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SOUNDS GOODSOUNDS GOOD Zara Hedderman Joe Joyce Z
ara Hedderman Joe Joyce Zara Hedderman Sophia McDonald Danny Wilson Finghín Little Danny Wilson Zara Hedderman Sophia McDonald Andrew Lambert Arca KICK ii [XL] Skelocrats Boy Bitten by Lizard [Popical Island] Melts Maelstrom [Mother’s Sky] Wilco Cruel Country [dPbm] Big Thief Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You [4AD] Perfume Genius Ugly Season [Matador] The recognisable vocals of Damon Albarn have Sci-fi horror projections from the 1950s about what the year 2000 could look like were filled with flying cars and robot servants. Nothing could have prepared them for the soundtrack of the next roaring ‘20s. Arca achieves something beyond futuristic on the KICK records, pushing out past pure electronic and club. Combining Latin beats with filtered vocals, KICK ii is thick with heavy bass and mechanical echoing sounds. To label the album as chaotic would take away The curious thing about Big Thief’s fifth album was just how much exposure we had to it in advance of its release this past month, with almost an entire LPs worth of singles dropped over the past half year as part of the rollout for the band’s first double record. If you’ve been following the dazzling array of from the precise layered production. What Arca does is open the door to her universe and tempts you in by offering a unique listening experience. Hypnotic synths and sensuous drums on Prada make it a track to be reckoned with. Luna Llena on KICK ii softly emerges as an emotional reprieve from any hard hitting industrial tracks. Releasing multiple albums, and presenting them as a collection, after becoming one of the most creative producers in modern music shows that Arca is not to be messed with. The collection is overwhelmingly impressive and the collaboration with Sia on Born Yesterday speaks to the flexibility of Arca’s sound. After suffering the loss of musical pioneer SOPHIE, the KICK albums feel reassuring in their direction and how expansive they are in the world of experimental electronics. SMcD Like This? Try These... Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides - SOPHIE How I’m Feeling Now - Charlie XCX Another Life - Amnesia Scanner Returning from something of an unofficial hiatus, Dublin’s premier bockety-pop supergroup is back in business. Following the departure of oddball crooner extraordinaire, Paddy Hanna, this who’s who of domestic indie stalwarts have further bolstered their ranks with the addition of No Monster Club’s (Sir) Bobby (Jukebox) Aherne and Ruan Van Vliet of Squarehead. Whether it can be chalked up to the new blood or otherwise, the quintet sound nothing if not energised on this, their most immediately arresting and deftly constructed collection to date. The shambling, grab-bag, energy that defined their first two records has always been one of the great pleasures of Skelocrats as an endeavour, so, to praise Boy Bitten by Lizard for its focus can’t help feel a little off. Yet, this newfound clarity in vision and sharpness in presentation never reads as compromise, or worse, the sanding down of rough edges at the expense of character. In essence, despite the presence of titles like We Drink Our Own Piss, the chaos has been dialled down in favour of a sweeter shade of sophistication. This twist is pointedly evidenced in closer Sweet Talk; itself an unassumingly anthemic wonder reminiscent of Pulp at their most potent, or in the taut to the point of spring loaded, pure pop pleasures of the tracks that front and centre the belted vocals of Bronwyn Murphy White. DW As the saying goes, “slow and steady wins the race,” and this may well be the mantra to Dublinbased quintet Melts. Having formed in late 2017, the band have used the last five years to develop their engrossing sound which uses psych and krautrock motifs as a solid foundation for their kaleidoscopic arrangements. Maelstrom, their long-awaited debut record, is a brilliantly immersive listening experience from start to finish, and well worth the wait. With only three of the eight multi-faceted songs on the record coming in at under five minutes, the consideration given to each composition is evident across the partnership between the band and producer, Daniel Fox. From the offset, an infectious frenetic energy emanates from Melts’ extraordinary musicianship; a perfect vehicle for frontman Eoin Kenny, throughout. Furthermore, within these expansive works no motif is superfluous. Every element maintains momentum and effectively creates a celestial atmosphere that’s both intriguing and inviting. The depth of Kenny’s cadence bears a striking The Whole Love (2011). Not to cast a disparaging shadow on their recent releases; it merely felt like the minimalism of Tweedy’s solo material transferred into the band’s melodic approach. Here, all six members got together and recorded the songs live, adding overdubs later. There’s a looseness to the playing. You can feel their enjoyment, throughout. The immediately captivating ‘The Empty Condor’, ‘Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull’, ‘Many Worlds’ and ‘Mystery Binds’ herald their sprawling and texturally dense material. The latter two, especially, summon their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sensibilities. Lyrically, too, there’s a lot to enjoy. From Bob Dylan-like absurdist humour on Ambulance (“They pronounced me dead at half past / And that priest he pissed his pants / When he heard me start to say hello”) to poignant introspection. “I’ve been through hell,” Tweedy reflects, “I only fought with myself so I’d have a story to tell.” The stories on Cruel Country are masterfully told, bringing an exciting new chapter for Wilco. ZH likeness to Ian Curtis and Ian McCulloch. He’s a consistently captivating presence across the LP. Notably on Outlier, where he looms atop a more sinisterly intoned arrangement, punctuated with spooky drone-like inflections before a darker synth drenched instrumentation descends. Elsewhere, it’s impossible to not immediately gravitate towards the gorgeously spacious Spectral, an undeniable highlight. With this masterful debut, Melts have announced themselves with an assured artistry that will no doubt take their audiences on plenty of fun excursions with each return. ZH career-best tracks released this past January, from Little Things/ Sparrow in August to Simulation Swarm, then you’ll already know it was a pretty safe bet to back Dragon New Warm Mountain being the most magical treasure of the Brooklyn quartet’s career to date, and the final 80 minute result doesn’t disappoint for even one second of its behemoth running time. Recorded across four locations in five months, the inspiring production process of Dragon was conceived by drummer James Krivchenia. It saw the band travelling mountains, canyons, woods and deserts around the US while tapping into the primal musical instincts and raw craftsmanship that’s informed their bewitching indie folk since day one. As such, Dragon offers up the most pure and beautiful expression of Big Thief’s career to date. They lay down deeper cuts throughout this epic work that are as equally majestic and compelling as instant fan favourites from last year such as ‘Certainty’, ‘Spud Infinity’ and ‘Change’. Sprawling and spectacular, yet always as intimate and intricate as the very best of Big Thief, Dragon is a career-defining accomplishment and a supremely early, yet no doubt worthy, frontrunner for the indierock record of 2022. AL It was never going to be easy for Mike Hadreas to match the magic of Set My Heart On Fire Immediately. Released in 2020, it further positioned Perfume Genius as one of the most exciting artists pushing boundaries in art-pop. Instead of trying to recreate the mood of that LP, Hadreas fearlessly dismantled his musical sensibilities, piecing them back together to make a much broader and vivid body of work with Ugly Season. Working once again with producer Blake Mills – with whom he has had an extremely fruitful collaborative relationship stemming back to 2017’s excellent No Shape – and his partner Alan Wyffels, Ugly Season amplifies the unbridled energy and experimentation of form that elevates Perfume Genius’ output above his contemporaries. These ten songs were originally written to accompany a dance piece entitled The Sun Still Burns Here choreographed by Kate Wallich. These unabashedly abstract arrangements heard outside of its original context may be jarring or even a little intimidating. Not knowing what to expect, however, makes for an extremely exhilarating listening experience. From the moment Ugly Season descends on fresh ears, its immediacy cannot be denied. Just a Room and Herem carry through Hadreas’ unrushed approach to world building which is excellently achieved across the record. And while Ugly Season takes Hadreas’ Perfume Genius further into the avant-garde corners of pop, there are plenty of accessible compositions here to savour. With his sixth LP, Perfume Genius has delivered yet another mesmerising artistic turn. ZH “I love my country, stupid and cruel,” Jeff Tweedy intones on Cruel Country, the titular track of Wilco’s twelfth studio album. On their second double album, the Chicago alt-rockers finally embrace country music; a label they’ve worn uncomfortably since 1994. This slumberous arrangement is one of many moments where they playfully lean into country motifs. A click-clacking beat imitates a horse coming into town, Tweedy in the saddle grappling with the complexities of what it is to be American. Cruel Country is Wilco’s finest offering since Beverly Glenn Copeland/ Various Artists Keyboard Fantasies Reimagined [Transgressive] Destroyer Labyrinthitis [Bella Union] Oh Boland! Cheap Things [Self Released] Aesop Rock Spirit World Field Guide [Rhymesayers Entertainment] Yawning Chasm The Golden Hour [Self Released] James Vincent McMorrow The Less I Knew [Faction Records] Surely for many, merely listing the collaborators featured on this full length revisiting of Beverly Gleen Copeland’s seismically influential early electronic masterpiece would be enticement enough. And rightly so, Arca, Ana Roxanna, Devonte Hynes to almost arbitrarily name but a few – it speaks to Copeland’s remarkable legacy that talent on display here is made up of artists intent on making the musical landscape that bit more interesting, more unexpected. This rare gem of a collection is a masterwork of curation and a further, ever timely reminder of Copeland’s brilliance. Effusively recommended. DW While travel isn’t an option for most of us right now, you could do a lot worse than a metaphysical journey with rapper Aesop Rock on Spirit World Field Guide. Rock’s eighth studio album is a woozy confluence of his lyrical proficiency and skill behind the mixing desk. There are vast synths, crisp drums and creepy 8-bit hooks. These unearthly soundscapes are scattered with mind-bending lyrics; this spirit world is full of bats exploding out a mountain cave and crystal skulls. It’s a hell of a ride. JJ Aeon Station Observatory [Sub Pop] AC/DC Power Up [Columbia Records] Aeon Station is the new project from Kevin Whelan, formerly of feud-prone indie rockers The Wrens, and half the songs on Observatory were originally intended for a Wrens album that never materialised. The songs are a familiar rock mixture of quiet reflection and triumphant euphoria; Springsteen comparisons are inevitable, and to be fair to Whelan he mostly pulls it off. Might be a bit overwrought for listeners unfamiliar with the turbulent history of The Wrens, but for fans this is sure to be a jubilant and cathartic release. JJ Bruce Lee once said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” That being the case, he probably wouldn’t have fancied meeting AC/DC in a brawl. On their seventeenth studio album, the Australian hard rockers give us 12 entertaining variations on the musical kick that they’ve been working on for decades. You might forget some of the riffs as soon as you’re finished listening, but Brian Johnson’s demonic vocals can still thrill. JJ The number thirteen is routinely regarded as unlucky, but not for Dan Bejar. On his thirteenth release under the Destroyer moniker, a career which began in 1996, the Canadian songwriter navigates new sonic terrain with distinctive tones from his discography, notably Have We Met, Ken and the acoustic sensibilities of City of Daughters providing a sturdy foundation for experimentation. As ever, Destroyer’s arrangements across Labyrinthitis (an inflammation of the inner ear) are expansive, enveloping and unpredictable. The only certainty one can expect from Destroyer’s output is Bejar’s extraordinary lyricism, one that hears irreverent wit entangled with touching sentiments. “I piss on the floor, the band sets up on the floor. I piss on the floorboards the whole world’s a stage,” he wryly intones on the wildly infectious Eat The Wine, Drink The Bread. Whereas the opening track, It’s In Your Heart Now, while sparing in its words, effortlessly conveys great sincerity at its core. Tonally, these are his most dynamic compositions to exist under one roof. It Takes A Thief and June are sprinkled with funky flourishes, ‘80s guitar tones abound on All My Pretty Dresses, while the album’s titular track steers towards hauntology and hip-hop in how it beautifully blends a melody of frosty keys and trip-hop beats with field recordings of a gleeful child and gravel crunching. Working again with John Collins, Labyrinthitis is another tremendous feat of musical invention. With some songs clocking in at almost seven minutes, nothing feels indulgent or bloated. Every texture, riff and lyric is essential and rewarding. ZH Almost paradoxically jammier and poppier than their rightly cherished first transmission, it’s a struggle to pull out particularities for praise for fear of appearing to degenerate any given number’s neighbours on the tracklist. Ultimately, it might just be the consistency on display here that is the most dazzling – we’re talking a Singles Going Steady level of bang you over the head brilliance from tune to tune. For those of us that have been waiting – and trust me, there are dozens of us! – we finally have a worthy document of Oh Boland’s majesty as a live proposition and mastery over the domestic punk (“post” or otherwise) landscape. DW Oh Boland!’s latest, Cheap Things, has long existed as little more than a rumour. The Tuam trio have, over nearly a decade at this stage, established themselves as one of the finest if-you-knowyou-know live acts in the country. A power trio of rare potency; mastermind, songwriter and unfuckwithable shredder, Niall Murphy, is plainly besotted with the psychedelic, shambling garage rock of New Zealand’s unimpeachable indie stable Flying Nun Records. That is to say, the man knows well that the most bracing brand of power-pop is invariably produced by a band that, amongst other things, sounds like they are falling down the stairs. On this long gestating, once thought entirely scrapped, collection - Murphy and co. sound like they are tumbling down the steps of a vertigo inducing belltower, picking up speed as they clatter down each consecutive, spiralling, seemingly endless flight – such is the freewheeling, unfettered intensity on display over the course of these ten irresistibly fun slabs of maximum rock n’ roll. The Golden Hour marks the seventh outing of Galwegian Aaron Coyne under the Yawning Chasm moniker and the easy charm that characterises this open, lived-in and welcoming collection of homespun, experimental indie-folk belies his wealth of experience. When he’s at the mic, Coyne’s melodyforward masterpieces in miniature vibrate at the same agreeably off kilter frequency as some of the masters of the mode; Liam the Younger, Simon Joyner and even Dublin’s own oft-overlooked Elverum acolyte, the mighty Porn on Vinyl. Elsewhere, where Coyne affords himself the space to indulge in some vocal-less, instrumental explorations, he arrives at some equally satisfying places. These wiggier moments furnish The Golden Hour with a certain pleasantly fried quality as the record burrows out a warm space between blissed out folkier jamming, grainier approximations of the shimmering synthetic sounds of new-age and some soupier, shoegaze-informed impulses (Sandalgaze?). Even for the record’s willingness to stretch out and enjoy its own digressions, the economy of elements and clarity of vision at play is a particular strength of The Golden Hour. Coyne’s melodic understanding is such that there is deftly understated quality to his work even when these songs are at their most invitingly poppy. Deeply considered and expertly shaped without sounding too fussed over - Coyne’s latest is a special little record indeed. DW The world that James Vincent McMorrow lets us see on The Less I Knew revolves around reflection and failure. The urge to leave, the rainy streets of New York and blossoming love are included by the Irish musician who has become a staple on the scene over the last decade. McMorrow attempts to find more of himself again after two years of global inaction. On his new record, there are moments where he hits gold but there are others where he’s still searching. Filled with unstoppable nostalgia, memories come thick and fast on the opening half of The Less I Knew. The trumpets add a visceral depth that transforms acoustic softness to thundering excitement, especially on Hurricane. This opening track sets a precedent for the rest of the album. Moving between fondness and slight antipathy, McMorrow lets the past wash over him. Lighten Up does have a tinge of early ‘00s cringe that can be forgiven when the track breaks down with his airy vocals and synths. The soulful A Lot to Take wonderfully emulates the lack of security in the future. McMorrow attempts to ground himself in his memories whilst facing into an unsure present. Part of a two-part release, The Less I Knew shows the binary of McMorrow’s sound. Being one half of a whole, there’s hope for more extremity and less subtlety. He teeters on the edge of grandiosity on the more upbeat tracks, something he should push for. He gives us a taste of his vulnerability which leaves you wanting more. SMcD Fickle Friends Are We Gonna Be Alright [Cooking Vinyl] Niamh Regan In the Meantime [Self-Release] Síomha Infinite Space [Infinite Records] The Shaker Hymn The Last Concorde [Heavy Noids Records] The Cribs Night Network [Sonic Blew] Lullahush A City Made of Water and Small Love [Self-Release] On Fickle Friends’ second record, Are We Gonna Be Alright, the Brighton-based quartet pack in as much as possible across twelve rather lacklustre tracks. Many components to the songs feel overproduced and overfamiliar in their configurations. Whether it’s the ‘90s rock inflection lending a grittier veneer to the instrumentation on Love You To Death or a tempered bumbling bass riff permeating the ‘80s pop-rock number Glow, there isn’t a lot on offer here which distinguishes much innovation from the band. ZH In a year where landfill indie made headlines, a new record from the brothers Jarman should be no surprise. The Cribs eighth studio album, their first entirely self-produced effort since forming twenty years ago, is coloured with a nostalgic palette that spans from Dusty Springfield-tinged melodies to generous helpings of indie-infused Britpop. Opening with the lilting Goodbye, sprinkled with Spector-like magic, the trio radiates an alluring warmth. For those whose coming of age was soundtracked by The Cribs, this release feels as though their sound has matured with their audience. ZH Galwegian singer-songwriter Niamh Regan released her critically-acclaimed debut Hemet in 2020, earning Album of the Year nominations from both the RTE Folk Awards and the Choice Music Prize. Regan returns with the promise of a new album in the works and, for now, the aptly-titled EP In the Meantime. Opener Late Nights feels like a chilled-out companion piece to Hemet’s Ode to Youth. Regan’s idiosyncratic vocal style shines over a slightly more uptempo beat and the orchestration of the track is gorgeous, with an understated horn hook that gently takes up residence in your ear. This flows smoothly into Love You Senseless, a fine example of the ‘happy sad song’, where Alex Borwick’s sparkling production contrasts nicely with Regan’s intimate lyrics detailing the frustration of loving someone who’s struggling with demons you can’t help them fight. Happy Again takes us back to more familiar folk territory, with plaintive guitar plucking building to an anthemic chorus which almost sounds triumphant, until you realise that Regan is asking someone, “Oh how did you go / Days upon weeks without talking to me?” Things wrap up with Winter in Eden, a shimmering duet with Ciaran Lavery that’s weird in all the right ways; the melody never goes exactly where you think it will, and Borwick strikes again with some flickering flute sounds and plucked strings that elevate the more traditionally folky elements of the track. In the Meantime is captivating, both as a standalone work and a preview of Regan’s next fulllength release. JJ Lambchop Trip [Merge Records] passersby ALWAYS [Self Released] groove that gently blows open the possibilities for what an Irish-language song can sound like; there’s something uniquely thrilling about hearing the language deployed in such a contemporary and just plain funky context. The shifts into more electronic territory work just as well, like How To Change Your Mind, a cosmic burst of a tune that shows Síomha’s exceptional voice is as engaging within a big soundscape as it is on the record’s more intimate moments. Throughout the record, Síomha and her band Ever the restless auteur, Kurt Wagner’s latest pivot sees him encourage each bandmate to choose a track to cover. This diffusion of creative control largely forgoes the electronic dabbling of recent releases in favour of a return to some understated country soul for grown-ups. The selections are characteristically left-field, while Wagner’s laconic baritone sedately unfurls across a six-track collection stretched to album length by its sparse slow burn. It should be a throwaway concept, but under the covers you’ll find a cohesive summation of an enterprising band quite content to fly below the radar. KB When working in genres that demand a high-level of technical skill, musicians have to strike a balance. An excess of virtuosic musicianship can leave a song feeling a bit too slick and lacking humanity. But when the contrast between musical chops and emotional impact is just right, there’s nothing better. On her debut album Infinite Space, Clare native Síomha has achieved just that, combining world-class musicianship with soulful and personal songwriting. Spéir Rua is a standout. It’s a warm and energetic Taking direct inspiration from Pink Floyd, The Shaker Hymn wanted to create something that was cosmically pleasant. On The Last Concorde, there is a wonderful nostalgia that is evoked from the mix of acoustic guitar melodies and warped electric riffs. At first listen, you could mistake the Irish band as a forgotten psychedelic rock group from the 1960s. Playing with the much loved elements of art rock, their third album transports you to another planet. The celebratory drums and trumpets on From the Wilderness burst with energy. The highlight of the album, the track blends psychedelia with alternative. Caoilain Sherlock’s vocals blend fantastically with the piano melody and warbling guitar riffs. Not everything from The Shaker Hymn is Space Oddity. Although We are the Cosmos could be a tribute to Electronic Light Orchestra, harmonies are cleverly used on Our Youth is a Parachute to inject some indie rock. Tender closer So it Goes watches as the sun goes down and a new day begins. Twinkling triangle and ghostly synths keep the track light like a lost Fleet Foxes b-side. One thing that stands out from this compact Diarmuid O’Connor, formerly of Dublin indie fourpiece Angular Hank, has struck out on his own as passerby and released his debut tape ALWAYS. O’Connor says he was “never really able to sit on the couch and bang out a classic ballad on the guitar,” but he shouldn’t be worried about that. The seven tracks here are beautifully impressionistic sketches; the lyrics are intimate but the music is adventurous, melding traditional indie sounds with some more progressive and electronic stylistic flourishes. Don’t let this one pass you by. JJ Lullahush’s debut album A City Made of Water and Small Love delivers themes of longing and wistful elegy honestly and with an appealing sweetness. Daniel McIntyre’s tracks slip lithely between bleepy, beatless meditations, clubby and stuttering anthems, and glitchy IDM, with a captivating and stripped-back approach to songwriting. The optimistic introduction You Look Like You’ve Been Up All Night sees pretty and carefree melodies clash with futuristic and bass-influenced production, and sets an agile, lightweight tone. Chaotic crescendos feature on the shorter, more linear pieces, which still manage to cover plenty of sonic terrain. But the most geniality is on display in more complex songs like Love Is a Place Where You Go To Swim, where Lullahush and vocalist Maria Kelly reach a sultry tone carrying notes of romantic loss to a gritty apex. This knack for dynamism brings the album to its standout moment in When I’m Not Awake I’m Dreaming Of You, which returns deftly to that sensuality, offset by a confident lightness in its quieter moments. The longest track, it still lends the album its catchiest hook by far. When that hook falters, though, a broken rhythm, organic bells, and soft vocals are enough to make a lasting impression. A City is threaded together with a surreal but record is the pure joy in every track. The Shaker Hymn have been through the mill after their drummer Shane Murphy was hospitalised followed by the distressing pandemic. The Last Concorde was originally supposed to be a foray into analogue recording but turned into a reflective album, one that stands out as grateful for the present instead of trying to recreate the past. SMcD deadpan lyrical sensibility; its detachment makes it hard to tell whether McIntyre is yearning for the past or just processing an emotional snapshot of a moment. Yet that same narrative adeptness is what renders it a flowing, satisfying listen. FL take things that are seemingly opposed and make them sound like they were always meant to be together, like unexpected jazz chords that resolve beautifully, to the conceptual level where genres mix to form something new. It’s exciting in a way that can only be achieved when you know that the music you’re hearing was made by a group of people collaborating in a room together, doing what they each do best. Infinite Space is one of the most original albums of the year so far. JJ Now Open 29 South Anne St, Dublin 2 Tel. 01 531 4491 44 55 44 44 44