SONGS OF THE WEEK
Come On Live Long - For The Birds
Following their fine debut album in 2013, Come On Live Long are moving into territories ne on the first single for their forthcoming album
Move As One.
Louise Gaffney's tender soulful vocal takes the lead on a song that brings the band's deft touches to the fore: subtle digital bass and percussion pops, sustained piano notes and a minimal echoed atmosphere conjure up an R&B sound that is far removed from an indie guitar origin. When that crescendo hits, there's no doubt
Move As One
has big potential when it arrives later this year.
Silences - There's A Wolf
The Armagh band lead by Conchúr White have made a fine line of sleepy folk pop since appearing a couple of years ago. This new single sounds like the band have awoken from their somnambulist slumber, particularly in the zig-zagging guitar outro. The band are currently attempting to impress at SXSW.
Carriages - Like A Child
Not many bands count sweeping brushes and flower pots as key instruments but not many bands are as economical as Carriages. The field-recording enthusiasts' new single has an idiosyncratic charm buoyed by those unusual sounds. The song may remain a curio if it wasn't for the hypnotic vocal line and strong production it displays.
Nocturnes - The Antler
Pearse McLoughlin's fruitful partnership with Justin Grounds, Idiot Songs, has been put to the side for now in favour of an album,
The Soft Animal,
from his other project Nocturnes to be released in June. It's billed as “an album of refined atmospherics that draws from the things that matter most,” and the lead single puts melancholy melodics to lyrics that feel like they've been uncovered from a book.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Mmoths - Luneworks
Five years is a long time in any artform. When the Kildare producer Jack Colleran first appeared with his heartfelt electronic music, there was a simplicity and directness to it, as well as a clear understanding of songwriting and what moves people. For this long in gestation debut album, Colleran is still very much aware of the properties and craft that makes for long-lasting art. It's just that the sonic pitch is of a different scale and focus.
Luneworks
is much experimental and textured. Taken on its own its the work of an artist who has dived into a bed emotive ambient listening music, that occasionally bursts into life on warm-hearted tracks such as
Deu, Eva, 1709, Body Studies
and
Verbena
. Colleran's voice is used as an instrument of emotion and his piano, shrouded in pleasing noise and effects serve as a guide in the nocturnal fog.
NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Emma Lou & The Agenda
Since starting
[ her Youtube channelOpens in new window ]
, Emma Fitzsimons has racked up more than 850,000 views for her covers of songs by Mariah, Britney and Taylor along with praise from Perez Hilton. Now, the singer has made the move to some original music with a band The Agenda and judging by her first single
One Good Reason
, we're in jazz-tinged blues R&B turf, calling on influences from Amy Winehouse and Lana Del Rey. The song sounds like Britney covering Amy, which is some point to start from. A debut EP is forthcoming in May.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Otherkin - I Was Born
Video by Finn Keenan
The indie-rockers taut songs are stoking up flames across Europe right now and that is reflected in the band's new video, which is an arsonist's fantasy.
