Photo: Eleanor Jameson
Info: REMY's latest Irish independent playlist is here featuring some of the best tracks to be released over the last few weeks, and there have been many, all wonderful. As well as your ears, we have some delights for your eyes, with new music videos from Æ MAK, THUMPER and Alice Robinson.
1) Æ MAK - 'Too Sad to Sing'
Æ MAK's Aoife McCann has confirmed what we all kind of knew was inevitable over the past 12 months, and that is that she is right up there as one of Ireland's outstanding musical talents right now. The reasons are many, flowing creativity, musical and artistic vision, consistency, and an ability to serve up something we have never quite seen or heard before, yet making it so easily accessible. This isn't by any means a parochial 'one of ours' view either, if Æ MAK were from anywhere in the world, we'd feel the exact same way.
Newest single 'Too Sad to Sing' speaks to all of these elements perfectly, and the music video (below) helps to bring those feelings home too. Dealing with the exhausting theme of internal highs and lows, creeping anxiety and fleeting elation, the thread of plonking synth notes and sudden gushes of bright pop beats are gripping, and highly enjoyable. McCann will be selling out large venues before long.
2) THUMPER - '(You're Bringing Me) Down'
THUMPER will always be a nailed on favourite for fans of anarchic pop-punk who enjoy a mouthful of dirt with their distortion. On latest single '(You're Bringing Me) Down' they stay true to their school, but also shed a small amount of the overt fuzz that covered previous releases, I liked how vocals were barely audible on some tracks in the past, but I'm enjoying the shift in style on this single very very much. Sound-wise I think of elements of the sadly forgotten mid-90's London rock act Symposium's One Day at a Time album, and also Placebo who I've been revisiting recently. For proper gratification listen to the extended version of the single, THUMPER at their most aurally blissful.
3) Rews - 'Can You Feel It?'
Sticking to the rock noise vibes, Belfast / London duo Rews released new single 'Can You Feel It?' this week, the opening crunch immediately pushing aside your inner Jackson 5 voice before it can get going. It certainly feels heavier and atmospherically darker than previous singles, with a big stadium rock energy. Taken from their critically acclaimed debut LP Pyro, the new track finds Rews doing what they do best once again, a loud, catchy anthem with the right amount of pop-leanings.
4) We Cut Corners - 'Original Sin'
The new We Cut Corners single 'Original Sin' sits in a half-way house between Muse and Villagers on its louder and softer moments respectively (and if you want to venture to more obscure places, Dublin 90's indie band Pelvis). It's quite distinct from last single 'Laughing Maniacally' which augurs very well for variety on forthcoming Impostors. Once again there is a most pleasing feeling derived from the unique vocal of guitarist John Duignan and the duos ability to lift the listener to euphoric spaces.
Ódú - Photo Credit: Stephen White
5) Ódú - 'Roots'
Bray pop singer-songwriter Ódú's new single 'Roots' is as bouncy a retro 80's synth number as you're likely to hear for quite some time. On a personal level there is a very warm childhood nostalgia resonating, the combined elements of bass-line, muted guitar strumming, synths and colourful uplifting beats bring me right back to listening to various compilations my older sister owned - small pieces of Yazz, the mighty Jane Wiedlin ('Blue Kiss'), and others. All of this is embellished with a truly modern pop slant resulting in a gorgeously sunny piece of music.
6) Alex & Echoes - 'I Wish You Were Here'
Dublin electro-pop duo Alex & Echoes shared new single 'I Wish You Were Here' this week, it's a straight up and no frills sliver of pop with an electronic twist, the vocoder stylings recalling Syndey's Gordi to these ears. It's easy to see why they have amassed in excess of 500k streams on Spotify alone since last year.
Alex & Echoes
7) Alice Robinson - 'Rise'
The debut single from Dundalk-based singer-songwriter Alice Robinson, 'Rise', is a strong opening salvo. As the song-title suggests, Robinson places her fingers on the surface of the waters before plunging her hand in deep and pulling the lake up over our heads. The build is steady, the rhythm has a skulking stare and the bass drum holds all and sundry in check, there's a powerful rock vocal on display too, and I'm getting the Anna Calvi feels by the time the crescendo has hit full stride. Really interested to see what comes next here.
8) Sam Wickens - 'Send Me;'
A tender synth shimmer vibrates very softly, almost indiscernible, under Sam Wickens' yearning deep vocal. On the two-minute mark the sonic clouds merge together and become entangled as they rise above the music and into the air above. Wickens invokes the song-writing manner of a 21st century Springsteen, (if he were only starting out now), never over-cooks the 80's electro homage in the sound, and ultimately leaves us with plenty to ponder by track's end.
To listen to our last Irish independent playlist, go here! https://thebestofmusicandfilm.blogspot.com/2018/09/irish-playlist-lowli-diosco-na-mbo-somebodys-child-sonja-sleator-jaxson.html
