Daithí is undoubtedly one of the top electronic artists in Ireland right now and his presence is beginning to be felt away from these shores too, with media in the UK and Europe pricking their ears since the release in February of his most recent single, the mesmerising ‘Familial’.
On Wednesday 1st June , Daithí kickstarts the summer with his anthemic new single ‘ Sunset ’, led by the commanding vocal presence of long-time collaborator Ailbhe Reddy , who herself has just announced a record deal with major indie label MNRK.
The single serves as the closing of one journey – 2019’s critically acclaimed, RTÉ Choice Music Prize-nominated L.O.S.S. , an album that found Daithí O’Dronaí confronting his most personal questions up to that point in his life – and the start of another. Today, Daithí announces that his third album, fittingly titled I’m Here Now , will be released on Friday, 9th September 2022 , via Strange Brew . ‘Sunset (feat. Ailbhe Reddy)’ is the opening track on I’m Here Now .
Daithí says: “Sunset was written during a writer’s weekend at the Beekeepers Artist House in Co. Clare. Ailbhe, Sinead White and I had a beautiful weekend, back working together after a few years of being apart. The natural energy from that really shaped the song: The synths build into this euphoric moment of celebration, which is countered with Ailbhe’s bittersweet lyrics. When she started singing ‘These things are never easy’, it just broke my heart. The song really became about everything we’d missed, and how happy we were to be able to do it again. It’s the opening of my new album, which is all about your place in time, and what makes you who you are.”
On ‘Sunset’, Daithí’s layered synths underpin Reddy’s distinctive vocal, culminating in a joyous crescendo that belies the beautifully wistful lyricism of ‘Sunset’ – “If you can’t even look at me / then just stare at the sunset / I know it’s getting late / you don’t have to go yet.”
Ailbhe Reddy says: “I first heard this track in December 2020 and even though it was the depths of winter, it immediately evoked the feeling of summer and festivals for me. Lyrically, it’s about bumping into someone you have history with in that context and having all the feelings come back.”
As ever, Daithí’s considered production methods manage to evoke visions of lush landscapes and big weather, and these themes, along with an underlying narrative of loss and the reclamation of oneself, are explored in the single’s accompanying film by director Michael-David McKernan, which will follow the single’s release.
Daithí is set to play a number of festivals this summer: Vestrock (The Netherlands), Sea Sessions and Body & Soul, to name a few.
He is also touring Ireland as one half of HousePlants, his project with Bell X1’s Paul Noonan, throughout May and June.
Connect with Daithí
