental health. Her follow up single ‘Waves’ deals with grief while further discovering her sound as a cross-genre artist.

Hallie’s newest single ‘Remedy’ deals with trauma and overcoming an abusive relationship.

https://www.instagram.com/hallieishername/
https://www.facebook.com/hallieishername
https://twitter.com/hallieishername
https://www.tiktok.com/@hallieishername
https://soundcloud.com/hallieishername
https://hallieishername.bandcamp.com/track/waves
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH-OkCZjhRzyXl4pUhcN3Kg

The Dublin duo Elgin came together having travelled the breadth of the globe as the acclaimed collective The Young Folk and now with new album ‘Weightless / Still’, out 28th May, they continue their musical journey under the name Elgin.

Elgin is a natural progression and represents a new direction for the band. Whilst still centred around the key contributing members of The Young Folk, Elgin gives them the freedom to play different instruments, to untangle themselves from the steady rotation of band members and get back to the simplicity of a duo, just like it was in the beginning.

Anthony Furey and Paul Butler wrote almost all the songs for The Young Folk, Anthony often drawing inspiration from writers and poets – George Orwell, Seamus Heaney, Charles Bukowski and Colum McCann. Especially Colum McCann. But it just so happens that most of the material on ‘Weightless / Still’ is Paul’s.

“I was in the right frame of mind,” Paul says. “Well… actually in the wrong frame of mind, but the right one to come up with all these ideas.” New ways, born of sleep deprivation, to express self-doubt, anxiety, loss and letting go of the past. “Things that I feel uncomfortable talking about,” he admits.

When Paul’s uncle, the filmmaker Brendan Bourke, died suddenly a few years ago, it hit hard. Paul found himself deprived of the comfort that religion afforded other members of the family. “I was quite envious that they could say ‘he’s in a better place, he’s not in pain’. It’s a great concept, but I don’t believe in it at all. And I was angry at this. Like, what am I supposed to do?” Those feelings form the lyrical backbone of ‘Oh Love’.

The album also looks at reaching a low point and remembering the low point before that one, and the low point before that in the song ‘Stone’s Throw’, which Paul says was, “A bit of a eureka moment for me.” Or the feeling of not being able to help somebody anymore (‘Bulletproof’), or sitting in the garden and letting the mind wander (‘Apple Tree’), or broken love (‘Fault Lines’), or feeling lost and clueless at the end of a relationship (‘Hopeless Swimmer’, written by Anthony).

Then there’s ‘Sloe’, a song inspired by Colum McCann’s short story Fishing the Sloe Black River, which was turned into a film by Paul’s uncle, Brendan. “Everything in that song is about something completely different – trips, love, life, holidays, friends,” he says.

The album captures so many feelings and states of mind, all aspiring ultimately perhaps to a feeling we often dream about, the feeling of being weightless and still. “As in out-of-body,” says Paul. “The feeling that we never have.”

‘Me Again’ is the new uplifting single from Irish Pop Singer/Songwriter Taylor Mas. This feel good song got its first play on SPIN 1038 and was added to the RTE Radio 1’s recommendations list in its first week of release. ‘Me Again’ also landed a feature from Nialler9 as a ‘sparking dance pop tune’ in his list of ‘new songs from Irish artists you should hear’.

Taylor Mas released her debut single ‘Bad News’ at the end of last year. It has been streamed over five thousand times on Spotify and was added to the RTE Radio 1’s Recommended playlist along with a Q&A feature on RTE entertainment.

‘Me Again’ is a pop anthem about feeling free and like yourself again after someone made you feel otherwise. The song lyrics reflect on emotions of turmoil which have transformed into happiness and freedom. This song is packed with catchy melodies and lyrics with a modern funky sound.

“All I can say is that hindsight is a beautiful thing and often the worst pain you feel will ultimately set you free. That’s what ‘Me Again’ is all about.” – Taylor Mas

Despite ‘Bad News’ being Taylor Mas’s debut single as a solo artist, she has had many years of experience in the music scene in Ireland. Having completed a Level 8 Degree in Songwriting at BIMM Dublin she has performed vocals for many different artists and bands across Dublin in multiple different recording studios as well as performing at Electric Picnic, Longitude, KnockenStocken and many more Irish music events and gigs.

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/album/72tTyQ3RUFy9Xnl3fNcs9N?si=jBgAWoItR0CEJEstx9k5FQ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylormasmusic/?hl=en  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaylorMasMusic  

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TaylorMasMusic/ 

The latest release from singer/songwriter Larissa Tormey is sure to have fans and listeners thinking she’s ever so slightly mad…but in the best possible way! Larissa’s creative spark has been anything but diminished by the strangeness of the last year, and with 2021 only midway through its fourth month, Larissa, remarkably, is about to release her third single! That in itself sounds slightly mad, and so it should too, because that’s what her forthcoming single is also called.

‘Slightly Mad’, which is scheduled for release across all platforms on April 17th, will be the latest installment from an album of original material that Larissa began work on last year. Highlighting the Russian-born and Kilbeggan based artist’s amazing versatility, ‘Slightly Mad’ follows on from her single ‘Black Cat’ – a funky, jazz infused number – which preceded it in 2020. Larissa, who has built up a loyal fanbase of Irish country music fans, is currently working on this album of original contemporary songs in parallel with her latest country projects, and she’s enjoying the back-and-forth between both.

“It keeps things interesting and exciting for me as a writer, that’s what I find. I have always believed that old saying, that there are only two kinds of music; good and bad! So what concerns me first of all and most of all, is writing a good song. But if I’m doing that for a new country album, I take a slightly different approach because I have to be aware of my audience and what they like and what I hope they will enjoy. Writing a song like ‘Slightly Mad’ can be more of an adventure, there’s a greater sense of freedom in how you can express yourself. So you can go slightly mad if you want to! [laughs].”

Making sure that her fans won’t be left wanting for new music to enjoy, ‘Slightly Mad’ will become her third single in almost as many months. Just last month the Jon Philibert penned ‘One Man Band’ hit radio and music libraries across Ireland and the UK, and indeed beyond as well. Londoner Philibert is the man responsible for writing what became – and remains – Tom Jones’s longest ever country charting record, the beautifully titled, ‘I’ve Been Rained On Too’. The song became a top-ten for the Welsh legend in 1984, going on to hold a place on the Billboard Country chart for a staggering twenty-two weeks. Getting her musical year underway in February was the traditional country flavoured ‘Agree To Disagree’, a duet with the respected and prolific British country songwriter Dave Sheriff. The multi-instrumentalist performed at the famous Wembley Country Music Festival in the 1970s, and also worked with the American country legend Don Gibson, and toured with both Patsy Montana and Slim Whitman.

In fact, ‘Slightly Mad’ will actually be her fourth single of the year if you include Larissa’s involvement in the double number-one ‘Reach Out’, which featured over eighty stars of Irish country music. With 2021 not yet having reached its halfway point, Larissa can also look back on two Hot Press Award nominations, one for Female Artist of the Year, and another for Best Songwriter.

Asked if she intends to keep this pace up for the remainder of the year, Larissa saw an opportunity to poke a little fun at herself, remarking, “Well, I’m slightly mad enough to try!”

‘Slightly Mad’, the brand newsingle from Larissa Tormey, another original from her own songbook and taken from her forthcoming long-player of contemporary songs, will be available on all platforms from April 17th.

Scattered Ashes will release their highly anticipated EP ‘Parallel Lines’, on Friday, 21st May 2021. Their single ‘Parallel lines’ will be the lead track to be released on the same day. ‘Parallel Lines’ a sombre meditation on the finite; a brooding paen to faith, doubt and reason.

“You can’t get too close, You can’t walk away, You’re caught in the threshold You’re stuck in the grey between right and wrong there’s a sacred place, To suffer the consequences Is to know his grace..”

Scattered Ashes are an abrasive Dublin four-piece ranging in influence from Brutalism to Punk. The band matches aggressive sonic textures with a strict sense of space, created by urgent guitar stylings and prophetic vocals. You can hear their influences, but the product is entirely their own.

Taking cues from the likes of Bauhaus, Gang of Four, Interpol & Joy Division, from the abstract to the oppressive, the band sit in a darker lane than most of their contemporaries, taking post-punk back to its murkier roots.

Their debut single ‘Love Is Not An Option’ released in November 2020 picked up immediate radio support from Steve Lamacq and across the BBC introducing network.

Released on 21st May on a blood red vinyl EP with first single ‘Love Is Not An Option’ and an angular remix by Wastefellow it was recorded at Darklands, in Dublin with Dan Doherty (Fontaines D.C.), mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Echo and The Bunnymen).

Alternative pop artist Rushes returns with his brand new single ‘Wide Eyed’ and it’s accompanying music video, set for release on April 30th. ‘Wide Eyed’ marks the first release taken from Rushes’ upcoming project ‘Glowchild’ out later this year.

‘Wide Eyed’ is Rushes’ first release following the success of his debut EP ‘Glimpse’ in 2019, which hit over 1.5 million streams and was included on some of Spotify’s biggest playlists. The track is a methodical examination of an artist consumed by a sense of his own self-doubt. The lyrics of the song delve into the concept of attachment and exploring the negative impact self-doubt plays when it comes to cutting ties with the past. Rushes explains, “You linger and are constantly conflicted with whether or not you made the right decision. It’s aching and it feels like forever to see past the doubt that clouds over your decision.”

‘Wide Eyed’ comes after a year of lockdown and pauses when, for the first time in five years, Rushes found himself living at home in his native Skibbereen, Co.Cork. What he originally perceived as regression actually came to become something of a creative revival. “Restoring the connection I had with my home, made me grow as a person, made me feel kind of more whole again” Rushes explains.

Sonically, ‘Wide Eyed’ finds Rushes at his most emotive yet, with his soaring vocals combining beautifully with the track’s dreamy yet grainy, instrumentation. “I wanted a classic feel on the production side,” Rushes explains, “something that was quite raw, genuine and in some ways felt familiar.”

The accompanying video shot by Eddie O’Flaherty and Stephanie Naughter (Jafaris, Soulé) showcases Skibbereen and the local areas where Rushes grew up. The motif of the suit against the atypical green surroundings, encapsulates the track’s feelings of uncertainty and imbalance. “I think the video depicts the narrative of the track,” Rushes explains, “you’ve cut a connection but now you’re on your own. It’s like wearing the suit and yet having nowhere to go. I’m wearing my dad’s old suit, I found in the attic, but it felt right.”

The video was edited by Rushes who, with lockdown, had a lot of extra time on his hands and wanted to learn a new skill. He wanted to really showcase Skibbereen through his own eyes. “This was very much a DIY project,” Rushes explains, “I had no idea how to edit videos, but I wanted it to come from me to keep that closeness of feeling.”

‘Wide Eyed’ is the introduction to a more mature and introspective artist, one who’s taken lessons learned in the past and built upon them. ”The songs are like my superpower”, Rushes adds of the creative process, “they give me the confidence to really show myself more seriously.”

Rushes has previously been named as a 2019 RTÉ2FM Rising Artist and One To Watch by The Irish Times and Red Bull Magazine. Spending 2019 playing some of Ireland’s biggest festivals including Other Voices and Body & Soul. In the same year, he also sold out his debut headliner show in Whelans, with support on the day from Dublin hip-hop artist Malaki.

‘Wide Eyed’ marks the welcome return of an artist at his creative prime, as Rushes takes centre stage to no doubt make his mark on 2021.

Listen: https://ffm.to/wideeyed-rushes

Off the back of her debut album announcement, and a new all-island Irish album tour in association with Singular Artists, Dani Larkin releases the third single off her upcoming debut album ‘promising to be one of the most exciting contemporary folk albums this year’ (Hot Press) -the dynamic, energetic and surprising ‘The Red (Maca’s Return)’ out now..

Album ‘Notes For A Maiden Warrior’ is due for release Friday 18th June 2021, available to preorder on vinyl now from www.danilarkin.com

‘The Red (Maca’s Return)’ is a mythic imagining of what it would be like if Maca, the goddess of War and Transformation, and the namesake of Ard Mhaca (Armagh) returned. The song dances in and out of a story from old and explores how the ego, if left unchecked, can lead to a cycle of war and violence that wreaks devastation on our intuitive self and in turn, the world around us. The energy, drive and crescendo of this song is one that marks a dramatic turning point on the album, before it is gently resolved through the soundings of previous releases ‘Samson & Goliath’ and ‘Love Part Three’. Soon to be brought to life visually by Director and Cinematographer Greg Wonder.

Building on from critical acclaim received during her most recent single release ‘Love Part Three’(nearing 100k Spotify streams!) which also features on her debut album, this folk artist saw huge support from Spotify editorial playlists, which saw the track featured across 6 big editorial folk playlists including Fresh Folk, Contemporary Folk, Infinite Acoustic and more. BBC Radio Ulster, RTE Radio One, RTE.ie, The Kate Brennan Harding Podcast, Hot Press and more all got behind her last release, championing the work of this up-and-coming folk star.

2021 is set to be Larkin’s breakthrough year as an artist, that began with her international appearance at Folk Alliance (the world’s largest folk gathering!), followed by confirmed debut at this year’s The Great Escape festival, and the recent additions of her team including leading live booking agency Midnight Mango, as well as Irish promoter Singular Artists, she is an artist on the rise!

The story within the song begins with men preparing themselves for war by painting their faces red and ends with them boasting after they have defeated wild cats (Maca), believing that they have once again triumphed in war. In parallel, the women of the tale are illustrated as a band of Maca’s warriors who carry light in the depths of darkness and sit comfortably within their wild selves. The truth embedded within the song is that each time the men ‘triumph’ in war they defeat their own nature, a natural sense of femininity that could lead them from a cycle of war and violence.

‘The Red (Maca’s Return)’ draws on the concept of how stories from myth, folklore and legend can teach us about our own nature and offer alternatives to the chaos and devastation we currently experience. In short, how the lessons in story and song can lead us to a more sustainable way of living if we choose to listen.

Hailing from the Armagh-Monaghan border, Dani Larkin is already being heralded as ‘one of the finest songwriters of our times’. Larkin has been creating music for several years, and is a well known face on the live circuit in Northern Ireland. A storyteller by nature, her music is inspired by the folktales she was raised with, intertwined with elements of traditional melodies and rhythms from around the world in a timeless tradition.

With Midnight Mango now as her official booking agent, and Singular Artists booking her Irish live shows, this artist has been seen to be picking up speed as of late, despite restrictions.
With the album release date confirmed for 18th June 2021, she is an artist that has been tipped for great things. She is a must-listen for those interested in contemporary folk music, and is one of the brightest lights on the Irish folk scene currently.

Facebook  Instagram  Twitter  Spotify Youtube

He’s more familiar to TV viewers because of his job as a Sports anchor with Virgin Media News, but Paul Walsh has revealed a new side to the public, with the release of his debut single ‘It’s Over’, under the artist name Pink Rabbits.

After working with Dublin-based producer Ciaran Parnell, Paul has completed half of an album, with ‘It’s Over’ set to be the first of a number of single releases, before a debut album release towards the end of the year.

Paul has been writing songs for years, but decided to take it seriously when the number of songs in his catalogue continued to stack up!

“The song was written about seven or eight years ago. It’s about someone reflecting on a relationship break up (how original, I know!) and that person coming to terms or almost thinking out loud about its ending. I guess the person is in the last throes of denial before accepting that… ‘It’s Over’,” he said.

“I’ve been writing for about 15 years. I suppose I decided to focus on it seriously when I got sick of playing them in an empty bedroom at home! I felt the songs were on a par with what other Irish acts were producing, so decided to pursue it properly.”

Influenced by the likes of The National, Coldplay and Bell X1, Paul chose his favourite song by the National – Pink Rabbits – as his artist name.

“I’ll be honest – I got a few strange looks from some friends when I first suggested the name! But the more I thought about the song, its lyrics and also the memories it evokes from around the time it was released, the more the name felt right.”

Since it’s release on April 23rd, ‘It’s Over’ has been available on via Spotify, iTunes and other streaming platforms and will be available to buy as a download on Bandcamp: pinkrabbits.Bandcamp.com

Follow Pink Rabbits via Instagram @pinkrabbitsmusic.

rvstless is the new moniker of Steven McCann, a R&B/Soul project which found its feet throughout lockdown 2020.

No stranger to the live music scene, Mc Cann has played Electric Picnic, Body&Soul, Latitude in the UK and a whole host of festivals and tours, with his previous artist project TooFools and as an in demand session musician.

McCann has a track record of being the driving force behind TooFools, who, “made a splash on the Dublin music landscape” – Nialler9

After touring extensively over the past few years as a session musician, previously working alongside the likes of JyellowL, Melina Malone, Phil Coulter, Booka Brass, Ralph Rolle (Nile Rodgers & CHIC), and Lisa Hannigan to name a few, rvstless will release a debut EP later this year. The debut single ‘Wanna Be Free’ accompanied by a great DIY video, see’s the highly anticipated launch of rvstless on April 29th

The multi-instrumentalist recorded the EP solely throughout lockdown, its vision, to give people a brighter vision of what’s ahead.

“‘wanna be free’ is completely inspired by the current situation in Ireland. Everyone is essentially stuck in their particular county (Dublin), only allowed travel 5km and this song just represents wanting to live life and be free of very tough restrictions. It was fully recorded, written, mixed & mastered in my home studio to give people some hope for the future ahead!” –rvstless

On the video, rvstless says, “Hoped to capture the innocence of ‘normal life’s before the pandemic hit. Thanks to all my friends for letting me use clips from years ago when we lived a ‘normal life’ & to my ma & da for their dance moves. Stay positive.”

Previous support for Steven McCanns earlier projects and collaborations have come in from Nialler9, joe.ie, BIMM as well as a Knockanstockan headline slot and festival appearances both in Ireland and the UK.

SOCIALS

FB

Insta

Bandcamp

SoundCloud

Twitter

Spotify