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AUDIO Zara Hedderman Mike McGrath-Bryan Purple Mo
untains Purple Mountains [Drag City] Daughter of Swords Dawnbreaker [Bella Union] David Berman’s first musical outlet, since retiring his Silver Jews moniker almost a decade ago, is as unpredictable and emotionally-gripping as a Wimbledon final fought between underdog and world champion. Throughout Purple Mountains’ ten tracks, Berman serves jovial melodies (backed by Woods, despite Berman’s meagre knowledge of their music beforehand) counteracted with lyrics borne from immense melancholy. Berman’s linguistic dexterity, his wry lyricism, has always been his strongest attribute. Following a period of tremendous change which saw the now 52-year-old meeting many ends – the death of his mother, a marriage dissolution, the closing of the Silver Jews chapter – he’s exceptionally transparent in articulating how life has affected him. A harrowing example is All My Happiness Is Gone where Berman, veiled by a bright and triumphant instrumentation, confesses to be “barely hanging on.” Years of living in Nashville, Tennessee, has seeped into his songwriting sensibilities with numerous motifs from the George Jones school of classic country appearing throughout, namely on song-titles She’s Making Friends, I’m Turning Stranger (featuring an excellent fiddle solo) and Maybe I’m The Only One For Me. A truly beautiful album in which the listener will simultaneously relish in Berman’s return whilst feeling an overwhelming wave sorrow for the songwriter’s display of unbridled sincerity. An instant classic in Berman’s canon. ZH Like this? Try these: Bill Callahan - Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest Lambchop - This (Is What I Wanted To Tell You) Mega Bog - Dolphine Hand Habits Mountain Man’s Alexandra Sauser-Monnig momentarily stood aside from her folk-fused mainstay to write and record Dawnbreaker as Daughter of Swords. At times reminiscent of early Gemma Hayes with hints of Big Thief, this is a delightfully endearing summer-perfect record. Highlights include hints of electronica in both Gem and Shining Woman’s distant drum-machine. This is definitely one to stick on mid-afternoon when the golden sun is beaming. Dawnbreaker’s concise 32 minutes leaves the listener wanting more. Hopefully, we can expect another offering from Daughter of Swords. ZH Alarmist Sequesterer [Small Pond] Among the survivors of the early-oughties postrock revival, Dublin ‘instrumental maximalists’ Alarmist have lasted the test of time by keeping their powder dry over the years. Following a pair of EPs and debut album Popular Demain, each separated by years and label changes, Sequesterer feels like a move into a greater comfort with themselves and their influences, shifting from contemporary math/post-rock on District of Baddies, to jazz and skittering electronics, to moments of Yellow Magic Orchestra-style bliss. MMGB Beauty Sleep Be Kind [CSR] Fomorian Vein This is the Part I Feared Would Occur [Wax Anvil] Belfast dream-poppers Beauty Sleep have steadily been producing slick, synthy, nearly swaggering tunes, and on debut full-length Be Kind, they’ve clearly set their sights on transcending their surroundings and entering the wider musical consciousness. Each four-minute statement, delivered in a distinct Northern accent, resonates with ambition and genuine love for its informing factors, from strident leadoff The Dark, to arenaready summer swayer Nature Will Eat Me. Big things await. MMGB While Maynooth-based producer Jake Flynn, a.k.a. Formorian Vein, is best known at present for standout collaborations with Corkonian provocateur Craic Boi Mental, his solo excursions to date have been entirely serious, applying a wistful, retrospective, filter to hard-going, nigh-on industrial electronics. For his second extended-player, the latter gives further way to breaks and bass. Namesake mines a deep seam of drum’n’bass influence, while Unrest builds slowly upon hyper-looped percussion and pensive, politically-charged samples to a gabber-esque coda. MMGB CLICK IT OUT… 80 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