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Author: Breffni Banks

New Single from Daniel Cohen ‘Chain Reaction’

Daniel Cohen is a talented new Irish pop artist. He started writing music in his teens, and was part of a semi successful Irish rock band for many years.

They released an album and five singles, two of which reached the top forty and top thirty in the Irish Charts respectively. They also recorded an unreleased  second album but sadly never broke through.

Will you ride with me tonight?  

‘Will you ride with me tonight?’ was Daniel’s debut single release in June 2022. It received rave reviews and gained over 30,000 views on YouTube, reaching number 15 in the IMRO newcomer charts and received over 1000 streams on Spotify. A very good result for a fully independent artist.

Chain reaction cover

‘Chain reaction’ is a well know song performed and released by Diana Ross in 1985. While many cover versions have been released of this great track in the past, we are very happy with our version and also a new bridge section we added.

The music for the track was again done by Seamus Duignean in China again, however the vocals and mixing were completed by Daniel Cohen and Pascal Oorts in the famous Taplab studios in Antwerp, Belgium. It was in this studio that much of the ‘New beats’ songs of the 1990’s were recorded.

Daniel’s music influences are firmly based in funk soul and Motown greats. Little Richard, Bruno Mars and George Michael would be among his favourite artists and The Spinners, The Isley Brothers and The Temptations would be among his favourite groups.

Derry guitarist Paul Casey releases ELO / Jeff Lynne cover ‘Hold On Tight’

Paul Casey presents an intriguing take on Hold On Tight, along with a music video shot in Derry.

I remember as a kid listening to a 7” single of ‘Hold On Tight’ on repeat. Everything about the original song is perfect, the tempo, the backbeat, lyrics, the vocal sound and delivery. I just connected with it” says the Northern Irish guitarist.

Casey has delivered an assuredly different version of the song, slowing down the tempo and making it more 80’s synth and hypnotic guitar-driven. “Once I landed on a tempo I was amazed at how it made me think more of the lyrics. With everything that’s going on in the world today it feels like these lyrics deliver, perhaps more than ever, an important and uplifting message” Casey reflects. “I’m such a huge Jeff Lynne fan and I was worried I’d mess this up. Hopefully I haven’t!”

As usual the Derryman has shot an accompanying music video for the single, and this one features his sons. “My sons are huge music and film fans. Whether I knew it or not, I think the song encouraged me to follow my dreams, so I hope it’ll have the same effect on them.”

Hold On Tight is out on Friday, 9 September across all digital streaming services.

Watch the video here:

Eve Whelan Releases New Single “Wasted Youth”

19 year old Clonmel based singer-songwriter Eve Whelan returns with her highly anticipated new single “Wasted Youth” distributed through Dublin based Stream On Distro. This follows on from her well received debut EP release last summer.

“Wasted Youth” was written when I first moved away to begin college last year” explains Eve. “It’s about feeling completely alone and disconnected even while surrounded by crowds of people. I hated where I was living, it was too far outside of the city and covid restrictions meant my class groups were divided up and some classes were online. There were no social events taking place either, I just felt that I was spending my youth stressed and that I was running out of time. I was 17 when covid first struck and that’s the age when I should have been going out with my friends having fun, but none of that happened thanks to covid. I had missed out on so much already and then for my college experience to be so badly affected too, it was nothing like what I had imagined for years beforehand. For a while last year, I felt really misplaced in the world”.

“Wasted Youth” was written, performed and recorded by Eve between home in Clonmel, and in Cork where she is a music student at University College Cork. The track was then mixed at home with the help of friends and Andrew Whelan was later enlisted to master the track.

About Eve:

Eve Whelan has loved music from a really young age. When she was 9 years old, she joined her local marching and concert band to play the trumpet. At the age of 11 she began taking vocal lessons and has completed all of her grade exams and senior certificate in Music Theatre and Popular Singing through the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She will begin her second year as a music student at University College Cork later this month.

CONNECT WITH EVE:

SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Mairéad Carroll Set to Release Debut Single ‘Can I Say I Love You One More Time?’

Mairéad Carroll is a Singer, Songwriter, Musician, storyteller and poet from Co. Kildare. Her debut single “Can I Say I Love You One More Time?” is released on September 9th.

Mairéad has recently performed with Pete Kavanagh as well as supporting him at the Moat Theatre in November 2021 and more recently as part of the June Fest performing at The Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. She is currently showcasing her music in the Dublin Singer/songwriter and creative circles.

Mairéad is looking forward to her first headline concert in the Moat Theatre in Naas on the 4th of November. On the night, she will be performing songs from her upcoming debut EP, “If The Stars Could See You Now”. Mairéad’s songs are rooted in her love of People, Nature, Music and Poetry. She loves to connect and share her music, stories and songs with audiences. This is the magic of live music.

“Can I Say I Love You One More Time” is a song that centres on the loss of Mairéad’s beloved brother John. She captures those precious conversations she shared in those final hours. Evoked with tenderness and honesty leading the listener on a journey to their hearts. Mairéad’s love for her brother lives on in this song and as she sings.

“I love you, I love you, I love you”.

Mairéad believes in the healing powers of music, and she would love that her song heals another’s as artists have done for her heart in her grieving. This song is a celebration of love and a reminder to enjoy our today’s and not to worry about tomorrow.

Credits :

Music & Lyrics by Mairéad Carroll

Musicians – Matteo Cullen, Pat Domican Tom Domican.

Produced and Mixed by Dr. Matteo Cullen.

Mastered by Billy Farrell.

Social Media:

Instagram: maireadcarroll12

Facebook: Mairead Carroll

Twitter: Mairead Carroll @Mauneycarroll

Latest Single from pMad ‘Sisters’

The new single ‘Sisters’ is pMad’s take on those we love, gone too soon.

They don’t go away very far, they walk beside us every day….. having left such an impression on us! They are still loved, still missed and a very important influence on our lives.

‘Sisters’ by pMad is a simultaneously intense, dark, brooding and yet hopeful.

Showcasing high-energy guitars and an organically authentic drum line, “Sisters” is a emotionally warm indie rock song that boldly presents a post-punk / rock sound and lyrical style.

As always pMad has us thinking, with his powerful lyrics, this time on the love & loss of those closest to us.

Sisters’ there is an end and fly away!!

Even with the devils and the demons that often inhabited their lives, those we love that have gone too soon have left such an impression in our lives and we are grateful for the path they have led us to.

Be careful what you wish for it may not always be fair.

‘You were the one to believe in us’  pMad

BIO

Paul Dillon from Portumna, Co. Galway in Ireland is solo artist named pMad.

Following a path of introspection with a unique view of the world & what we are doing to ourselves and the planet!

‘Sisters’ now delves into the feelings we have, when people we love leave our lives too soon.

The special thing is Paul in bands The Suicidal Dufflecoats to The Greeting & now pMad, records ‘Sisters’ in the middle of a pandemic and it is created in Ireland (self-released on Zedakube Records), in collaboration with Germany (Protonaut Studio) & Mexico (Elith Mastering Labs) without ever being in the same room together.

https://www.facebook.com/pMadtheband/

https://twitter.com/pmadtheband

https://www.instagram.com/pmadtheband/

https://pmad.bandcamp.com/

pMad on YouTube

pMad on TikTok

New Single from Keith Burke ‘I’ll Begin This Letter’

This is the first single from Keith Burke’s upcoming new studio album dealing with moving on, saying goodbye, making promises and keeping them.

The first demos of the song were put down in Milan in 2019. The drums, bass and organs were recorded in Camden studios Dublin in early January 2020. As the world closed down for nearly two years the project was delayed. Recording and mixing of the album finally took place in Audioland studios in Lexlip during 2022 and with “I’ll begin this letter” scheduled for release on 9th Sept 2022.

Keith Burke grew up in Skerries, Co. Dublin.

He has proudly sung his songs at concerts in the USA, Germany, Lebanon, Italy, Spain and Egypt.

He writes mainly about anti-heroes, unconventional love stories and redemption in the ordinary.

Links
Twitter: @keithaburke
Instagram : @keithburkemusic
https://www.youtube.com/keithburke
https://www.facebook.com/Keithburkeblackbook/
https://soundcloud.com/keithaburke
https://www.patreon.com/keithaburke
https://www.songkick.com/artists/7494324-keith-burke
https://www.breakingtunes.com/keithburke
https://keithburke.bandcamp.com

 

Box Clone Set to Release Fourth Single ‘My Way’

‘My Way’ showcases Box Clone’s versatility as they delve into Hip-Hop territory, while still maintaining their trademark heavy rock sound.

An empowering song about following your own path in life despite the odds, this latest release pulses with a hypnotic groove throughout, before finally crescendoing with a blistering up-tempo finisher.

Presave ‘My Way’ now.

Box Clone play The Sound House, Dublin on 30th August. Tickets €5 on eventbrite.ie

 

Ireland Music Week Announces Artist Showcase Schedule

Ireland Music Week today announces the artist showcase schedule for 6th & 7th Oct. 50 Irish artists and 3 international Keychange acts will showcase across three Dublin venues.

The festival returns in October with the conference elements taking place across four days, and the showcases taking place over two nights. (Details on the conference coming next week).

The music will take place in the Grand Social (Loft and Ballroom), Lost Lane and the Workman’s Club (Main, Cellar and Vintage Room) – with Lost Lane being the festival hub and location for the conference during the day.

The festival places a strong focus on export-ready artists with an increased success rate year on year. Nearly 70 international bookers, labels, publishers, managers, agents, and many more professionals have confirmed to attend this annual showcase and conference, which is an essential step in any Irish artists’ development.

Sharon Barry, Director of Culture Ireland, says: “Culture Ireland is delighted to welcome a record number of international delegates to Ireland Music Week in person this year.  This annual influx of labels, agents, festival and showcase bookers, amongst other music industry representatives will make an essential contribution to the growth of global audiences for Irish music, as well as increased opportunities for Irish artists”.

Angela Dorgan, Director of Ireland Music Week, says: “It’s really exciting that we show the world just how great our music audience is in Ireland by turning up and coming out to support these future stars as they showcase their amazing talent to the world at Ireland Music Week. Let’s show them how great Irish acts can be in front of a home crowd.

Ireland Music Week continues its partnership with Keychange this year. As always, the festival strives to achieve at least a 50% representation of women and underrepresented gender minorities in its line-up.

Listen to the IMW artist playlist:

Tickets are on sale now:

Full Festival Ticket

Showcase & Conference Ticket – €80

Showcase Only Tickets

Full Showcase Ticket (all venues) – €40

Nightly Showcase Ticket (all venues) – €20

Nightly Showcase Tickets By Venue

The Workman’s Club (3 stages) – €12

The Grand Social (2 stages) – €10

Lost Lane – €8

Conference Only Tickets

Full Conference Ticket – €40

Daily Conference Ticket – €20

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ireland-music-week-2022-tickets-327187355187

IMW preview: 

|| Ireland Music Week is supported by The Arts Council and Culture Ireland ||

|| Ireland Music Week festival partners are Warner Music Ireland, Sony Music Ireland, The Record Hub, IMRO, Minding Creative Minds, CD Baby and Tapped Dublin ||

Twitter: @irlmusicweek | Instagram: @irelandmusicweek | Facebook: @irelandmusicweek

Discovering The Soundtrack To Ireland’s Future

http://irelandmusicweek.com | http://www.firstmusiccontact.com/ | https://www.breakingtunes.com/ | http://musicfromireland.org

 

 

 

 

 

ELKAE | IMRO Creative Rooms

IMRO Creative Rooms is an online content series that invites artists to share an intimate insight into their creative process, by showing the spaces they create in.

ELKAE is the electronic soul project of songwriter and producer Laura Keane. Dubbed “an exciting new force in the Irish music scene” by Hot Press, she has both a sold out headline show and a successful festival circuit under her belt (Electric Picnic, Other Voices, Indiependence, Bloom, All Together Now & We’ve Only Just Begun).

Combining funky old-school grooves and new and exciting electronic production, ELKAE has amassed listeners worldwide and been included on Spotify editorial playlists such as New Music Friday UK, Easy, Chilled pop hits, New Pop Revolution, & New Pop UK. Her debut EP ‘Girls Like You Like Me’ also caught the attention of BBC Introducing and West One Music Publishing, where she is currently signed.

Writing and producing her own music from her Dublin studio, ELKAE creates genre blending songs that are uniquely her. In 2022, we will see her continue to push boundaries and challenge herself creatively with a number of singles that solidify ELKAE as one to watch.

How important is it for you to have a dedicated creative space?

So important, I’ve noticed such an increase in my creative output since having this space set up. It’s really important for me to be able to access things really quickly while the ideas are still fresh in my head. I’m just doing music full time at the moment so having somewhere I can do that every day helps keep me disciplined.

What makes this space work for you?

I have everything set up in a really convenient way, so when I want to get going, I literally just have to plug 2 things into my laptop and press one button and everything is fired up and ready to go. I also recently bought a monitor screen and a bluetooth trackpad and keyboard and that’s way more comfortable to work on when I’m spending hours working as opposed to stretching over to a small laptop screen. I also love the privacy.

In what way(s) does this space influence your output?

Having it so accessible at all times, with minimal set up time makes it really easy to flesh out any idea I may have really quickly. Also I’ve the room set up with changing coloured lights so it can be really nice for setting certain moods, and creating a bit of a vibe. I also think the fact that it’s in my bedroom can make me feel really safe to be vulnerable and honest when it comes to writing and recording certain vocals, It’s great being able to capture the initial raw emotion in a vocal take as it’s write as opposed to trying to recreate that months later. Another perk is that I can work away into the early hours of the morning when most people are asleep, so it’s a great space to be able to sit into that inspiration with no interruptions.

What’s your favourite instrument/piece of kit? And why?

That’s a hard one, I’d have to go with my Nord Stage 2. I’ve been playing piano since I was about 5 so I’m used to real weighted keys feel and I was living abroad during covid and had to do without it and I got this cheap MIDI keyboard to use while I was away and it drove me insane! But also, as a producer, I couldn’t live without my laptop, I’ve built up quite a collection of plug ins and love nothing more than geeking out on them for hours!

What would make this space better for you?

I’d say having more space for starters. I’ve recently started producing for other artists and when I have them in for a session with other musicians, its a tight squeeze to say the least! We make it work but more room would be great. I’d also love to have a separate room or space for my studio set up that wasn’t my bedroom, there’s definitely perks to having it so close but on the days when I’m spending hours at it, I can feel the cabin fever start to set in having been in the same room all day. It also limits me to minimal gear, as there’d be no room to put anything else, but that might not be a bad thing as all my money goes on plug ins as it is!

 

Connect with ELKAE

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Breaking Tunes

Other Voices and U.C.C present Bringing It All Back Home in Cork

Other Voices is coming to University College Cork (UCC) to present a spectacular night of music live streamed from UCC’s striking riverside campus on Thursday September 29th.

UCC’s iconic Aula Maxima, its much loved Honan Chapel, and its Glucksman Gallery will be the backdrops for Other Voices: Bringing It All Back Home which promises to be an unforgettable night of music and song in Cork.

Students, staff and alumni of UCC, together with the public, will share in music’s great power to bring people together to celebrate collectively, as the University celebrates a return to campus life.

Hosted by legendary Other Voices presenter MayKay, line-up will include a remarkable array of the country’s most brilliant musicians: Mercury Prize nominee SOAK, Cork-born, London-based rising star Cian Ducrot, a solo set from the magnificent Susan O’Neill, as well as an exclusive performance from critically acclaimed Cork-born experimental artist Biig Piig.

Performances across the UCC campus will include alt-electronic artist and member of the Soft Boy Collective Yenkee, art-punk Cork three piece Pretty Happy, three-part harmony trio Rufous Nightjar consisting of Branwen Kavanagh, Anna Mieke and Zoe Basha, plus a Sunday’s Well – a band of UCC traditional musicians led by Caitlín Nic Gabhann, UCC’s artist in residence for 2022.

The celebrations will commence with Other Voices of UCC, a free public concert in the Hub. The Violet Club will headline this concert which starts at 5.30pm on 29 September.  Other acts by UCC students and staff in the line-up include Goa, a pipa performer from China, an opera performance by Grace Murphy, a rap performance by Raphael Olympio and a lively session by the UCC Traditional Society. The event is open to all on a first come first serve basis. After the concert, the Other Voices main event will be live streamed on screen in the Hub from 7pm.

South Wind Blows Producer, Other Voices’ founder and UCC graduate Philip King returns to his native city and the campus where he began his performing career.

“My own musical expedition began in UCC and was informed in every way by the music that I heard, the people that I met and the wonderful experience that I had as a student in the University. It is the realisation of a long held ambition to bring Other Voices back home to the beautiful campus of the University and to Cork City.”

UCC President Professor John O’Halloran stated that the most beautiful campus in Ireland will echo with music and dance:

“The arts have the power to both inspire and bring people together. After two years of the pandemic our community will be brought together, as the most beautiful University campus in Ireland will echo with music and dance. We have exciting plans for the future development of arts and culture at UCC and we are proud to welcome home distinguished UCC alumnus Philip King. We thank Bank of Ireland for their support and hope this event is enjoyed by all both at home and across the world.”

Ian McMorrough, Director of Bank of Ireland Area South said:

“We are delighted to support UCC in bringing Other Voices to this fantastic campus. It is great to see the return of cultural events nationwide and Other Voices at UCC promises to be a unique and special evening for those attending at the University or watching around the world. Bank of Ireland would like to wish everybody involved the very best of luck with the event.”

Other Voices and UCC will stream Other Voices: Bringing It All Back Home live to the world from across the UCC Campus at 7pm on Thursday 29th September.  Irish and international music fans can watch the performances for free on Other Voices’ YouTube and Facebook platforms fans can set a reminder here now.

Limited access to the Other Voices: Bringing It All Back Home events in the Aula Maxima, Honan Chapel, and The Glucksman will be facilitated by a ticketed lottery.

Updates on the event and the lottery are available on www.othervoices.ie/events/ovucc . Winners will be informed on 23 September 2022.

Full details are available at Othervoices.ie and by following #OVUCC on social media.

This collaborative livestream is produced in partnership by South Wind Blows, Other Voices and UCC and made possible with the generous support of the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht and Bank of Ireland.

 

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