Jim McHugh’s new single Hey Jimbo, the second offering from his new album ‘Pretending to Wake Up’ was released on 26th March 2021. The album is due out on 28th May 2021.
Jim says of his latest single: ‘Hey Jimbo center’s around the history of past relationships, not all directly my own but from we all know these stories of unrequited love. The title takes its name from my nickname ‘Jimbo’ and its as you will hear from the song its often hollered out as ‘Hey Jimboooooo’. Similar to my previous single ‘Dave’ the song evolves around the opening guitar riff and the band powerfully supports the flow of energy throughout it’. Jim’s previous single Dave released in February 2021 was featured by Hotpress and received excellent reviews national press and blogs. Jim’s last album release ‘My Nuclear Radio’ was critically received and album single My Mandalay featured on the ‘RTÉ RADIO 1 recommends’ playlist in Nov/Dec 2019, and was the ‘LMFM All Out Local Song Choice’ for March 2019. Single Everything’s Cool was Roddie Cleere’s ‘Song of the Week’ on KCLR in August 2018 while Avenue Road and Marjorie were widely played at home and abroad. Hey Jimbo was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Parliament Funkadelic, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Niamh Regan, Sput Searight, Lankum) at Black Mountain Studios, Jenkinstown and Wynne Wynne Studio, Dundalk. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse). Hey Jimbo features Jim McHugh on Vocals/Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Paul McCabe on Bass/ Backing Vocals, Butch McNeill on Drums and Alex Borwick on Backing Vocals.
Kildare singer-songwriter NÍV has released “Home”, the latest single from the up and coming Irish artist. The beautiful, nostalgic folk song features layered vocals, plucked guitars, and swells with emotion and ambient sounds.
Talking about the single, NÍV says “This song has ended up meaning quite a lot to me. It was written during the very first lockdown and so you could say it’s a gateway into my mind and what it was feeling at that time. As a result of the pandemic, I think that people haven’t been able to make it back home to see family and friends. I think as well everyone is missing what life was like before all of this began. Those kinds of feelings are where this song came from. It’s an echo of the warm nostalgic feeling that goes hand in hand with memories of home.” The song was created under circumstances of uncertainty, but its message is still of hope and resilience. The song uses warm descriptions of home as a distraction from pain and anguish. The lyrics of the song mirror what many people are going through at this time. They epitomise people’s need for safety and familiarity and a want for finding “our way back home.” NÍV is the alias for Niamh Murray, a Kildare singer songwriter from Maynooth. Since launching her solo career as NÍV, a little over a year ago, she has already gained many achievements. In March 2020, Nív sold out her first Single Launch in The Workman’s Club for her single “Silly Voices”. In April, Nív was given the opportunity to perform on Hotpress Magazine’s “Lockdown Sessions”. Following this, in early May, Nív was added to RTE Radio 1’s Recommends List. She was also shortlisted for Four Star Pizza’s Star Nation Competition as a Leinster Provincial Winner. Her song “Moonlight” was also featured as Hotpress Magazine’s Track Of The Day. On Spotify alone, in one year, NÍV has gained 15k new listeners across 73 countries. Niamh’s music is inspired by Irish traditional music and folk, as well as singer-songwriters such as Damien Rice, The Cranberries and Joni Mitchell.
alt pop band soda blonde announces debut album 'small talk' - the single of the same name is out now3/26/2021
The debut album from Soda Blonde may be called Small Talk, but if there’s one thing the Dubliners do not do, it’s mince words. Out July 9th via Velveteen Records, the entirely self-produced album sees the group reflecting on their twenty-something experiences with refreshingly honest transparency.
“To put it simply, Small Talk is about life in our 20’s,” says Faye O’Rourke, Soda Blonde’s enigmatic front woman. “Every part of us is in here, both subliminally and literally. Lyrically, this record is like a collection of my flaws and insecurities. They’re lingering awkwardly by the bar at a crowded social gathering, waiting to integrate with the wider world”. The album’s titular lead single – available to stream HERE – is Soda Blonde’s way of taking a seat at the table of their own narrative, and its glittering alt-pop hooks present the foursome as a compelling collective voice in music. All four band members (O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) are seasoned musicians, despite their youth. They have been playing together since their early teens, with their previous band – the internationally renowned Little Green Cars, whose seminal debut album skyrocketed to number one on the Irish album charts. O’Rourke is the first to admit that when Little Green Cars called it a day, she felt lost. But a career shift for the four musicians wasn’t in the cards – and Small Talk is self-evident proof, different than anything the group have released before, but carrying on its back all the things they’ve learned. Wholly unafraid to admit her flaws and defiant in the face of the world’s misconceptions, O’Rourke litters the songs on Small Talk with tension, playing with the reliability of personal experience. While examining the intricacies of big subjects – religion versus science; good versus bad; fate versus choice – Small Talk also seeks to unpack O’Rourke’s own conditioning. Self-assuredness grapples with societal pressures, anger battles it out with contentment, and frustration with a divide – between personal relationships and the world at large – is ever-present. “With feminism on one shoulder and trans-generational Catholic guilt on the other, it’s hard to find your way as an Irish woman,” O’Rourke says. “The truth is, I’ve found that process of deprogramming myself extremely hard, and now I lie somewhere between the past and future. “Small Talk touches on many things: indulging in the darkness, while also trying to derive some meaning from it; on having no degree; on the way I sabotaged multiple relationships, or let my parents down. It’s about looking for resolution and revolution in sex and politics. It’s about being abused mentally and physically by the people you love the most, and in turn, abusing the people who love you. It’s about my first heartbreak at 14, how it’s still intrinsically a part of me and the shame and embarrassment that it brings. It’s about having something you thought was a sure thing, like your career, ripped out from underneath you. It’s also about the idea of optical virtue over the reality of how we treat those around us”. Through all of this, the band never claim to be role models. Undeniably a coming-of-age record, Small Talk is a dazzling portrait of someone who isn’t afraid to hold the messy parts of herself up for questioning. Between tightly stacked percussion and effervescent, radio-ready melodies sit plain-spoken truths and the hard-learned lessons of a group still at the start of what is sure to be a long journey.
hailing from manchester, 4-piece indie pop band uno mas releases their brand new single 'glue'3/19/2021
UNO MAS, the latest addition to explode onto the ever-popular indie pop scene, return with their brand new single ‘Glue’ which will be released on Friday 19th March and will be available to stream on all major streaming platforms.
UNO MAS create a contemporary sound with catchy lyrics and memorable melodies influenced by multiple genres including pop, indie, and rock. The bands charisma and stage presence bring their songs to life, creating an upbeat and bouncing atmosphere sure to leave any listener with a smile on their face, and songs stuck in their heads. ‘Glue’ is the latest offering to the bands ever growing catalogue of material and is a follow up from latest singles ‘Don’t You Know’, ‘Glass Houses’ & ‘Bored’, which landed the band radioplay from XS Manchester and BBC Introducing. “'Glue' is about the need for that one special person. The one who everyone loves, they are ‘good as gold’ as the lyrics go, the one that really stands out. You meet them once and they ‘stick like glue’ and that's that, you're obsessed. You know you shouldn't be and you're being irrational in your head but you are obsessed. Everytime you see them it's like a drug, you're bothered, not yourself and all over the place but everytime they are gone you want more, which is why the chorus to 'Glue' refers to that person as the protagonist's ‘Demon’. The only hope is that they feel the same way. ‘Tell me girl what's your Demon? Because My Demon is you’." - Olly Thornton (Lead Singer). The band’s debut single ‘Bored’, positively received all round and a staple piece of their recent live performances being used as their closing track finishing their sets with a bang. ‘Bored’ was heavily praised by Dave Monks at BBC Radio Merseyside and he continues to support the band through regular radio play, interviews, and providing the band with the opportunity to headline the world-famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. This was quickly followed by the release of their second single ‘Glass Houses’ which is a fan favourite and sing along from the moment they begin the opening verse. This was immediately picked up by Jim Salveson at Radio XS Manchester who playlisted the track earning it regular radio play throughout the following months. More recently the band released their third single ‘Don’t You Know’ which quickly gained the attention of multiple press outlets gaining air play on BBC Radio Merseyside and again being playlisted on XS Manchester. The band continues to keep their fans engaged during this difficult time in the music industry from playing small acoustic gigs across the north west to beginning to book headline gigs and support slots for spring 2021. Fans and future listeners can catch the band at live performances scheduled around the north west, with some future dates yet to be announced, so keep up to date with their socials to see when they are playing near you!
Irish indie pop artist, Brí is releasing her fourth single 'More Than' on 19th March 2021 and with it is reaffirming her credentials as one of the most exciting artists around. With haunting drones and fragile strings Brí's vocal breaks through the cracks and delivers a heart stopping performance on top of a song that sonically builds to create a delicate but powerful ballad. With her debut album due later in October, it's another glimpse into what will surely be one of the most exciting releases of the year.
About 'More Than' Brí says..."More Than' is about craving more than the situation you currently find yourself in. It's a place where passion and emptiness meet, the point where two conflicting paths overlap and where all that is cloudy becomes clear." Hailing from Offaly, Brí has previously released 3 singles, debut track, 'Low Supply', 'Polite' and 'Burying'. From the success gained from these releases she sold-out her own Whelan's headline show, received high praise from a multitude of blogs and radio and was selected to perform at Beatvyne's Music X Tech Experience. While 2020 saw performances from Brí at the esteemed Whelan's Ones to Watch, The Ruby Sessions, headliners in The Sound House, Spirit Store, festival line-up announcements such as Vantastival and the radio success of her recent releases, Brí hints at her debut album and a big year ahead in 2021. With her fourth single 'More Than' Brí is determined to not let the chaos of the past year hold her back. About the process of the project Brí says 'My original plans for the visuals fell through due to travel restrictions. After a lot of waiting for restrictions to lift, I decided to direct my own music video and my local friend Constance Vance stepped in as my photographer, videographer and stylist. We discovered that she had talent to burn. The photos and video were shot at Charleville Castle, Tullamore. In this music video, I long for more than my current situation as I struggle to sit with the spinning wheel which, for me, symbolises that 'groundhog day' feeling. Watching this video back reminded me that my passion for songwriting could never have been discovered if there wasn't firstly a struggle. The very action of writing a song to express this was my answer to feeling the passion and excitement in my life that I was craving. I love the simplicity of that.' As well as homemade visuals, the vocals on this track were recorded in my bedroom due to restrictions. Darragh Nolan of Asta Kalapa studios in Wexford built magic around it as usual and my friend Aidan Mulloy lended his electric guitar skills once again. He also makes his debut bass performance on this track.'
Dublin based alternative-rock band Wild Tibetan Monks are set to release a heartfelt single, “Lying Next to You.” The nostalgic indie-rock song features semi-sweet vocals and a spacey instrumental arrangement that compliments the story being told. With a refrain that’s reflective and candid, the song builds to a driving bridge, and a somewhat unresolved close.
Sean says, “The song is about not just physically lying next to someone, but lying in not telling them the truth. It’s about feeling trapped, not knowing what to do. It’s about being conflicted, having all these emotions that you want to share with someone but can't.” The song explores how difficult expression can be- even with someone who you truly care about. When things are good you think it’ll feel that way forever. Once your favourite toy, eventually you get put back on the shelf (“It really hurts since you put me down”). The song closes with feelings of regret. Sean says, “The song depicts feeling conflicted about what you should say and what you should share. At the end of the song, there’s regret. The narrator knows they should have been honest, should have said how they felt, should have spilled their heart out.” The song was written by bass player and vocalist Sean, who then brought it to the band. It was recorded in Hellfire Studios when the band returned from two years in Australia. Wild Tibetan Monks are Sean (bass, vocals), Ringo (guitar), and Liam (drums). They met and banded in college in 2011 and performed together for several years. In 2018 the band traded Dublin for Perth, Australia for a two-year journey of music and exploration. The band toured around Western Australia, and had a varied lineup over the years, including different singers and a horn section. They also began recording their original music. The global pandemic forced the band to move back to Ireland, where they are now focused on recording and releasing their original material.
After getting international recognition with his last two singles, together with his friend UnionSteve (Steven De Bondt), Belgian house composer/producer Dmunsch (Alexander Diemunsch) is releasing a solo track “Day To Day”.
Day To Day is one of these feel-good songs with a melodramatic touch. Think of an energetic, modern day house beat with a few nostalgic elements added: we clearly hear some 90’s keyboards and even a “Daft Punk style” talking synth. Although the track brings on a carefree and happy vibe, the lyrics are more intense. “The lyrics of Day To Day are inspired by my own experiences: I have known many times and situations in life where I didn’t feel appreciated or even respected, because I couldn’t live up to other people’s expectations. The older I get though, the more I can ignore people’s judging and just live by my own standards, without looking for validation. This is the feeling I want to emphasise, and I want to dedicate this song to everyone who has ever been hurt in a similar way”. Dmunsch started releasing music 2 years ago and slowly but steadily he is making a name for himself in the electronic music scene. Last year, he and his friend UnionSteve scored second place in the Mid-Year Song Contest by Claudia eRecords with their collaboration “We Own The Summer” and later in 2020, the duo was placed second again with their track “Free World”. It did not take long for the Belgian press to pick up on it. “Although it was a bummer not to be first, this was clear proof that I am making music that people actually enjoy, and not just my friends and family. Especially the press picking up on it was an amazing experience and a huge motivation to take it to the next level. It inspired me to go bigger this time by, among other things, making a professional music video. I have never been more excited about a single release”. It’s hard to categorise Dmunsch’s music, but it’s safe to call his style “melodic house”. One can clearly hear influences of deep house, tropical house, disco house and EDM, without committing to any of these genres: he can easily go from cutting bass to classic retro synths, happy brass sounds and everything in between. Although, the aim is always the same: to create a cocoon of carefreeness, invulnerability, and happiness. “I like to think of my music as an escape from reality. We all know this situation where you hear a specific song, and you suddenly imagine yourself in another world where you make your own rules. This is why music can give people such huge energy, no matter how bad they feel. I truly hope that my music can have this effect on people”.
Cork native singer-songwriter Jen Ella has just released a new single, “Eyes For You.” Now based in Glasgow, the soft-rock song is her first release of 2021. The indie-folk song drifts within a dream-like world of Jen’s soothing vocals and storytelling, sparkling guitar sounds, a steadfast beat, and ambient elements.
She says, “The song is quite personal to me, it’s about a battle between head and heart. It’s about chasing something that’s not good for you. Though you know it's not right for you, you continue to chase it anyways.” She goes on to say, “As hard as it is, the experience brings you on a journey of recognizing your own self-worth. Though it's dragging you down, it forces you to realize that you deserve better.” Jen recalls this song being one that poured out her effortlessly, and she hopes the song will connect with people who have gone through similar things. The song was recorded in Venice of the North studios in Glasgow with Andy Sheppard. It features Andy Sheppard on bass, NAME on drums, and Jen Ella playing everything else. Jen Ella is a singer-songwriter and musician from Cork. She is now based in Glasgow and has been writing music all her life. Her music has transitioned from traditional to indie folk with alternative elements, and she aims to connect with others through emotive music and lyrics. Supporting different acts along the years has given her a drive to share her stories through songs of travelling, mental health, society, history and love with audiences in Ireland and Scotland. She is active in the Scottish music scene playing gigs across the country including gracing the Celtic Connection stage and being recognised by Celtic music as 'highly recommended'. She released her debut EP last year getting airtime on BBC Sounds and playlisted for RTE 1 Recommended. Jen Ella is currently working on an EP with producer Fin Jackson.
Leeds Based Singer-Songwriter Fran Minney demonstrates her stunning vocals and knack for heartbreaking lyrics on her new single Normal, which was released on 28th January via Saint In The City Records. Set to a backdrop of delicate fingerpicked guitars, immersive synth pads and lush saxophone the song tells of the last gasps of a relationship and the singers’ desperate desire to return to a simpler way of life.
“I wrote Normal when I was blind-sided by the end of relationship”, says Minney “I wanted to memorialise the night when we both knew it was over but decided to put it off until the morning. It wasn’t some grand romantic evening, just a very normal one where we could pretend that things weren’t about to completely change.” Unwittingly the song has come to reflect a more universal desire in these strange times as she goes on to explain: “It’s amazing how applicable this feels now with our current situation, I suppose the feeling that big changes creates can be pretty traumatic and our desire to go back how things were is something we all feel, even if the reality isn’t quite as simple.” Fran Minney creates a dreamy indie electronica soundtrack to the colourful woodland world she mentally inhabits. Minney’s songs are inspired as much by her mental health and the people she’s interacted with as they are by the daily paintings that the world makes for her. Though deeply personal, her songs have an ability to felt and understood by almost everyone. Much of this comes from rich honest vocals which manage to be haunting, powerful and intermate all at the same time.
'he knows' is the debut single from irish acoustic folk singer ali comerford from her upcoming ep3/4/2021
‘He Knows’ is the debut single from Kilkenny based singer and multi-instrumentalist, Ali Comerford. Having toured the world performing viola in classical ensembles for 14 years, Ali moved back to Kilkenny in 2020 and has recorded her debut album of original folk based but classical influenced songs.
The first release is the song ‘He Knows’ and is a swaying acoustic folk lament that also showcases Comerford’s proficiency of playing stringed instruments with a chorus filled with meandering, luscious strings that weave a beautiful melodic tapestry against her dulcet guitar. About the song Ali says “He knows is a lilting song about leaving an unfulfilling relationship, the ups and downs of seeking support elsewhere and the resignation that the truth will always come out.” Born and raised in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, Ali started playing and studying classical music at the age of 4. After obtaining a Masters of Violin Performance from London's Royal College of Music, she relocated to New York, completing a Masters of Music in Viola Performance at the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship. Ali’s journey in music has seen her grace the likes of New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall and Dublin’s National Concert Hall. She has toured the world with Lincoln Center Stage, playing sold out shows around Australia, New Zealand and the United States. After years as a freelance musician for various string ensembles and chamber orchestras in New York, January 2020 saw Ali come home to her native Jenkinstown in Co. Kilkenny. Faced with her biggest stretch of free time in 14 years, Ali used her artistry to process and bring closure to the various ups and downs of life she experienced during her time traveling the world with her craft. Ali has spent the last decade of her life playing other people’s music and the time has come to share some of her own. “He Knows” is the first single from her debut Album which will be released this Summer. She wrote, sang, played and produced every note on the album, finally exploring the full scope of her musicality. The single was recorded at Crossroads studio Kilkenny with recording and mixing engineer Shane Tobler.
a song to survive the crisis: bianca hauert introduces new german pop song 'daneben benehmen'3/1/2021
‘Daneben Benehmen’ is the latest song by Bianca Hauert. We have all had a modest year. No parties, no concerts, no legendary evenings with friends that will go down in history. This song is for everyone who has as much desire for all of this as the singer-songwriter Bianca Hauert from Frankfurt in Germany. "As long as we are not allowed to go out, my song should at least help people to bridge the waiting time until then!" Bianca explains.
Although Bianca has “only” been performing on stages for 7 years, her musical journey began as a child. Bianca started taking guitar and piano lessons at the age of 8. This little detour led her to her passion today: singing. Bianca was a singer in various choirs, performed at weddings and other events until she finally fulfilled her heart's desire in 2014 when she founded her own rock band BEATOMIC, where she is in charge of the songwriting. Since 2017, Bianca has also been part of the 10-piece cover band ‘The Sound Section’, where she has been able to play in front of thousands of people at city festivals such as the Schloßgrabenfest in Germany. All these projects show that her voice not only works for power songs, but also with soft tones. For the front woman, the focus is always on the love of music. Bianca has been working on her German-language solo project in the pop genre for about a year. She sings about emotions, situations, fears and joys in everyday life, where the listeners can often easily identify themselves. Her powerful and warm voice goes straight to the heart, which can be heard in her creative and honest lyrics. Bianca’s favorite quotation from Victor Hugo gets right to the point: "The music expresses what cannot be said and what it is impossible to be silent about." Fortunately, there is light to be seen at the end of the tunnel and hopefully we will all be able again to celebrate together!
Kilkenny-based songwriter, producer, and visual artist Tanoki is set to release a new single “Loading.” It is the first single off upcoming album File New. The song features experimental electro sounds building to a relentless funk groove. Hypnotic vocals from Farah Elle and jazz elements are joined by a perfect blend of real and synthetic instruments, with slick production by Tanoki.
Having directed Farah for a Music video the pair became friends and quickly music collaborators when Paul called to Farah with some work in progress tunes, which Farah promptly jammed over with both Piano and Vocal lines, Paul got to refining and after a few sessions Loading was born. Tanoki says, “The song is a commentary on what we’re doing with technology and how it’s intersecting with our lives. As we lose what makes us human in exchange for the robotic, I want listeners to imagine the kind of lyrics that might come from an android, the cyborgs we’re becoming.” He goes on to say, “So much of music is now tech based, from how we interact with our collaborators to the sounds itself, music is now zeros and ones, it isn't tangibly real. Not necessarily in a bad way, it’s just a reflection of where we’re at.” The song was recorded and produced in Geppetto Studios, Tanoki’s home studio in Kilkenny. “Loading” accompanies a music video shot and edited by Tanoki. He flexes his editing prowess to create an incredibly engaging visual experience. The video features animation, creative cuts and hypnotic visuals, and stars Stafford and Turlough Kelly dancing through darkened streets of Kilkenny. Tanoki (Paul Mahon) is a producer and visual artist from Kilkenny, Ireland. Previously releasing music and visual projects under the title Geppetto, he has taken part in various festivals and been involved in the arts scene in Ireland for many years. His music weaves the line between electro, trip-hop and funk with cinematic and jazz elements. With a rich history of visual collaboration and video edit work for the likes of Linkin Park, Walking on Cars, Bantum, Loah, RSAG, GodKnows, and Jerry Fish more, musical inspiration was never too far. With a worldwide pandemic and time to knuckle down the debut album, File New emerged.
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