Alternative indie-pop outfit The Hard Ground have released “Triptych”, their second album. Triptych is the culmination of a year’s worth of material that has seen the Cork based band release the album in a staggered manner since May last year. Triptych: 1 and 2, both digital EPs, were released in 2014. The final EP in the series, Triptych: 3, the missing part of the puzzle, was released on April 10th, giving rise to the physical release of the full Triptych album, a culmination of all three EPs and a bonus track.
“Pucker” the band’s latest single, has been garnering much attention from both audience and industry, and recently received a nod of approval from UK music industry publication, “Record of the Day”. A dream-pop offering, the track has been featured across seventeen stations in Ireland over the past three weeks and has recently been playlisted on RTE Radio 1.
Seeking to approach the recording and release of an album in a new way, the band set about the project in early 2014 working with producer Christian Best in Monique Studios in Cork city. The method of release, inspired by the ‘triptych’ art concept, is a response to the challenges faced by recording artists in today’s music industry. The ‘album’ – the backbone of the record industry – has been rapidly replaced by an increasingly fragmented means of consumption.
Independently released, the constant writing, recording, and touring schedule has had a huge influence on the album. Undertaken as a real time recording project, the album documents the development of the band’s sound and songwriting over the last twelve months giving the listener an intimate insight in the creative process.
The Hard Ground tour Ireland over the next three months with dates in Dublin and Cork. For a full list of shows visit their website www.thehardground.com
