Author: Breffni Banks

Patrick Stefan is an Irish-Dutch singer and wayfarer; born in Co. Clare now based in Dublin, he’s travelled & lived in different corners of the world from Scandinavia, Brazil to Africa. Inspiration for his songs come from a colourful background of experience: learning tribal songs in Mali, jazz guitar in Boston, folk singing in Helsinki and drumming in north Brazil. His songs have been compared in sound to Paul Simon, Jose Gonzalez, Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake, James Blake, Milton Nascimento and Peter Broderick.  After much wayfare, Patrick Stefan is releasing his debut album of songs 23^rd September 2022.

Today, Patrick shares Drinking alone in the Moonlight, the second single from his debut album wayfare.

‘Drinking alone in the moonlight’ takes its name from an 8th Century poem by Li Bai, known for his poems about wandering, nature, mindfulness & solitude. The poem longs for friends, but settles with the company of his own shadow and the moon –

“When I sing the moon dances, when I dance my shadow dances too”

Speaking of the song, Patrick says “A fellow wanderer of the world and of the self, the simplicity of the words resonated with the solo experiences that shaped my upcoming album Wayfare. I wrote the song first on a Finnish Kantele – a child’s harp, then brought it to life with a guitar accompaniment & strings that reminded me of Nick Drake in a classic 50’s movie. To a Taoist, Li Bai’s drunkenness would not be seen as a vice: I like to connect the idea of drink & dancing alone with your shadow to Carl Jung’s idea of the ‘shadow self’ – the dance with the part of you that you keep hidden.”

Drinking alone in the moonlight was recorded at Black Mountain studios & mixed by Alex Borwick. String arrangements by Patrick stefan, cello & viola by Gabriele Dikciute & Philip Keegan. It was produced by Alex Borwick (Sam Fender, Niamh Regan, Moxie) & Patrick stefan. Mastered by Darragh Nolan.

Pre-order Patrick stefan’s album ‘Wayfare’ on Bandcamp:

https://patrickstefan.bandcamp.com/album/wayfare

Upcoming shows:

Resonate Music Network Residency with Navá, Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, (August)

Support for Niamh Regan @ Galway Arts Festival (July 16^th)

Niamh Regan is a critically acclaimed songwriter from Kilrickle, Co Galway. She returns to her home town with her full band to perform at the Róisín Dubh, as part of the Galway International Arts Festival, Saturday 16^th July 2022, with support from Clare singer songwriter Patrick Stefan.

Niamh says: “I’ve been going to the GIAF since as far back as I can remember. I feel so proud to be asked to play this year. It feels like a milestone as a Galway artist to join such an incredible array of artists from all over the world. I’m also very excited to have Patrick Stefan join us on the night too.”

Released amid the pandemic in 2020, Niamh’s debut album Hemet announced her arrival as one of the most distinctive songwriters in Ireland today. Earning nominations for both the RTE Folk Awards’ and the Choice Awards’ Album of the Year, the album received soaring praise, and led to performances on The Late Late Show, Other Voices, and La Blogothèque.

Following her studies in flute and guitar in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL, Regan honed her craft as a songwriter by travelling between Ireland and California, writing about her experiences along the way. As a result, her songs seamlessly weave the intimacy of the Irish lyrical tradition with the expansive breadth of American songwriters such as Karen Dalton, Stevie Nicks, and Joni Mitchell, but the resulting sound is entirely her own.

A natural storyteller, Regan’s songs are windows into her world, snapshots of the intimacy of everyday life. This is evident on her latest EP, In the Meantime, which was generously supported by the Galway International Arts Festival Elevate Bursary. The EP is a collection of songs written during the challenges of the pandemic, exploring themes of acceptance, uncertainty, independence, family guilt, silence, and ordinary acts of love. With her singular mastery, Regan’s songwriting draws us into the intricate details of everyday life and elevates them into something universal.

Niamh performs at the Róisín Dubh, 8pm, Saturday 16^th July as part of the Galway International Arts Festival, with her full band. Support will be Clare singer songwriter Patrick stefan. Tickets €20 available from giaf.ie

Buy/Stream Niamh’s releases at: https://shor.by/zC6c

Follow Niamh on…

Spotify | Apple Music | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |Bandcamp | http://niamhregan.com/

Markéta Irglová, the Academy Award winner known most famously for staring in the movie ‘ONCE’ and as one half of the duo The Swell Season, is ready to step back into the spotlight with LILA, her first record in over eight years.

Part 1 of a making-of video, from the recording session at Masterkey Studios in Iceland, which took place in October 2021 is out now. Filmed and edited by Sion Fullana, this piece focuses on ’My Roots Go Deep’, the first single from a full-length album by Markéta Irglová and Sturla Mio Thorisson titled LILA (coming August 2022).

Sion Fullana is a Barcelona based photographer and visual storyteller, a dear friend and collaborator of Marketa’s for over a decade now.

Speaking of about the video, Markéta says “Now that the first single from my record has been flying around the world for a couple of weeks, I would love to share with you this MAKING-OF video PART 1 by my dear friend, photographer, and visual story-teller Sion Fullana, you already know him and his work very well if you have been following me for some time.

 This footage was taken last October in Masterkey Studios, during the recording of LILA with Sounds Like Mio, Peter Moc, Manu Barreto and Marja Gaynor.

 I am so grateful to Sion for filming and editing this footage captured during a very special time in my life. Perhaps it will also give you a closer look at the process, which was so fun and beautifully creative. Thank you for watching.”

MARKETA IRGLOVA:

https://marketairglova.com/

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

As she prepares to support Orla Gartland across Ireland, Irish alt-folk star Maria Kelly has released ‘nobody but me (postcards version)’ featuring the vocals of singer/songwriter and YouTube sensation Sammy Copley. The single is out on Wednesday 6th July 2022 via VETA Music.

Gentle piano and waves of synth embrace the listener as Maria and Sammy sing of how “In myself, I’ve lost faith / I’ve lost it / Let it go to waste.” The song, which is ultimately one of resilience in spite of self-doubt, gains new meaning as the pair’s voices build upon one other.

“This version of ‘nobody but me’ has quickly become my favourite of the alternative album tracks. Sammy’s voice is just stunning, and I genuinely feel very lucky that he agreed to sing this song with me,” Maria says of the revisited song. “The original album track is as simple and soft – yet there’s something about this piano version with Sammy that adds weight to the meaning; the sadness of finding yourself in a difficult place, and the energy it takes to pull yourself back out of it.”

Sammy shares: “‘nobody but me’ is a song that continues to find me at the perfect time. Whether it be when I first heard Maria’s album, after a now treasured recommendation for new music from someone on Twitter; in a shuffled playlist on a long bus commute, just as I was going through some major life changes (inevitably the only song I listened to on the journey); or when being asked by the artist herself to write a postcard based on a track from her album, this song is always exactly what I need to hear. It was a surreal honour to be asked to contribute to a reimagining of what is genuinely one of my favourite songs, and I think this version gives it a whole new meaning.”

The single is the latest in a series of ‘postcard versions’ of her songs, including the previously-released ‘Like I Used To (feat. Sive)’ and ‘Martha (feat. Ciaran Lavery)’. Maria Kelly’s ‘Postcards In-between’ project comprises an exhibition, a tour and new music and brings together some of Ireland’s finest artists to have conversations about mental health and the supports that are available, including the services provided by Minding Creative Minds. Other artists involved in this project are Saint Sister, James Vincent McMorrow & Rosie Carney.

Live Dates

Mon 11th July 2022 Whelan’s, Dublin*

Tues 12th July 2022 Róisín Dubh, Galway*

Thurs 14th July 2022 Cyprus Avenue, Cork*

Fri 15th July 2022 Dolans Warehouse, Limerick*

Sat 16th July 2022 The Academy, Dublin*

Fri 29th July 2022 All Together Now, Waterford

*supporting Orla Gartland, all shows sold out.

Connect with Maria Kelly 

IG | TWITTER | FB

Farah Elle is fast becoming one of Ireland’s most prominent and promising new artists.

Blending her signature Arabic-inspired, strong rock vocal with complex piano arrangements, the Libyan-Irish singer and composer makes timeless music with a modern edge reminiscent of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Kimbra and Aṣa.

Her latest single ‘Desert’ is the second to be released from her upcoming album Fatima. Out on Wednesday 6th July, the 4 minute radio edit of ‘Desert’ will give listeners a glimpse of the full-length version that will be available on the accompanying video and on the album.

‘Desert’ follows the April release of ‘Play It By Ear’ – a song that garnered enough attention for RTÉ to invite Farah to feature on their new summer music TV show, The MainStage, to perform her cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’. The show will air on RTÉ One in July. Farah was also interviewed for full-length features with magazines such as The Thin Air, Stellar Magazine, Dublin Live and the Dublin Gazette on the back of that release, as well as entering the Irish Radio Breaker Charts and being included on RTÉ Radio 1’s ‘Radio 1 Recommends’ list.

Farah says: “There’s a story to this one. My phone was broken for 24hrs and nobody was contacting me because they didn’t have access; which is actually a very rare thing to happen here in 2022. So, like that, along with the clarity and freedom of going about my day without a phone, I wrote Desert in 15 minutes. It’s the quickest song I’ve ever written and it’s probably my favorite on the album. Something people don’t realize about me is how introverted I actually can be. It’s very difficult to balance that time and space into my schedule, as well as the expectations and pressure I put on myself to be the person I am.

“This song came straight from the root, during a much-needed moment alone. The deep listening, the peaceful silence, the stillness of calm water. The kind of solitude we finally achieve after we become so overwhelmed by the busy ways of modern life and outside energies. Then, when we catch that time & space to connect with nature & ourselves, it washes over us and recharges us.”

Farah Elle’s powerful cadence is a commanding force amongst instantly captivating cinematic soundscapes. Through songwriting, the North African-Irish artist explores her heritage and upbringing and how it manifests as she experiences life.

On her debut album FATIMA, due for release this autumn, themes of displacement in the period post-Libyan Revolution coexist with songs navigating the challenges of adulthood. Farah describes this introduction as a “coming of age record”, one across which she hears herself “unfolding in the songs”. Farah Elle has melded her combined North African and Irish heritage to create a sound that is thoroughly contemporary and completely her own.

To date, Farah has played numerous prestigious venues and festivals including Vicar Street, The Sugar Club, Electric Picnic, and All Together Now. In November 2021, Farah collaborated with renowned Irish folk musician Liam Ó Maonlaí for a performance commissioned specially for the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. As well as working as an artist, Farah dedicates time to humanitarian aid work and working with young people from ethnic minorities on creative expression through music. She also gives music and wellness workshops to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Connect with Farah Elle: www.farahelle.com 

Based in Dublin, Iain Andrew is a folk singer who lays bare his soul through his honest and candid songwriting. His approach blends folk and alternative rock with personal reflections and poetry, depicting the light and dark of the human experience. His latest single, ‘Overflowed’ is a powerful indie/alt-country song about pouring your heart out to someone who is still hung up on their past love. It’s his second single of 2022, following ‘The Good Weather Was Supposed To Last Longer’, a poignant ode to a decaying relationship. In his most expressive and impassioned work to date, Iain utilises heavy symbolism and metaphors to capture the listener, over a bed of driving instrumentation.

Though he’s been playing music since age 12, it wasn’t until 2019 that Iain found his voice with his debut EP ‘everything is waiting for you’, containing 2 lofi folk songs recorded on an old Tascam cassette portastudio from the 80s. This was followed by ‘i can’t get hurt if i’m alone’, another lofi EP which garnered some modest success, with the title track reaching over 80,000 streams. In this earlier work, Iain took a DIY approach, recording alone in his Dublin city apartment to cassette tape. With his latest work, however, long-time friend and audio engineer Peter Ashmore took the reins at Hellfire Studios, co-producing, engineering, and mixing, as well as playing drums.

“Overflowed” is out now on all streaming platforms.

Listen to “Overflowed” here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4Ia1snIRXy3ifhimavSQ4y?si=Iqm5TgedQxSlNDal-rPe7Q
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/overflowed-single/1628439893
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/iainandrew/sets/overflowed
Bandcamp: https://iainandrew.bandcamp.com/album/overflowed

The 28 year old singer-songwriter from Offaly has been making waves on the music scene since only penning her first-ever song in December 2019. Compared to the likes of Lana Del Rey and Amy Winehouse, Anna has already turned some notable heads.

“I was powerfully struck by her astonishing range, and the way she weaves between a near-whisper and a wavering, throaty vibrato” – Tanis Smither of Hot Press

“Offering up a slice of irresistible indie-pop and always wearing her heart on her sleeve, Anna’s gentle sonic brand is both perfectly charming and endlessly thought-provoking.” – Right Chord Music

Anna played on the Hot Press lockdown sessions in 2020 and was recently chosen as 1 of 5 local heroes for Midlands 103 as part of Irish Music Month with Hot Press. Since then, she has played mainstage at The Workmans, headlined the Town Hall Theatre, Galway and recently returned to the Town Hall to support Brad Heidii.

Anna’s distinct sound has become more established during the creation of the album. She describes ‘I’m the Fool’ as a collection of stories from a darker period of her life. “I moved home to Offaly at the start of the pandemic, the peacefulness of the countryside and time spent in lockdown almost forced me to reflect on past events and people, I’d only just written my first song that December before I moved home and this is when I wrote the majority of the album so some of the tracks come across as dark and haunting. I’m a fan of tarot cards and they helped me during that darker period. It seemed fitting to theme my album around tarot cards.”

‘I’m the Fool’ title tracks the album, a song filled with emotion and regret, yet the fool has a dual meaning – in tarot, it is an entrepreneurial person who is not afraid to take risks and follow their dreams – The album dramatically introduces the concept of the fool with an eerie dissonant electronic mix combined with Anna’s spoken word which sets the scene for the following tracks in the album. Anna poses as the fool tarot card on the album cover with her dog Poppy who was her loyal first listener during the writing process. ‘I’m the Fool’ is an album that documents a specific chapter of Anna’s story, one that many can relate to through Anna’s willingness to be honest through her lyrics and emotional in her delivery of them.

Are you ready for a Revolution of Love? In this crazy world of negativity, everyone wants to find love but you have to dig deep, show up and let it rise up. All relationships start like this but are you ready?

Irish Artist & Producer Leo Dynamic1 returns with his latest release ‘Revolution of Love’.

It is a collaboration with U.K Singer and Songwriter Dee Freer. Dee Freer from Surrey in England brings soulful vocals on this uplifting 80s influenced feel good dance record.

Leading us into the peak of Summer, Jameson and Dublin’s most innovative music venue The Sound House have joined forces to create a series of intimate Summer events. The series will showcase some of Ireland’s most exciting forward-facing creatives and hottest up-and-coming acts from the world of hip hop, R’N’B, pop-folk and rock throughout. Taking place every Wednesday in July, the Jameson Connects Series will launch on the 6th of July and end on the 27th of July. In the heart of Dublin, a live experience is set to spice up your summer.

Kicking off the first night with one of Ireland’s most prolific young talents, Malaki and emerging Irish rapper from Tallaght, Curtisy whose sound veers towards abstract hip-hop with inspiration from the vibrant underground hip-hop scene of New York City. Followed by the return of Drummer / Producer / Artist Alex Gough whose material pushes the artistic envelope with his combination of creative restlessness and undeniable talent. Making her Sound House debut is teen sensation, Saibh Skelly. In addition to alternative hip hop duo Tebi Rex who recently performed for President Micheal D Higgins. They will be joined by Daire Patel and Bricknasty another band that is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about live act in the country. The series closes with rap newcomers Travis and Elzzz who are set to heat up the stage, making it a series to never be forgotten.

Line Up:

Malaki – 6th July

Curtisy – 6th July

Alex Gough – 13th July

Saibh Skelly – 13th July

Tebi Rex – 20th July

Daire Patel – 20th July

Bricknasy – 20th July

Travis – 27th July

Elzzz – 27th July

Hosted at The Sound House at Eden Quay Dublin, a venue that is home to the Wiley Fox bar, a lower multipurpose floor which acts as a home for Dublin’s most vibrant promoters who bring the best in upcoming and established local and international talent to the stage. Whilst the main room upstairs flows out to a beautifully lit outdoor terrace acting as a trendy event hub suitable for club nights afternoon events. Join us and explore our refreshing cocktail menu whilst being catered to by staff who are dedicated to exceeding your expectation.

Live show tickets for each gig are now available for purchase via event brite – Link below:

Malaki & Curtisy (6th July) https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/371153318567

Alex Gough & Saibh Skelly (13th July) https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/371159687617

Tebi Rex, Darie Patel & Brick Nasty (20th July) https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/371178584137

Travis & Elzzz (27th July) https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/371162887187

For more information please visit
https://thesoundhouse.ie/
https://www.instagram.com/thesoundhousedublin/

(Image: Alex Gough)