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AUDIO Zara Hedderman Mike McGrath-Bryan Frankie C
osmos Close It Quietly [Sub Pop] Squarehead High Time [Strange Brew] On Close It Quietly, the prompt successor to 2017’s Vessel – the first studio album released with Sub Pop – Greta Kline, the captain of Frankie Cosmos’ bedroom-pop universe, attempts to guide her songs down a more linear path. That’s not to say that along the way we’re not met with plenty of trademark Cosmos ditties. Also remaining intact are buoyant melodies and Kline’s vocals that ascend in a whisper, lingering in the air with weighty sentiments such as “I’m so blue” showing that within these joyous songs there remains a certain wistfulness. Throughout the 21 songs, there’s a marked maturity to the production. This is most evident in highlights A Joke, Marbles and Moonsea. However, the repetitive nature in the compositions can make for laboured listens. Meandering melodies that chop-and-change to find a new lease of life can also be counted amongst the rewarding moments on Close It Quietly. 41st and Last Season’s Textures keep audiences on their toes, unsure as to how they will be feeling or what movements they’ll be making as the record progresses. These tonal shifts are sure to make for added entertainment at Frankie’s upcoming live shows. It’s so easy to be out of step with these erratic melodies, there’s sure to be a lot of flailing dancers on the horizon. ZH Like this? Try these: Rozi Plain - What A Boost Florist - Emily Alone (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar A six-year gap between albums, including a prolonged mental-health break, will have made hearts grow fonder for the lo-fi pop charm of Squarehead. Right from the word go, as Magic Pockets’ Ruadhán O’Meara lends the weight of his space-faring synths to the lushness of opener CDHR, it’s evident that their love for their craft has taken a more mature direction, recalling the likes of contemporaries like O Emperor in places, while retaining elements of the Dublin DIY lo-fi indie that endeared them to so many. MMGB The Late David Turpin Romances [Self-Release] It speaks to an absolute unfettered ambition, set off by a very brief death from hypothermia, that singer-songwriter David Turpin’s fourth album can even attempt to tackle the layers and substances of love in its entirety. The stroke of genius here is Turpin’s turn as a director, ‘casting’ ten different singers, including Villagers’ Conor O’Brien, across the album’s tracks, to lay out different scenes and examples of the sensitivities of love. The effect is a sonically and aesthetically complete work, and an affecting one at that, at its most intimate. MMGB Deadly Buzz Aldrin Deadly Buzz Aldrin [Soft Landing] (Sandy) Alex G House of Sugar [Domino] The uptick of musical minimalism is always that; within the spaces lies the intent of notes not played, or the joys of simple ideas given room to stretch. So unfolds the first EP of Dublin electronic experimentalist and DDR jock Colm O’Riordan, a.k.a. Deadly Buzz Aldrin, whose balance of breaks and playful synths gently encompass techno, drone and psychedelia. The sparing and rhythmically apt use of vocal samples throughout lends relatability and slight intrigue, while the record’s lean into the aforementioned drone elements as it progresses creates warmth and familiarity. A joy of an EP. MMGB CLICK IT OUT… Alex Giannascoli began recording music at the tender age of four and released his first EP that same year. Twenty-two years later, the musician known as (Sandy) Alex G has become one of the most rousing songwriters of recent times. His eighth LP, House of Sugar, is a wonderful mix of ‘90s grunge guitar lines and synths that illuminate songs as though they were fireflies. Overall, this is an extremely accomplished album and is G’s fulfilling listen to date. ZH We know it and so should you food, fashion, photography, film, books, magazines, music, design, drink and a curated section of events for you to consider www.totallydublin.ie