Author: Breffni Banks

In the realm of wonder, where Afrobeat, Afro swing, and Amapianao melodies intertwine, a remarkable tale unfolds. Enter Tommy Tomad, a singer and songwriter hailing from Louth. He stands at the forefront of a musical revolution, championing a sub-genre known as Afro Rng (rhythm and groove), alongside his faithful crew, TFCLIQUE. Together, they weave a spellbinding tapestry of sound.

Tommy Tomad’s latest single, ‘Maltina,’ dances through the air like a mischievous sunbeam, casting its trippy enchantment upon all who listen. It serves as a joyous reminder of the resplendent wonders found within AfroRnG (Rhythm and Groove).  He allows his unique personality to shine through, like a vibrant blossom in a magical garden. ‘Maltina’ is a delightful fusion, where Tommy’s honey-glazed vocals transport us to a realm akin to ‘Party With A Jagaban’ by Midas The Jagaban, but with an authentic Irish twist.

Reflecting on the creative process, Tommy Tomad shared, “We embarked on a recording camp, where days melded into dreams. A gathering of my artist and producer friends filled the air with creativity. Soundchef, the musical sorcerer, conjured a bewitching beat, which caught my fancy. ‘Maltina’ sprouted from a freestyle, a captivating melody that clung to our hearts, and we surrendered to its flow. Then, Json appeared like a musical sprite, adding a kaleidoscope of melodies to our brew.”

Tommy Tomad’s musical odyssey began in his tender years, as he embarked on adventures within the church choir, dance groups, and local talent shows. It was there that he discovered the power of his voice, crafting melodies that echoed through the mystical lands. In 2018, he unveiled his debut opus, the ‘Sweet Dreams Tape,’ casting a spell on all who listened. His enchanting essence graced ‘Jayie,’ a track that found its home within Evans Juniors’ mesmerizing ‘Organised Mess’ album. Tommy Tomad’s journey continued to unfold, illuminating the stage as a supporting act for the illustrious Adekunle Gold in the UK. Ever since, Tommy Tomad has been a tireless advocate, breathing life into the resounding echoes of afrobeat within the enchanting lands of Ireland. With every note, he hopes to leave an indelible mark upon the ever-growing magical genre.

‘Maltina’ is available on all major streaming platforms.

The emerging folk singer-songwriter Sean Healy has just released his new single ‘Tell Me Now Cecilia’. The song was written by Sean Healy himself and mixed and mastered by Sam Wheat who has previously worked with industry greats such as Amy Winehouse and Van Morrison.

The singer returned to his hometown of Dublin last year, after spending several years in China. While there, Sean spent time working in the animation and film business in China and with New Zealand and Europe. His brimming creativity has been focused on creating and performing music in Ireland and the UK for the last year.

Following his debut single ‘Drift Around’ in 2021, Healy released his debut EP at the beginning of this year. The new single, much like his previous releases, follows in the footsteps of the great folk tradition, focusing only on the tale and accompanied just with acoustic guitar. The track perfectly honours the work of these narrators and songwriters, with Healy integrating his own history with his heroes.

‘Tell Me Now Cecilia’ is available now on all major streaming platforms.

On May 12th, Between//Roads released their new single, ‘Burden’, which follows the release of B//R’s well received track ‘Blue Eyes.’

Although it has been two years since the last release, the band feel that this track now captures Between//Roads at their best.

“‘Burden’ was written in an effort to portray the theme of platonic love. Despite its name, the song celebrates the greatness of having people in your life who know you better than you may even know yourself. It highlights the power of meaningful friendships, emphasising the importance of companionship and support. The lyrics capture the essence of love and friendship, reminding us of the beauty of true connections.”

STREAM ‘Burden’ here:

Connect with Between//Roads

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As co-founder, guitarist and co-songwriter for Kodaline, Mark Prendergast has achieved over a billion streams, three #1 albums in Ireland, two Top 5 records in the UK and played shows all over the world. Now he introduces a new side to his creativity as he shares ‘Be Someone’, the debut single from his new solo project Man Alive.

‘Be Someone’ is a tender, star-reaching dose of alt-folk which is closer to the realms of Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers than it is to Kodaline. Mark’s voice is delicate and precise, whispering around the production like a call from an imaginary friend before gaining strength for its hypnotic hook. Yet within the beauty and spaciousness of the song, his words convey a palpable sense of the inner turmoil that follows the conflict that comes with an unexpected break-up: “Was it a joke when you said you’d be mine?”

Mark says, “‘Be Someone’ is about a long-distance relationship falling apart, and how when you’re with somebody, they make you feel like a certain type of person, but then when you end the relationship and you’re by yourself, you always become a completely different person.”

A break-up, followed by lockdown inspired Mark to write, record and produce a catalogue of songs from his home studio. ‘Be Someone’ is just the first taste of more music to follow that will see Mark touch upon elements that hint at Tame Impala, Harry Styles, Coldplay and a whole lot more.

Mark’s friend Aisling Bea proved to be a pivotal influence for him to take Man Alive to the wider world. He played her an early version of ‘Be Someone’ when they were in Los Angeles in 2021, and her belief in the project really pushed him to make it happen. But all friendships sometimes need a little tough love, and that moment came when Aisling convinced Mark that the name of his original artist alter ego – Blood Type – was “shit and doesn’t match your music.”

Aisling was also present last weekend when Mark held a wildly over capacity party at home to launch Man Alive. His six-piece band played (including Josh McClorey, guitarist for The Strypes, Miles Kane and Declan McKenna), while his friends James Vincent McMorrow and Gavin James also performed, with Aisling acting as MC for the night.

There’s plenty more to come from Mark and Kodaline in the future, but Man Alive’s journey is just beginning. While it offers endless opportunities, a few beers, exploring some ideas and writing some good songs is as far as his ambition stretches… for now.

‘Be Someone’ is available on all major streaming platforms now.

Skies Behind are a Cork, Ireland based indie rock band whose sound is founded on the raw emotion and energy of alternative rock. Vulnerable lyricism, coupled with carefully crafted instrumental textures, allows their music to seamlessly move between genres and emotions.

The band has recently completed their first headline tour which has seen them build a strong audience across Ireland. Playing packed out gigs in venues such as Whelan’s upstairs in Dublin, Cork’s Cyprus Avenue, McHugh’s in Belfast and Aras na Gael in Galway. They have played gigs in their local music scene alongside acts such as Under Starling and Kill ‘Em Charlie.

Their new single ‘Call It What You Want’ approaches the need for self-belief and love in a culture that subconsciously & reflexively resists aspiring for better. This idea explores the conflicting lived experience of Irish youth, where an internet driven worship of excellence and personal growth is contrasted by the reality of societal regression, personal isolation, and diminishing future prospects.

This message reflects the evolution of the band’s sound. Through ambient and dreamy verses, juxtaposed by provocative and dynamic choruses, vocalist Dan Sheedy despairs at feelings of disappointment in life’s relentlessness. A biting and aggressive lead coupled with an explosive rhythm section creates a sense of urgency to conform, or not, to society’s expectation of how people should be.

‘Call It What You Want’ is now available on all major streaming platforms

Stamped with an individuality and high style of her own, Cork born BIMM Dublin graduate Chubby Cat has already been making waves in Ireland and the UK with her earlier singles, Not a Vibe, Big Dog Barking, Baby Blue & Ache picking up exciting support at radio, press and across Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music etc

Having been named as one of the Hot Press Hot for 2023 acts, Chubby Cat was recently featured in the RTE 2XM ‘Sessions From Oblivion’

Her most recent release Big Dog Barking was included on Spotify’s New Music Friday, Fresh Finds UK & Ireland, an alternative future and Alternative Ireland playlists while the song was ‘Track of the Week’ on Spin South West and received significant play across 2FM, Today FM and a host of other Irish and international stations.

With her new single ’21st Century Panic Attack’, an alt-pop earworm with an 808 beat, Chubby Cat is set to distinguish herself as one of Ireland’s most exciting new artists. Writing about the track, she says that “‘21st Century Panic Attack’ is an embodiment of how claustrophobic the world can feel these days because of being surrounded by social media. We are given constant reminders of how perfect we are required to be in order to live our “best” lives. The pressure cooker that is the online world can be all consuming so it’s important to try and step away from that for a while to feel grounded every now and again.”

’21st Century Panic Attack’ is available now on all major streaming platforms.

Following on from the immense success of pop infused Track ‘Fan Girl ‘ which was released in March , Irish Indie Pop artist Taylor D is set to release her brand new song ‘Liar ‘ . This track is taken from Taylor’s new EP ‘Fan Girl ‘ which is set to be released early Autumn this year.

Versatility is shown in the multi instrumentalist and songwriters style as Liar demonstrates a dark and tense persona compared to previous upbeat track ‘Fan Girl ‘.

With its catchy nature, the dark and electric track confidently calls out a betrayal of trust and also sees Taylor explore a variety of genres, which is a real testament to her many talents.

This track focuses particularly on a rock/pop sound, with the genres all blending perfectly together to create the infectiously upbeat single.

It can be streamed on all platforms on June 9th.

Upcoming performances

Riverfest 23-25 June

EP Launch September 15th 2023

Lead photo by Julia Gocman

Driven Snow release ‘In Moonlight’ on 9 June 2023 via FIFA Records.  The fourth song to date, ‘In Moonlight’ adds a new texture and dimension to the duo’s emerging catalogue. The jaunty, upbeat instrumentation, rhythms and vocals clash seamlessly with a sorry but familiar tale of a land where housing crisis threatens the life and spirit of its cities.

“It is about the difficulty of being a musician in the city,” vocalists Kieran and Emily explain. “The feeling that you have to sacrifice, beyond what’s reasonable, just to survive.”

The fledgling song grew out of a challenge, set by producer Tommy McLaughlin, to write something faster and louder than the rest of their tunes. And somehow it manages to be both melancholy and optimistic, searching and resolute, thoughtful and upbeat. Played live it gets a lasting reaction and is a perfect example of Driven Snow developing their sound while keeping to their strengths: making music that means something.”

Tired of forever being sounding boards for each other’s songs, Kieran and Emily worked away quietly on a collaborative musical venture for a number of years.

Little by little Driven Snow began to coalesce in the shape of a collection of songs that are at odds with, yet informed by, the duo’s collective musical outings (Kieran as a lynchpin of Delorentos and Emily as a vocalist with Republic of Loose and Stars On Fire). The pair decamped (with children, grandparents and all) to Donegal, taking their musical sketches up to Tommy McLaughlin’s Attica Studios (Villagers, SOAK, Pillow Queens) and encouraging them to grow into simple, gentle tunes with a big heart and a common soul.

At the beginning of 2022 Driven Snow was ready to take a step into the real world… Their opening salvos have offered a tantalising hint of the yearning curiosity in their songwriting via a mix of classic harmonies housed in uncluttered acoustic and electronic sounds. Influences include Neil Young, Beach House, Cat Power, Scandinavian TV shows and fireside beers. The realities of life as a musician in modern Ireland have never been more beautifully articulated.

For their new project Kieran and Emily have a simple aim: that Driven Snow will make music that they would listen to – music that means something.

‘In Moonlight’ is available on all major streaming platforms now.