And So I Watch You From Afar
Info: In our latest Irish independent playlist here on REMY we scoop up some of the best Irish single releases from the last few weeks across a wide array of genres.
We kick off with the latest single from And So I Watch You From Afar, 'Dying Giants', a math-rock infused instrumental opus which shows the Belfast four-piece in the finest of experimental form. The track's relentless hard-rock edge concludes it's final moments with an orchestral Morricone-esque minute of calm which is the perfect landing to finish on.
Another track that tickled us pink instantly on first listen was Marc O'Reilly's 'Enemy Of', slick rock riffs which at times doff their cap to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and at others early Foo Fighters, Waterford's O'Reilly gives is a swinging slice of blues-rock with all of the swagger and grooves you can fit into 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
Back to Belfast we come to Beauty Sleep's, well, sleepy dream-pop single 'Until We See The Sun'. Fans of M83 and Tame Impala will enjoy the retro-synth and thud-thumping yet subtle bass-lines running through the track. As is their wont, the vocal interplay is spot on in creating that drifting feeling on a single that is primed for a flipped on it's head remix down the road.
Beauty Sleep - Photo: Megan Doherty
One of the acts we got to catch and found highly enjoyable at this years Hard Working Class Heroes was Dublin's Super Silly, who released their new single 'Mile High Club' this week. From a swarming muted intro, the rn'b soul-funk quartet drop a track with dizzying beats and synths and the right amount of pop-layering covering it all to leave you smiling inside.
Having easily moved into the top tier of Irish electronic acts over the last 12 months, Dublin producer Bad Bones excites us once again on her new single 'You'. Recalling the likes of Gold Panda's jerking glitch-hop, but with a more uptempo pace, Bad Bones' sound drills through you, as though your torso were pushed right up against a massive sub-woofer speaker, this is an artist who is possibly on the cusp of over-taking the pack within her genre domestically.
Bad Bones @ HWCH 2017 - Photo: Sarah Ryan (TSF)
Northern Irish alternative-folk act Lilla Vargen returns with her first release since 2015 in the form of single 'Hold On', after receiving high-praise for her debut demos almost 2 years ago. Vargen's strength lies in conveying raw emotion in her lyrics whilst ensuring that her voice is in no way subsumed by the music, it is in every sense a platform and accompaniment for the delivery of her stunning vocal range, and it hits home without any fuss.
When Dublin experimental-folk duo Carriages released their single 'Like A Child' last year it blew us away and was by far one of our favourite singles of 2016. The pair now return with their sophomore EP, Movement, which was released on the 29th of September, and here we feature the beautiful new single 'Hardest Mile'. Carriages deliver a delicate and ambient filled track which glows with warmth whilst at the same time feeling poignant and sombre.
Ailbhe Reddy - The Tube
With the world currently at her feet after signing a major label deal with London-based publishing house BDi Music, Dublin's Ailbhe Reddy released her latest single 'The Tube' with accompanying video just yesterday. Like all good singles, 'The Tube' hits the right notes straight away but repeated listens make it grow on you very quickly. The energetic and angsty power of the folk-pop track are expressed with aplomb, with Reddy describing the theme of the song as follows; "The Tube is a song about having no explanation good enough for someone, so the only thing I had left to offer was the small gesture of walking them to the nearest tube station...It's a song about struggling to express yourself properly to someone, which I think is probably pretty universal."
Electro-pop groove-masters All Tvvins dropped their second single since the release of last year's critically acclaimed debut LP IIVV, 'Anything', at the end of last month. It heralds a distinct sea-change in their sound as they shift from the more guitar-based sounds of the album to a more electronic dance-floor vibe. Following their appearance at Electric Picnic last month, Dublin guitar-pop quartet Ivy Nations release their latest single 'Sentimental Hearts', a lush pop-driven indie number that is awash with fast-paced guitar progressions, soaring vocals and a smashing pre-chorus.
For our previous independent Irish playlist, head along here to listen to Issue #12 here https://thebestofmusicandfilm.blogspot.ie/2017/09/playlist-remy-soule-jondots-1000beasts-karms-sessionmotts.html
