Month: July 2020

Returning for 2020, PureGrand (pop musician and photographer Luke Faulkner) releases his new single ‘Timeline’.

‘Timeline’ sheds light on the frustrations felt by many young millennials about being stuck in a point in your life beyond your control and the pressures and conflict between different generations that come with that.

It pairs melodic vocals with a rhythmic beat reminiscent of late 90s pop which is used as an escapist vehicle to explore the emotions in the lyrics.

The song was written and produced by Faulkner and is the first single from PureGrand’s debut album which marks a shift in his sound from the synthpop influence of his previous work towards a pop sound with a broader palette. It is being released alongside a new body of visual work photographed by Faulkner that will tie in with the album campaign as singles are released along with music videos.

Driven by a meticulous obsession for pop music of all eras, PureGrand merges introspection with a healthy dose of camp and a do it yourself attitude. PureGrand uses pop music as a vehicle for self expression and social commentary and to prove you can make a point while still having fun. After debuting PureGrand as a pop act in 2016, Faulkner spent the next few years putting out a string of self produced singles and EPs pairing confessional lyrics with sonic influences spanning 80s new wave and italo disco such as 2019’s ‘Last Bus’.

He also developed a colourful and strong visual cohesion to accompany his music, best illustrated in the self made video for his song ‘Pink’.

PureGrand closed the last decade with the synth ballad ‘Flowers‘ which was featured on Spotify’s Breath of Fresh Eire playlist. His music has been met with positive press from the likes of Nialler9, Hot Press and GoldenPlec, as well as Irish radio play from 2FM, 2XM, DDR and 8Radio.

He has performed across Dublin (Workman’s, Sin E, Drop Dead Twice) as well as at some of Ireland’s best homegrown alternative performance nights such as Glitter Hole, Avoca’s Queer Cabaret and at the Dublin Fringe Festival supporting Xnthony’s Deluxe Access.

Aside from his quest for pop stardom, Faulkner has collaborated visually with fellow Irish queer musicians, taking photographs and making graphics and music videos for acts including Babylamb, ELKAE, ELM and most notably Jack Rua.

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Brendan Murray is forging a strong solo career with the release of brilliant summer floor filler ‘Let Go’ on July 24th.

Brendan Murray is no stranger to the music industry, having been a part of boy band HomeTown managed by Louis Walsh, HomeTown achieved three chart hits in Ireland, including the number one singles ‘Where I Belong’ in 2014, and ‘Cry for Help’ in 2015. Their debut album, ‘HomeTown’, was released in November 2015 and peaked at number four in Ireland. 

Brendan then went on to represent Ireland at the Eurovision and was one of the finalists in X Factor 2018, mentored by One Direction star Louis Tomlinson. He secured a spot in the semi-final of the series, finishing in 5th place. Not bad for the 23 year old Galway native.

Now forging a solo career in the industry, Brendan has been building his fanbase with live shows and a number of releases in the last couple of years. With an incredibly strong fan base of over 175,000 followers on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, 2019 saw Brendan tour the UK and Ireland, with sold out shows in London, Galway, Dublin and Manchester. His previous singles ‘If I’m Honest’ (which premiered on 2FM) and the Eurovision entry ‘Dying To Try’ see his Spotify stats at nearly 3 million streams, alongside some alternative releases which have seen Brendan really hone his craft. The music is a testament to his artistry, transitioning from a teenage boy band star, to a solo artist who’s found his sound and style.

Brendan has just released this electronic infused pop earworm ‘Let Go’ on July 24th. Accompanied by a music video shot and directed by fellow Irish artist Liam Geddes

‘Let Go’ sees this young artist really cement his sound and style in the pop EDM genre. The track was produced by David Arkins (Crookedwood Studios and Glassbox Records) and co-produced by Liam Geddes. Written by Brendan and Liam Geddes, This track has ‘summer floor filler’ written all over it. With sharp electronic production and an earworm sound, ‘Let Go’ is sure to see Brendan’s solo career gain new heights, and grow his huge fan base grow exponentially.

‘Let Go’ tells the story of a couple in a relationship that is falling apart. The first part of the song takes them back to when they first met and everything was great. As the song progresses, and the couple have been together for so long, their chemistry seems to have faded away. They have gone through so much together, and they feel like they need to stay in it, but the truth is they would both be much better off without each other and letting go.

The video captures Brendan sitting alone in a forest performing the song sitting on a chair. The idea is that Brendan is confessing this to himself, as he can’t confess to her how he really feels. 

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Today, Aimée releases her latest single, ‘Naked’, an honest and vulnerable pop track that details how exposing ourselves as flawed and imperfect people in our relationships can be a scary experience, but in doing so allows us to be truly loved for who we are, flaws and all.

‘Naked’ is the final single to be taken from Aimée’s debut EP ‘Confession’ which jumped to the #1 spot in the iTunes Pop Album Chart while also reaching #1 in the overall iTunes Album Chart. ‘Confession’ featured pop bangers such as ‘What My Mamma Gave Me’, beautiful ballads like ‘I’m OK’, as well as the top 30 Irish radio hit, ‘Don’t Call Me Pretty’, a pop anthem that received global radio support with numerous stations including The Dominican Republic, Italy, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Nambia, Spain, Switzerland, and 125 stations across the UK.

Aimée’s latest release ‘Naked’, candid and confessional in its dialogue, is an effortless display of dynamic and control where we see a true vocalist weave from low, aspirate tones to soaring, clear cut high notes. ‘Naked’ recognises the terrifying experience of having to be vulnerable in our relationships. That no matter how much we want to conceal our insecurities, to be truly loved is something that happens when we let our insecurities show.

Aimée explains the inspiration behind ‘Naked’:

“I wrote this song about finding the confidence to be vulnerable in a relationship and to break down your barriers.  It’s about finding someone who can see right through you, despite the walls you build. That person can see your flaws that you try to hide, but somehow loves you anyway. Which can be scary AF!”

Amid the confusion and upheaval of the lockdown, Aimée felt the song also took on a dual meaning, one of self-acceptance, embracing and loving ourselves regardless of what we might perceive to be our own downfalls. A sentiment that is ever-present in the Dublin star’s work.

“This is a time when people may be feeling less confident, more insecure and struggling to stay motivated with everything that’s going on. This song speaks to every single person that feels this way and lets them know they are not alone and that they should feel beautiful just as they are”.

Aimée, in this way, has always used her voice and her music to help others through times of struggle and recently contributed to the Irish Women In Harmony charity single, in which we saw 39 Irish female musicians record a cover of ‘Dreams’ by the Cranberries in aid of Safe Ireland. The single has over 700,000 streams on Spotify, has a video which has over 3.5 million views combined and has raised over €215, 000 for Safe Ireland so far. The release hit #1 on the Official Homegrown Chart in its first week – making them the first female act ever to do so. IWIH are now also the first female act to break into The Official Top 20 in over 10 years.   

Along with 20 other bands and solo artists, Aimée will also be performing for ‘Songs From An Empty Room’ to support live music initiatives Minding Creative Minds and the Association of Irish Stage Technicians Hardship Fund at a time when the live music industry faces an uncertain future due to the pandemic. The broadcast will air on RTÉ 2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ 2FM on July 25^th, 8.30pm.

While the lockdown has put a temporary halt to what was shaping up to be a jam packed summer of live shows and festivals, the unexpected home time has also allowed for inspiration and creativity to flourish, as Aimée has been writing what are undoubtedly her future hits.

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During the current Covid-19 restrictions, artists have been finding different ways of getting through, and getting their craft to people. Sorcha Richardson used the time to re-imagine some tracks from her recent album, ‘First Prize Bravery’, in a stripped back fashion.

Sorcha explains…

“I recorded this EP in my bedroom in spring during the early stages of lockdown. Like most musicians, all of my upcoming tours were cancelled and I found myself with an unexpectedly empty schedule. On the days I didn’t feel inspired to write, I passed the time by working on this EP, recording stripped back versions of some older songs that people may already know. I often find myself writing about hope and disappointment, and the feeling of life falling short of the dreams you have in your head. There was something quite cathartic about re-recording these songs a couple years after originally writing them, in a time of so much uncertainty and change. Most of them originally  started out on acoustic guitar, sometimes existing entirely as voice memos on my phone, until they became something bigger in the studio. This EP is a glimpse into how they sound when it’s just me playing them alone in my room.”

Danny G & the Major 7ths ‘D.A.R.L.I.N.G.’ single feat. Tolü Makay & Jamel Franklin (Shy Mascot) receives a digital release on July 31st, 2020 (pre-save link). All proceeds on Bandcamp (Pay what you like) go to MASI.

‘D.A.R.L.I.N.G.’ evokes the complex feelings of love and longing that are both strained and strengthened by distance. This song was written and recorded in isolation. Danny: “The genesis of this collaboration came from my group playing gigs with both Jamel (Shy Mascot) and Tolü, I was already a huge fan of both artists. I had the song’s chorus and beat – it gave me an early 2000’s Neosoul vibe. Tolü and Jamel wrote their verses, the Major 7ths added their parts and the song came together really organically.“

The music video was recorded by friends of the artists and represents their different reactions on a video call to a loved one in isolation. See if you can spot some familiar faces* among the 50 people (and 1 cat). Video to be released one week before, on July 24th. 

Danny G & the Major 7ths – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Tolü Makay – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Jamel Franklin – Instagram, Twitter

Lifted from their brand new EP of the same title, out now via Capitol Records, The Academic have released new single and video ‘Acting My Age’.

The track, and resulting EP, was produced by Kaiser Chiefs’ Nick Hodgson. It’s a razor-sharp, guitar track by a band who do razor-sharp guitar tracks in spades.

Adventurous and propulsive, it showcases one of Ireland’s best new bands on the cusp of becoming the best new band in Ireland, the UK, and beyond.

The EP opens with the weighty one-two of ‘Anything Could Happen’ and ‘Acting My Age’, songs that sound a few steps beyond promising and into ‘essential’ territory.  The rest of the EP offers plenty of light and shade, tonally and expressively.

Also, recorded two weeks ago, the brilliant live performance of ‘Acting My Age’ from the Golden Discs virtual in-store has just gone live on YouTube, watch it back here.

Col Patterson releases his video for ‘Old Men Talk’, his first new single since his 2017 Album release ‘Hangover Moon’.

‘Old Men Talk’ is out on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms from Friday July 24th 2020. It was produced by Martin Quinn at Jam Studios.

Several songs from ‘Hangover Moon’ garnered great radio support in Ireland  on national and local stations and Tony Clayton-Lea gave it a very positive 4 out of 5 stars in his Irish Times review.

Col Patterson speaks about ‘Old Men Talk’ as a tribute to a group of friends: “Growing up in Kildare, it was a town with heart, but it didn’t have a huge amount for the younger people at that time. My brothers and their school friends tried to get a youth club set up and there always seemed to be opposition to any change. They were a great crowd of guys and girls who used to meet at the local church wall.

CND was set up in the town and floats were made for the local festival. They stood out with their death drums and homemade nuclear arms. The song ‘Old Men Talk’ celebrates them and their battles  to make a positive mark despite the murmurs  from some locals. Thankfully there is much more for the youth to do in the town these days.”

Miles Graham’s brand new single ‘Give It Up Now’ has been selected for the latest national Bank of Ireland television and radio ads, in addition to him announcing a live London show which will see him play The Grace, London on the 19 November 2020. His EP ‘All The Right Things’ is out now across all digital platforms.

Miles Graham’s latest track ‘Don’t Change’ resulted in him performing the single live on BBC Radio 5 and a stunning version of Dido’s ‘Thank You’, and picking up further airplay from BBC Introducing. It accelerated a fresh stage in the Irish singer-songwriter’s career, having previously scored international dance hits alongside Don Diablo and L’Tric, as well as being playlisted on BBC Radio 2 for his breakthrough moment ‘I Can’t Love You Again’.

Fans who admired ‘Don’t Change’ now have more of his creative world to explore as he shares his new EP ‘All The Right Things’, which features the new track ‘Give It Up Now’- a bittersweet piano ballad laced with lush string arrangements and sky reaching vocal harmonies.

Miles explains, ‘Give It Up Now’ is about being free of the turmoil that comes with antagonism. It has conversational lyrics that give a fly on the wall incite to break-up, the EP is an emotional narrative within my very dynamic journey . The freedom of letting go ‘It could be better for all you know..’ is perhaps a teasing lyric in the song to some kind of better life ahead, but is ironically ambiguous in it’s positive/negative balance. 

The ‘All The Right Things’ EP was recorded in London with producer Paul Herman (Emeli Sandé, Dido, Corinne Bailey Rae), with string arrangements from the renowned Sally Herbert (Plan B, Usher, Duffy,Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine). The EP showcases his soul-baring songwriting and top-quality sound: a genre-blurring blend of retro-soul and fresh yet timeless pop. The EP unfolds in brilliantly original sonic flourishes—heavy grooves, bright beats, laid-back guitar tones—each song elegantly spotlights Graham’s spellbinding voice. Graham Closes the EP with ‘Sunbeam’- an intricately textured and heart-melting tribute to his young daughter.

Channelling his experiences into sound has been a cathartic experience for Miles Graham. It has also ignited a deeper, more emotional quality within his songwriting. It’s a natural development for an artist who has been committed to developing his talents since childhood. He took time out to focus on family in 2018 and now he’s back, more accomplished and set to soar.

‘Give It Up Now’, the latest single from Miles Graham’s EP ‘All The Right Things’ is out now across all digital platforms.

‘Blue Jewel In The Sky’ is the title track of the forthcoming brand new studio album from Finbar Furey.

One of Ireland’s most versatile and talented artists, Finbar Furey has been bringing his own unique artistry to generations of fans around the world for over fifty years.

His songs celebrate love and life but he doesn’t shy away from the causes close to his heart, homelessness and human rights. In his new single, ‘Blue Jewel In The Sky’, Finbar takes us into new territory with an exciting electric sound, singing about the destruction of the planet, about man’s greed and selfishness. ‘Blue Jewel In The Sky’ seems strangely fitting in these uncertain times of global unrest. The upbeat rock guitar intro defies the narrative of the song which is tempered by the touching harmonies of his daughter Áine, underscoring the sentiment of the song.

‘I wrote ‘Blue Jewel In The Sky’ at the end of the 90’s about the madness of man’s inhumanity to man. When the opportunity arose to make a music video with the documentary filmmaker Dearbhla Glynn, I didn’t have to think twice. She is respected at her craft, working with an open heart, but not shying away from tough subjects. Dearbhla’s footage from Palestine and Eastern Congo help to shine a light on the suffering we know is going on, so we can all think about making changes in our daily lives in order for change to happen’. Finbar Furey

Dearbhla Glynn is an award winning Irish documentary filmmaker, specialising in human rights and conflict, and an admirer of Finbar’s work. 

“I have a huge respect for Finbar Furey and his legacy. After listening to his song ‘Blue Jewel In The Sky’ I loved the lyrics, the sentiment behind the song and the idea of creating a music video together; one that would illustrate Finbar’s concern for the environment, and the suffering in the world. It was great to film Finbar and Aine together down by the iconic Poolbeg lighthouse, and to try and capture a glimmer of their relationship and connection. They sing so beautifully together, and obviously have a wonderful friendship as well as being father and daughter.” Dearbhla Glynn

Finbar Furey Website: https://www.finbarfurey.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/72qs8dHxUfn7lB9cYxQvIF?si=uu2gsNHCSj600SWR5EwUCg
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVlKa-xV_CupKWd_KRibYA/videos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finbarfurey/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FinbarFurey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finbarfureyofficial/
Dearbhla Glynn: https://www.dearbhlaglynn.com
Pre-save link for Spotify: https://smarturl.it/bluejewelinthesky
Pre-save link for Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/album/1522951172

Even when you fully understand why it came to an end, getting over the break-up of a relationship is one of life’s most difficult hurdles. When those reasons are less clear and you feel like you’re the only one still thinking about why it begins to feel like a near-impossible task.

‘XX’, the second of a six-single mixtape Fia Moon has planned for 2020, is a song which attempts to take that challenge and the emotions that go with it and turn it back on itself. It’s a powerful, honest admission that says “yes, I’m still thinking about you” but flips that on its head by saying “I sure as hell know you’re thinking about me too!”.

Set for release on July 24th, ‘XX’ is Fia Moon at her confident and most empowered best, with its self-assured tone (“I know you still want me, loving all my body”) emphasising its sensual lyrics. Fia explains, “The song is about that ex you can’t stop thinking about. While ‘better days’ is vulnerable, ‘XX’ is the follow up where the tables begin to turn as you know the other person needs you too.”

‘XX’’s atmospheric production sees Fia return to the dark sound previously explored on ‘Water Runs Through’ and places her firmly in the same alt-pop category as the likes of Rina Sawayama and Kim Petras. ‘XX’ was co-written and produced by London based Swedish songwriter Tannergard (BTS, LVNDSCAPE, Martin Jensen) with Dutch songwriter Marcia Sondeijker and mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright (Ed Sheeran, Laura Marling, Coldplay). Sonically, it showcases everything Fia does best in the soaring vocal tones and sweeping synths, blending the old with the new in the alt-pop style that she has become known for.

Speaking on how the song came to fruition, Fia says “I had recorded a voice note of the chorus melody and lyrics one night, which I played to Misha and Tannergard at our session. From that, we started talking about how I was feeling being newly single and about my most recent ex but also about my first boyfriend. We were laughing because they were getting confused between the two, so we would call one ‘x’ and the other ‘xx’, which is where the title came from.” 

Fia’s most recent single ‘better days’ catapulted her into the music scene both in Ireland and abroad in April 2020. On its release, the song was added to six Spotify editorial playlists including ‘New Music Friday UK’, ‘Chilled Pop Hit’s & ‘New Pop Revolution’ and in addition, Fia was placed on the cover of Spotify’s ‘A Breath of Fresh Eire’ playlist. Deezer also featured the song in one of their largest New Music playlists ‘Brand New UK’ boasting 6 million followers. The song has also recently entered the Official Irish Homegrown Top 20 Charts.

Since its release the success of ‘better days’ continues to build on Irish Radio, where the track reached no.5 in the Breakers Chart, no.16 in the All Radio Irish Artists Chart and has just passed 9 million impacts! Fia has also garnered media acclaim from the likes of CLASH, The Irish Times, EARMILK, Nialler9, GUAP, Record of the Day and The Official Charts, highlighting her undoubted potential.

‘XX’ follows on the heels of the release of a collaborative charity cover single of The Cranberries ‘Dreams’ with the ‘Irish Women in Harmony’, 40 female Irish artists and musicians using their voices to raise funds for Safe Ireland. On its release, the single went to No.1 on the Irish Homegrown Official Charts (first female act to ever do this), No.15 in the Official Charts (highest new entry), the most downloaded track outselling the entire Top 20 and hit over 6 million radio impacts on Irish radio in its first week of release. 

With all of this and more new music on the horizon, 2020 is gearing up to be a breakthrough year for Fia who is truly one to watch!

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