Rarely has a year been greeted with as much expectation as 2021.
A fresh start, a new chapter, and hopefully a return to what binds us together: live music. As political leaders race to get the new Covid-19 vaccine into the world, the stalwarts of music scene's across the globe continue to create behind the scenes. Even in the face of uncertainty, our desire to create remains.
As Robin Williams reminded us in the iconic Dead Poets Society; we read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And while medicine, law, business and engineering are all noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life, poetry, beauty, romance, love...these are what we stay alive for.
With this in mind, we implore you to switch off your television, ignore the news, and immerse yourself in these five new essential releases instead.
Anna's Anchor - Derelict
Derelict see's Limerick's golden child Marty Ryan (better known as Anna's Anchor), push a Mountain Goats sized boulder up the bastard hillside that was 2020. Singing with all the pain and intensity of the aforementioned John Darnielle, Ryan condemns his dreams to the wind before reminding himself that at least we survived. The strings swell like the sea off Ireland's south-west coast, cathartic and real. A wonderful taster for new album 'A Glorious Ruction', due April 8th.
smallmint - New Year
Glacial falsetto and stirring imagery unite like hands clasped tight on smallmint's debut single New Year. The band formerly known as Brash Isaac have chosen a delicate introduction for their new baby, like a baby bird preparing to jump from it's nest. For band leader Andrew Cameron, it's a welcome return to one of Northern Ireland's most prolific songwriters, occupying a heart shaped hole between Pinegrove and Justin Vernon. There will undoubtedly be rockier numbers hidden up the band's sleeve, but like the new year itself, smallmint will take their time before revealing their hand.
Michael Mormecha - Love Like Mariana
As Northern Ireland's chief purveyor of lofi-pop, Michael Mormecha spent his lockdown just as you had hoped he would; encased in the amber of his home studio, crafting new record See Sea. On Love Like Mariana, Mormecha's love stretches' as deep as an oceanic trench, reaching out for the girl with twigs in her hair, causing tsunami's in his bloodstream. He spits beat poetry over finger picked rhythms, like John Cooper Clarke with a fuzz pedal. Vital, invigorating listening. You can join his deep sea dive on Kickstarter, where he is raising funds to finish the album here.
Lucy Gaffney - Send Me Away
Lucy Gaffney's latest single was released in October 2020, so is it really a new release? Well, no, but for those unacquainted with the Belfast born songwriter's waltz-like dream pop, allow us to make the first introduction. Send Me Away is the soundtrack to a showreel that can only ever exist in your mind. You may have specially tailored it over the years, watched details blur into the summer haze, but it doesn't matter. You were there and this song was playing, and it was perfect.
Josh McClorey - Puffin' Clovers
Having taken some time to explore the open road with sadboi popstar in waiting JC Stewart, one time Strype Josh McClorey has now forged his own identity as a fully fledged frontman. Puffin' Clovers is the secret weapon in his new arsenal, a melodic slice of mature pop in the vein of 5 Seconds Of Summer's new sound. A hook heavy dance track, McClorey takes only rare glimpses at his electric guitar throughout, trusting his melodies to do the hard miles and unite festival crowds in the process. Let's hope we'll see him doing just that very soon.
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