Joshua Burnside - Into The Depths Of Hell - Lyrical Analysis

by 11:50


Reassurances from a departed love, ancient Irish folk and unabashed anger at Satan himself combine at lightspeed on Joshua Burnside’s sophomore record ‘Into The Depths Of Hell’. Somewhere amidst the melting pot of sounds, Paul Simon-esque African groove can be found mingling with a post-punk atmosphere (And You Evade Him/Born In The Blood). In the darker corners his banjo from embryonic (but still brilliant) releases like Black Dog Sin is heard plucking away diligently, as if recovered from a time-capsule (Nothing For Ye). Elsewhere, metal strikes metal in a Belfast shipyard, while civil war breaks out in the background (I Saw The Night). 


Where his NI Music Prize winning debut Ephrata teased moments of greatness, Into The Depths Of Hell spells it out like fireworks on a pitch black night. It shakes, stumbles and mourns alongside the listener, demanding another spin on the record player. To celebrate this landmark record, Taylor Johnson takes a dive into the depths of Joshua Burnside’s brain and 10 times his lyrics hit different. 



1. “Nothing is bolder than the jump from the windowsill, into the depths of hell and into the clutches of the devil himself” - Under The Concrete 

The opening verses to the Latin shuffle of Under The Concrete see Joshua steal redemption from the jaws of exquisitely orchestrated despair, in roughly the time it takes to light a cigarette on a windswept evening. A dark awakening, it welcomes you into his world with a weary wink, before pulling himself back from the brink , “but nevermind that talk is a little premature, I have many sins worse to commit first.” Wonderful.


2. “I was a liar when I said I am not afraid, I am” - And You Evade Him/Born In The Blood

As unlikely a single as you’ll hear this year, even a song as artistic and soundbite heavy as And You Evade Him… doesn’t miss it’s opportunity to cut right to his subject’s very core. Surrounded by fear, the Comber-born troubadour refuses to shy away from his truest feelings, redefining his vulnerabilities as strengths. It also paints him as one of us. He is human and he needs to be loved, just like everybody else does...



3. “So if there's nowhere for our souls to go then I don't want to be so sober, so” - Whiskey Whiskey

A flight to London. Sickening turbulence. Life suspended somewhere between heaven and the Earth below. Whiskey Whiskey is Burnside’s memento mori, a look into the human mind, staring death in the face. Reason can’t save him now, nor the cabin crew giving nothing away as the aircraft shudders and shakes. One of this record’s most touching moments.



4. “Just to have you to myself again, I would've waged a war on everything” - War On Everything

Some grief is only comparable to the violent swell of the sea, and War On Everything captures that desolation in a single verse. To see his beloved again, he would wage war, nothing could stop him. The lyrics here tap into something primal, making love and despair seem human rather than, as so often in pop music, superheroic.


5.  “And Mr. Freud, reveals the void in our hearts, where we thought we knew the light from the dark, but there's only sex and murder in the back of our skulls” - Will You Go or Must I?

Austrian neurologist and weird-sex-guy Sigmund Freud proposed that humans have a life instinct and a death instinct. His theory was based on these drives (sex and aggression) dominating our lives. Here Burnside is toying with this concept of  nihilism over a ragtime melody, that wouldn’t sound out of place on Cat Steven’s 1970 classic Tea For The Tillerman. 



6. “You shall not take this land from me, for who am I, but where I am? And who I am, with therein, I'll be the night, I’ll be the night” - I Saw The Night

Buried beneath the blood and the borders, Burnside’s misanthropy is rationalised by his refusal to take sides. Peace will be his victory. Haunting electronica, accordion drones and vocoded vocals give a cabin fever closeness to the infinite night he sings about. 


7. “Until eventually all of our buried skeletons are gently uncovered by smiling Americans, and all is explained, how we came to such unfortunate endings” - Driving Alone In The City At Night

A conversation with a departed friend, Driving Along In The City At Night should sound a lot more tortured than it actually does. In the context of the song, whilst not exactly cheery, the thought of being discovered in the ground alongside a loved one feels like more of an escape for our author, than a definitive ending.



8. Well, I have nothing for ye my sweet darling, If I had enough money, I'd buy you a ring, for I'm worried someday, you'll run off with a doctor, cause I had nothing for ye, my sweet darling” - Nothing For Ye

Into The Depths... emotional climax, Nothing For Ye encapsulates all that is pure and beautiful about Joshua Burnside as a storyteller. All he can offer are his songs and his heart, will that be enough, my sweet darling? A song sounding like it was written on a battlefield years ago, with bombs and bullets flying above him. Close your eyes and you’re there.


9. “One cannot be here, whilst over there, so you must remain, my kind brother” - Driving Alone In The City At Night

Another heartbreaking lyric from Driving Alone In The City At Night, here Burnside’s attempt to reconcile loss takes a gentler tone. A devastating and comforting truth. Childlike, and yet somehow seismic in its simplicity. 


10. “My mother before she died, told me, son if you must be a singer, well you ought to run, down to the dole office, and sign on today, for that's where you'll be, collecting your pay.” - Nothing For Ye

Joshua Burnside’s song about being skint is priceless. Before work commenced on Into The Depths Of Hell, he could often be found nursing a Guinness at the American Bar in Belfast, listening in and occasionally taking part in the Irish-traditional jam sessions that take place behind closed doors. Musicians from across the city would meet to  play songs from yesteryear, historical songs about poets and Ireland, their dreams and their families. These traditions have undoubtedly  helped shape Burnside’s second record, the mark from these shared moments in every groove of the vinyl. Nothing For Ye is a song born from these times, made to be sung with arms around loved ones, late into a winter night, fire burning in the corner. 



Extra reading/Bonus points

“Well, I just can't find peace in my soul, no, I just can't find it” - The Only Thing I Fear

Apparently work commenced on non-album single The Only Thing I Fear when Burnside was just fifteen years old. How can someone so young, write words so sad? With streams just outside the one million mark at time of writing, it’s unfair to call The Only Thing I Fear a lost classic. It is, however,  a criminal omission from Into The Depths. Sparse, yet heavy. 

Huge, yet minimal. The end and the start of the world.



Taylor Johnson



Into The Depths Of Hell


I Saw The Night

Under The Concrete

AndYou Evade Him/Born In The Blood

Whiskey Whiskey

Driving Alone In The City At Night

Noa Mercier

Will You Go Or Must I?

War On Everything

Napoleans Nose

Nothing For Ye

joshua burnside | single review | war on everything

by 05:31

Unmistakably Burnside. Undeniably brilliant.

The calypso rhythms and tales from lands afar are buried like treasure, Joshua Burnside has left Ephrata and entered the depths of Hell. What does it sound like? A mesmeric darkness, shadowed by the Irish conflict and traditions 3000 miles closer to home than his debut NI Music Prize winning album.

New single War On Everything (released August 14th) pushes the drums to the front of the mix, marching Burnside towards some form of light amidst the maudlin-toned singles we've heard so far. The influence of Ohio elder-statesmen and Taylor Swift collaborators The National is obvious; everything from the swooning verse melody, to the Devendorf drum beat marking a continued growth from Ephrata's more pop-centric roots. We hear strings dancing in and out of time, militaristic in their desire to move the listener. Waves crash in the dark, as a lover reaches out for something, anything.

"She said I feel lonely when I'm with you, lonely when I'm with anyone, like those old ghosts you sing about, yeah, that's how I feel."

Much like The National, Burnside's rise from Belfast's underbelly to an audience of millions (online anyway) has been a steady one, quietly gathering fans the world over whilst refusing to compromise on his visions. It's an attitude his manager, friend and long-term confidant Lyndon Stephens undoubtedly nurtured before his tragic passing earlier this year.

It's worked Lyndon, but you never needed anyone to tell you that.

Taylor Johnson

Joshua Burnside's second album 'Into The Depths of Hell' is released September 4th.

Single Review | The Zang | Football Sundays

by 11:46


The world of former More Than Conquerors axe-swingers Kris Platt and Danny Ball have been perpetually in motion since their decision to leave the mosh pits behind in 2019.

Kris' hiatus to France was cut short when songwriting supremo Ciaran Lavery requested his services on lead guitar, and before long he was preoccupied with smashing his own Spotify algorithms in electro-indie project Blue Americans.  Entirely self-producing their new body of work soon sparked the creation of Oiltape Studios, Belfast's newest recording space and the chosen birthplace for indie-slackers The Zang's debut record, scheduled to drop later this year.

Dipped in a pool of Weller-esque guitar tones, The Zang! tackle issues of modern homophobia, sectarianism and life beyond the beautiful game in this, the first single taken from their as-yet-untitled debut. Arriving in an age of rising unemployment, economic uncertainty and Liverpool as the dominant footballing force in England, you'd be forgiven for falling into a sepia toned world after listening to this one. Platt's aversion to over-complication in the producer's chair serves the track well, bursting in just the right moments for a climactic gut punch.

Check out the music video below.

Taylor Johnson


A Hero's Death | Why Fontaines DC's Sophomore Album Could Be Their Magnum Opus

by 09:23


"Life ain't always empty" sings Grian Chatten over rattling guitars and a hypnotic drum groove. He means it too.

The title track to his band Fontaines DC's new album, A Hero's Death shakes it's head at a planet Earth designed to make you feel like shit. It's a call to arms against self-hatred, a self-proclaimed 'list of rules for the self', spat out in his trademark southern accent. Since Fontaines' ascension from The Liberties area of Dublin (an area known for it's rich culture and literary history) back in 2017, the young frontman has became a sort of older brother type figure for teenagers and 20-somethings across Europe. Somewhere amidst Fontaines' mammoth live sound and post-punk aggression, rests a poetic voice, a gentle soul embroiled in it all.

Fontaines DC stand for what is right and true. They seek to hold on to their past, reject modernity, and savour the smallest moments. Their debut Mercury Prize nominated record Dogrel was bold enough to bow out in a Dublin boozer during last 'orders, the drunken sway of Dublin City Sky recalling Shane McGowan at his most heartfelt and love-sick. 'To know you is to love you', Chatten sang as the rain battered against an ancient pub window.  Their childhoods were small, but Fontaines DC knew they were going to be big. On 'A Hero's Death'they are big, possibly the hottest band in Europe today no less.

As expectation grows for their sophomore album, released 31st July, we've broken down some key reasons to keep the faith alive, based on what we know so far.






1. It was recorded quickly.

Think of the Stone Roses. On top of the world in 1989, heralded (somewhat ironically) as the second coming  and the architects of Madchester. On their self-titled debut album, the Roses inspired a generation, crafting a sound as vibrant as the Jackson Pollock splashes they covered themselves and their artwork in. Taking five years to follow up that seminal album killed their momentum and opened the door for one of the bands they directly inspired, Oasis. The world moved on and for the Roses, the 90's were lost.

In the wake of Dogrel's  phenomenal success, Fontaines DC set up base in Los Angeles, finishing the record last October - just six months after their debut album's release. Judging by the two songs we've heard from the new record thus far, A Hero's Death will be a continuation of the heart, optimism and melody that made them special in the first place. In a recent interview with the BBC, Chatten reflected on their hasty recording process, "That's why I can proudly say about our second album: It's written by the same fucking people."




2. There'll be a Californian twist. 

Recording under the heat of the Californian sun can be a mammoth distraction, or open the door to a new facet of a band's music. For Fontaines, the Brian Wilson sound came as an unexpected, but welcome addition to the new record.

"We really got into harmonising when we were doing these long drives across America," says Chatten.

"We'd always tried to figure out exactly what the Beach Boys were doing on their tunes. We wanted to be able to sing so we didn't need instruments. Then, wherever we were, we could have a few drinks in the pub and just go for it."

On the dark and REM conduring new single I Don't Belong To Anyone, we hear the band come together for some 'oohs' and vocals layered in a new way. It gifts a ghostly flow to the music, as inviting as the waves he swims in in the new music video. A fascinating new addition to the DC canon.

"I think subconsciously we were reaching out to each other while we were practicing and writing little harmony parts in the back of the van," the singer says.

"It's an amazing feeling. It gives you a great sense of community - maybe because the singing culture we would have seen growing up, the Dubliner-style pub singing, was so familiar."





3. They've lost none of their grit.

That sweeping declaration at the heart of A Hero's Death, 'life ain't always empty', was inspired by the repetition of adverts found across every aspect of modern life. For every uplifting commandment Chatten throws into the ether, ('tell your mother that you love her, go out of your way for others') he revisits that opening lyric; but is he trying to convince himself, or stating fact?

On A Hero's Death, Fontaines will have lost none of their passion. Chatten all but affirmed this in a recent interview, "If we'd said everything that we had to say in one album, then we wouldn't have bothered making a second." 





4. It's authentic.

The band have avoided the pitfalls of exploiting their Irish roots for commercial gain, instead writing an album that takes place outside of their native land.

"I would have liked to have more about Dublin," he admits. "I love living in Dublin and I think Dublin is an incredibly inspiring place - but I don't have the licence to write about it, because I haven't really been there for nearly two years now.

"So I wrote about my own experiences, the things that happen in my imagination and vignettes of other people, with maybe more exacerbated situations than the ones I'm going through." 

"Ultimately," he says, “we wrote to tell ourselves we were still there, we’re still alive and we’re still individuals. "


Is it too real for ya? 


 



5. It's the right time.

Whilst many artists have postponed album campaigns and (understandably) withheld music for the foreseeable,  somehow you felt Fontaines DC would be the band to carry on. With the new record finished and awaiting release, it seems inevitable that some of the stresses and strains Chatten is channeling in his bid to follow up such a massive record as Dogrel, will ring true in the current world climate.

Those themes (that we've seen so far), include compassion, empathy and a certain amount of carpe diem.

"If you give ourselves to every breath, then we’re all in the running for a hero’s death.”

A Hero's Death is the most eagerly anticipated Irish album in years.  Rightfully so. 


Taylor Johnson

Track of the Week | Our Kyrpton Son | White Sun

by 10:43


The Maiden City may have a rich history of punk and anarchic tradition, but with acts such Reevah, Roe and Our Krypton Son balancing the books in 2020, the sound of modern day Derry is more rounded than it's ever been.

White Sun comes from Our Krypton Son's incoming 3rd record Modern Ruins, featuring broad brushstrokes from producer/conductor Ryan Vail. It makes for a beautifully textured record, as sweet acoustic swells merge with dark synths and electronics. A broodier piece than Vail's Sea Legs album with Ciaran Lavery,  White Sun loses known of Chris McConaghy's penchant for melancholic balladry. It marks an intriguing new chapter in the Our Krypton Son story. Designed for sunset drives through a Californian desert.

Taylor Johnson

Album Review | Bleeding Heart Pigeons | 'Stir'

by 08:04

Bleeding Heart Pigeons evoke the foreboding, twisted indie of Jesus and Mary Chain, Echo and the Bunnymen and Radiohead, on a record that delivers on the promise of their debut and intensifies the emotion.

In 2016, Bleeding Heart Pigeons were a major label act, signed to Virgin Records and promised the world. In the turbulent landscape of 2020, now independent, they sound more assured than ever before. 'Stir' is quite simply an album of dark textured brilliance and new found confidence. Take 'Dig a Hole, and Then Fill It in Again', which takes Phil Spector's wall of sound and gives it a post-punk shake down, leaving you yearning for a life you've left behind. "We used to be untouchable, when did it all go wrong?" sings frontman Mícheál Keating.

Scattered across 'Stir' are twinkling, rain drop synth patterns and the wash of reverb soaked guitars, adding to the grandeur, exacerbating the fever dream. Opener 'Bubble Boy' has the feel of a cross country, night-time drive, streetlights racing past your window, fading to trees the further out you allow Bleeding Heart Pigeons to carry you. The drum sounds are magnetic, gluing the tunes together, driving the machine.

This record gives you mixed signals. Are these songs triumphant, or devastatingly lonely? 'All For The Best' tips its cap to the latter, but can't help but allow itself to trust again.

"Been in the dumps for over a year now, and I've been trying but I can't see a way out...you know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'll believe you if you tell me that it's all for the best"

Elsewhere, tracks like 'Real Connection' swim in melody, intelligent and sharp. The Prefab Sprout influenced 'I Don't Love You Anymore' pans the camera from Keating to an ex-lover, casting the spotlight away under haunting falsetto reaches. It's an empowering release, the clearest indication of how much the band are enjoying their sweeping new sound. 'EZ Love' captures some of debut album 'Is''s more experimental mindset, but on the whole 'Stir' has its own headspace, and it's a much kinder place to be in. Or at least one where they've been able to process the events of the last 4 years.

Bleeding Heart Pigeons hold the best for last, with the drone of 'Spiritual Union' and 'Good Dogs Never Die' hitting back to back. This is the parting of clouds to let the sun back in. Mike Skinner finding his £1000 in 'A Grand Don't Come For Free'. It's thematically essential, the cinematic pinnacle that throughout 'Stir' you are hoping for.

It makes for a beautifully dark record. Haunted and perseverant. Limerick may be the hip-hop capital of Ireland right now, but its native pigeons are alive and thriving.

Taylor Johnson


Track of the Week | C H A I L A | Denise Chaila

by 04:59

Denise Chaila is making a habit of writing razor sharp, multi-cultural witticisms in her music.

A voice of increasing importance in the Irish hip-hop scene, Chaila first burst into the musical conscious of many with her live streamed performance with fellow MC God Knows at the National Gallery of Ireland, for Other Voices’s Courage series. (If you've not saw the performance, click here. 

Whether bigging up the importance of self belief on 'Copper Bullets', or spitting watertight Gaelic on 'Down', Chaila is an artist that prides herself on authenticity and that all encompassing desire to never compromise her artistic vision. It helps of course, being so tightly knit with Rusagano Family's Murli, a group she has collaborated with before; even featuring on their track 'Isn't Dinner Nice'. That said, this is a project entirely of her own creation, her flow high in the mix, almost like a spoken word record.

On 'C H A I L A', the Zimbabwean born, Limerick based MC takes aim at those too lazy to correctly pronounce her name. Over glacial beats and production bordering on the poppier side of UK garage, she lays out her mission statement from verse one.

"You already know it’s gonna go down
My name’s not THAT hard to pronounce
Pre-K, it’s not profound
C H A I L A
Sound the words out"

To possess such conviction will carry Denise Chaila far; with much of her conversationalist flow and control on the mic evoking a young Mike Skinner. Whilst 2020 Limerick and early 2000's Birmingham feel lifetimes apart, the vitality of the MC's describing their hometowns feel closer than you may expect.

This is the first released track from her upcoming debut LP, potentially a future landmark Irish release. Let's push things forward.

Taylor Johnson


TPM / The Mary Wallopers Protest | Explained

by 06:15

Are you wondering what was happening in Dundalk the other day? So were we.

This was a story featuring a rogue hip-hop group, an Irish trad band, and a former staff writer for the Irish Independent. Ready? Allow us to explain...

UCD masters graduate and award winning journalist Gemma O'Doherty is a controversial figure in Ireland. Alongside her journalistic credentials, she is the leader of the citizens movement 'Anti-Corruption Ireland', a banner fellow Irish columnist John Waters ran under during the 2020 general elections. He was unsuccessful.

In May the pair mounted a legal challenge against Covid-19 public health restrictions, with O'Doherty making a speech to the gathered crowd before entering the High Court. In this speech, while holding a copy of the Constitution, Ms O’Doherty criticised the Government, the media, the World Health Organisation, and even the need for vaccines. 

While in court, Waters claimed that the consequences of the lockdown would result in the “destruction of our society”. They drew comparisons with Nazi Germany, which the judge found to be 'absurd and offensive'. The case was thrown out. Ouch.

 Awk well, at least there was still good old fashioned public protesting to get the message across, right?



Enter TPM, a Dundalk based hip-hop act writing tongue in cheek tunes about life on the dole, drugs and the evils of RTE television. They've been building a fan base in Ireland for over 5 years now, selling out shows with their electro-rap.

In July last year, the band took a total de-tour, swapping Rubberbandits inspired comedic videos, for genuinely moving Irish folk ballads. They named their new group 'The Mary Wallopers' and though TPM still retains a larger online following for now, the gap is closing by the day. Last year The Mary Wallopers went on a European tour, announced a huge headline show in Whelans, and even played Glastonbury.

Don't believe us? Check out their debut EP 'A Mouthful of The Mary Wallopers' below.



Back to yesterday.

Gemma O'Doherty had planned a protest march against the government on Blackrock beach, Dundalk. This was a small scale gathering, with 'End Corruption' banners and tricolour's on display.

Then came our heroes. Armed with homemade signs ('Bring Back the Punt!') and tin foil hats to 'protect against 5G internet', TPM had formed their own counter protest under the name 'Dundalk Against Change'.

Some highlights from the two man rebellion include;

"The internet is too fast! Bring back dial up!"

"We used to have two Tescos in our town! We had one Tesco for clothes and another for food, now we just have one!"

and a personal favourite, "We want our old ways because that's the way that we had it...and the new ways are wrong!"

If you've not checked out the viral video yet, click here. 

The small crowd that had gathered to support O'Doherty was soon dwarfed by the bemused onlookers caught up in TPM's surprise visit. The video has already amassed nearly half a million views on Twitter alone.

If you'd like to check out more from The Mary Wallopers, you can catch their next live stream on Friday night.

Now, lets bring back the old shopping centre!

Taylor Johnson


(A Conditional) Return To Form | The 1975 New Album Review

by 05:08


I would rather live in a world with Notes On A Conditional Form, The 1975's new juggernaut LP, than without it.

The world is a better place for bold visions, and those brave enough to follow through with them. On their fourth album Matty Healy and co have delivered a record of remarkable juxtaposition, perhaps the first true musical representation of the 21st century. There’s trip-hop, anarchic-punk, modulated vocal takes, boy band ballads and 80’s/90’s pop. There’s confessions that will fascinate their already dedicated fan base (Healy didn’t really fuck in a car) and revelations that will bore the rest of us (we’ve only a thousand Monday mornings left).

Made on the road, in 16 different studios amidst a worldwide tour for the ‘Brief Inquiry...’ hit-parade, the diverse nature of ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’ should come as little surprise. The 1975 are a band indebted to their surroundings, this album arriving like a Spotify playlist randomly accumulating tracks based off previous listening history, rather than a concise, fully planned vision. They are worldwide; born in England, raised by the internet. To see a band so openly subvert genre on a record is thrilling, and fully reflective of a planet connected at our fingertips.

The 1975 swing wildly from the climate activist Greta Thunberg narrated opener, to ‘People’, a riotous, Fugazi inspired thrash which sees drummer George Daniel impressively avoid touching his cymbals. It's an intoxicating one-two, which you feel Healy couldn't possibly believe in any more, for fear he'll combust behind the microphone. The audacious, ‘The End (Music For Cars)’ then sits bizarrely out of place, having strayed too far from its real home on the Jurassic Park soundtrack. For an album of loose semblance and outlandish contrasts, the blue-print for 'Notes...' is laid out pretty much from the start here. 'Frail State Of Mind' takes the shuffling, claustrophobic DNA of hit 'TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME' and takes it back to his bedroom. 'I'm sorry for my frail state of mind', he sings over minimalist beats. Unlike it's predecessor, 'Frail State Of Mind' is quiet enough to be believable, leaving the bombast and horns behind. Healy has time and again expressed his admiration for Mike Skinner and The Streets, and at The 1975's best they capture some of their intimacy.

'Streaming' is the sound of leftover synth lines, recycled by an orchestra given no time signatures or firm direction to take things. Though impressive on it's own or as an introduction to the band's live set (although that role will undoubtedly fall to Thunberg's climate crisis address), here it acts as an exaggerated intro to 'The Birthday Party', a song that once more aims for more Skinner-styled patter, but feels awkward and uninviting. A conversation you'd rather not be overhearing.'Yeah I Know' sees Healy repeating himself over anxious, electronic beats. "Time feels like it's changed, I don't feel the same', he sings, before looping it backwards for no real reason. It adds little to the record, and would probably still add little to an extended deluxe edition of 'Notes...', which is what this record feels like anyway.

They follow this with 'Then Because She Goes', a wondrous exploration of the moment two loves part, even for a little while. It's a short blast of emotion, "I wake up, love you, love you, love you". He can't emphasize his point enough, like teenagers texting before bed, reassuring eachother that when they wake up, they'll still feel the same.


Phoebe Bridgers can do no wrong at present. Whether conquering the world with her own devastatingly sad solo music, releasing groundbreaking folk with Conor Oberst in Better Oblivion Community Center or playing the role of indie Dixie Chick as 1/3 of boygenius, hers is a voice of multi-generational appeal. Her inclusion on 'Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America' is a gorgeous move, helping to tell the story of a young, oppressed, gay person in 2020 USA. Healy and Bridgers vocals meld well, as you suspect they would, but where 'Jesus Christ...' and 'The Birthday Party' feel forced, 'Roadkill' sounds effortless and brilliantly sad. A song about being on the road, inadvertently searching for love and the stress of pop-stardom; but with none of the 'woe is me' pomposity that a young, handsome pop-star in his early 30's may write about. Healy sounds real here, not hiding behind vocal effects or a third person perspective. He wants to find peace, but he'll settle for a condom first.

'Me & You Together Song' is Notes On A Conditional Form's triumph. A 3 minute pop-song of such unabashed sincerity that you can't help but feel you're living it with him. He's been mugged off all across America, but it's okay; 'I've been in love with her for ages', he sings over coruscating guitars and 90's style riffs. You can't imagine the cathartic release this song must have gifted Healy. Devastatingly direct and simple, as if he's in the room with his love. 11 songs in, you could close the door here, but not so. For those brave enough to venture on, strap yourselves in for side 2.



The record's golden child, the Michael Jackson pinching, already streamed in the millions, 'If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) is a hollow misstep. Fun to a point, but haven't The 1975 done this already? Like, a few times? Perhaps that's harsh, as we're holding them to a chameleonic standard that's probably impossible for even them to live up to; but 'If You're Too Shy...' feels like a SNL parody song, a caricature of a long forgotten band on a Top Of The Pop's 80's special. Healy claims it's an exploration of online voyeurism and sexual expression, but that message is completely lost here.

Elsewhere, 'Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)' sets it's sight on Kanye's 'College Dropout', while 'Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied' takes it's cue from 'The Life Of Pablo', particularly 'Ultralight Beam'. Neither hit home with anything much to say. 'There's more instrumentals, the George Daniel deep cut 'Having No Head' resting towards 'Notes...' finish line. It might sound cool in an educational video about space; but this is a record throwing far too much of itself away. It's a lazy addition, completely unnecessary.

Discussing the festival dance-tent evoking 'What Should I Say', Healy admits 'it's a result of us never figuring it out'. I'd argue that's the case for most of  'Notes On A Conditional Form'. When they do solve the puzzle, like on the truly heartfelt 'Guys', where Healy sings of how starting a band 'was the best thing that ever happened' to the tune of John Waite's 'Missing You', it cements their place as one of the 21st century's most important acts so far.

Unfortunately  'Notes...' too often collapses under it's own gargantuan ambition. Still, few bands will ever be brave or talented enough to make anything like it.


Taylor Johnson



Track of the Week | Sick Nanley | Lampin

by 04:31

As co-founder of Burner Records, producer-MC Sick Nanley is rarely far from Ireland's newest cultural movement. Hip-hop in the South is a fast growing enterprise, with new artists emerging every week adding fuel to it's growing fire. In the North, Mabfield collective has blew up, shining a light on alternative culture and new sounds, while artists like Jordan Adetunji, Tebirex and more are paving the way for Irish hip-hop on a national scale.

'Lampin' is the choice cut from Sick Nanley's new 'Muttonhead' mixtape, a project born from necessity after Covid-19 postponed plans for a collab with fellow Burner Records artist Local Boy, who ended up on mixing duties. It was made in his bedroom, but sounds studio ready. It's refined and well produced, but refuses to take itself too seriously.

Spitting lackadaisical verses on a chill-hop beat, 'Lampin' is a tongue in cheek celebration of chilling out and doing absolutely nothing. "There's fuck all else to be doing" he laughs at the end.

Well, he's not wrong is he?

Taylor Johnson 

Album Review | Joel Harkin | Never Happy

by 09:57

Sometimes years of hard work, ruthless dedication and perfect timing conspire to create something outstanding. Occasionally, the sheer fact that it's brilliant is enough. In Joel Harkin's case, the pendulum of graft and ability sits at peace in the middle, with 'Never Happy', his debut record, the fruits of a life addicted to music.

On first listen, 'Never Happy' already feels essential. Unlike it's introverted younger brother, (2018's 'Rose Water' EP) the hooks here are so sharp you almost don't want to touch them, for fear of it piercing your heart. The instrumentation shimmers; backwards banjos, plucked strings and thunderous drums all take their turn at the front of the mix at different times, never overshadowing Harkin's cries. It's been a fascinating journey for the Donegal native, which we detailed somewhat in our previous review of the single 'Vada'.

In a brave move, Harkin places his trust in the four songs that made up 'Rose Water' to form the backbone of Never Happy. These songs are given a facelift in the process and each is exponentially improved as a result. Producer George Sloan gifts an alt-country twang to proceedings, and pedal steel guitarists are drafted in from America. This is all perfectly befitting of Harkin's maudlin life lessons. On opener 'Old Churches', the introduction of Deirdre Kelly's harmonies play in tandem with Arcade Fire inspired synthesizers, and guitars that crash like waves off the coast. 'A Letter To Mark Loughrey' is similarly revitalised, but it's the primal howls at the end of 'Charlie & Deirdre' that hit home just how special this record is, and how much of himself he's poured into these songs.

The brilliance hinted at in Harkin's live shows has found its home on this LP. We hear it most clearly on 'Lake Irene''s bottleneck guitar solos and Damien Rice swell. On 'No Recycling''s bouncing chorus and stark anti-capitalist sentiments. It's a record bereft of opportunities for the skip button, designed for vinyl listening on autumnal evenings.  'Beautiful Clouded Sky' is underpinned by Belfast rain, as Harkin talks of his soul slipping from beneath him. When he sings, 'This house is cold, but Deirdre's been writing and we've a blanket on' in 'Silver Lines', you're in the room with him, taking shelter from the dark. 'We Ate Sorbet In La Rochelle' drifts in and out of focus like a fast fading dream, but there's just enough detail to keep it real.

You see, this is where Harkin truly blooms. In the aforementioned 'Lake Irene', he arrives in Kyoto to 'get off the grid' from his fictitious Tokyo home. He admires the cherry blossoms, the simpler way of living and how this may change him. He then returns us to Belfast, Dunluce Avenue, and the friends he'll never really leave behind. The trust that we've built with Joel Harkin 6 songs in to 'Never Happy' is rock solid, metaphorical or otherwise. This is a friend talking.

By the time we reach 'Thought I'd Go Home', everything has gone full circle, a song that sounds like he recorded it on his kitchen floor at 4 in the morning. The party is well and truly over, the last of the guests have left, and we're alone with an acoustic guitar. There's one last story to tell, of a beloved friend and their big brown eyes. He wonders if he was enough, and how to celebrate the simple stuff.

Despite this records title, somewhere in the debris Joel Harkin finds the contentment he's longing for. There's echoes of Oberst, Bridgers and Burnside, but the voice emerging from the gatefold vinyl is sincerely his own. A very important record.

Taylor Johnson


Single Review | Participant | Oh No, Give Up

by 05:48


In the indie-movie I'm perpetually starring in in my own head, 'Oh No, Give Up' is the song playing as I return to my childhood home.

After years away, you'd expect it to have changed. Not so. The trees stand as tall as I remember, the garden shed still the perfect hiding spot for hide and seek. The only discernible difference, is the slip 'n' slide my siblings and I spent hours on is gone. Maybe the new owners got rid of it by accident, or maybe they don't like slip 'n' slides. I walk into where I sat with my Grandad and stare at the TV that we looked at together. I sit on the patio, the way we did.

I made peace with pleasantries,
with minding my own mind
Sitting still and sleeping late,
just hemorrhaging the time
Small comforts gleaned,
from blinking screens,
stretched out on the floor

Oh No, Give Up
You wrote this song before

Dublin based songwriter/producer Participant (aka Stephen Tiernan) melds gentle waves of electronica with a song so simplistic and real, it nearly knocks you over. Tiernan's voice is just as haunted as the ones he is trying to befriend. It makes for something really beautiful.

Taylor Johnson



Album Review | Swimmers Jackson | Murmuration

by 08:12

If you're looking for divine inspiration during lockdown season, or at least a reason to turn off the news and go outside, Swimmers Jackson provide it all in 'Summer's Here'; the meandering, Fleet Foxes under-water sounding second track on their new album 'Murmuration'. A Dublin summer is encased in amber, preserved forever amidst Irish multi-instrumentalist (and former Bouts bassist) Niall Jackson's layered harmonies and twinkling acoustic guitar. You can feel the last rays of the evening summer sun as it's swallowed up beneath the city.

This isn't the only touching moment on Swimmer Jackson's long awaited debut record. 'Pain in the Heart' is an acoustic ode to a distant love, how he'd love to drive to her and take her home. The problem is, she's already there. Jackson's left fighting with himself to do the right thing, as he laments, 'I think I need help, to help myself'. 'Birthday Girl' channels similar longing through pissed off eyes, somehow maintaining a Beach Boys breeze amidst the fuzz. As his voice stretches to match his emotions, we hear a vulnerability that maintains the human touch behind these stories.

It's a refreshingly uncynical release, with little room for pretense and maximum for sentiment. Jackson continues to bare his soul on 'Believe', when he sings "I know, we've come unstuck. It all went wrong, we both fucked up." Whilst you expect a hidden chorus that doesn't come, you've already forgiven him by the time 'Pain in the Heart' and 'Bliss' hit back to back. 'Bliss' returns us to the safe haven of the record's artwork, warm 60's synths combining with finger picked acoustics to transport you back into Jackson's untainted world; but for all the pop-melodies, he still manages to throw a question mark shaped curve ball into the calm. "Bliss...how did it come to this?"  Like asking yourself if your dream is real, just before waking up.

'Murmuration' still leaves space for Jackson to grow as an artist. 'Lose Myself' wanders a little lost, not quite finding it's way by the end. 'Life's Short (Embrace It)' hints at big ideas, but doesn't quite pull it off the way 'Birthday Girl' or gorgeous fever-dream closer 'So Tired' does.

There's endless landscape for Swimmers Jackson to explore on his future releases, and he has the voice to take him wherever he chooses. As a starting point, 'Murmuration' leaves you looking to the sky for more.

Taylor Johnson


Track of the Week | SIIGHTS ft. JyellowL | Blue Skies

by 03:36

"I want to be more accomplished...I wanna be like you, I wanna have a big IQ and have a kid like who would want to fill my shoes, you always pushed me to know more than what I think I do"

When young Dublin rapper JyellowL crossed paths with Scottish/Irish electro-pop duo SIIGHTS all the ingredients for a heartbroken banger were in place. Still, it takes real skill to tie it all together and on 'Blue Skies', something clicks. The lead single from SIIGHTS debut EP already carried the emotional weight of a personal loss, before JyellowL (born Jean-Luc Uddoh) laid down his verses for the remix, as SIIGHTS explain:

“We reached out to JyellowL and having him involved has been amazing. He’s so talented, we love what he brought to the track and the personal perspective he shared lyrically. This song means a lot to us and was hard to write. We have both lost people close to us and it’s something that stays with you forever.”

What we're left with is a track of sharp pop nous, and emotional turmoil; led primarily by the Irish rapper's hold-steady rhythms and clarity behind the microphone. JyellowL has a habit of making the intangible, tangible and the personal, universal. Verbiage and rhetoric are cast aside in favour of simplicity, a mindset that once turned Mike Skinner into a household name.

Whether tackling the financial crisis of 2008, racial abuse, or the loss of a loved one, his is a voice of increasing importance in a world crying out for a straightforward message.

Taylor Johnson
·

Track of the Week | Joshua Burnside | Whiskey, Whiskey

by 10:26

"I've had my fair share of conversations with twisted metal and broken glass, but if lightning is gonna strike me twice, this time I'm gonna do it right."

Where do you start with Joshua Burnside? The enigmatic, alt-folk songwriter is somewhat an alien force these days. Since 2018's award winning breakout 'Ephrata', he has traveled the globe, been streamed in the millions online and offered precious little clues as to when a new LP may appear. He played the wandering folk song 'Nothing For Ye' at a live session in Austin, Texas, a hint perhaps that whilst his last full body of work took place primarily in Columbia, this time around he may be looking inward for inspiration. 'Whiskey, Whiskey' adds credence to this theory.

When Joshua Burnside paints images of the end of the world, their detail is awe inspiring. The professor sipping cold coffee and dreaming of the end in 'The Good Word', pastors and saints showing no fear in 'Blood Drive'. It's a rare gift to be as equally adept at portraying your own psyche, like the hauntingly beautiful 'Man of High Renown', or indeed any number of songs off the 'All Round The Light Said' EP. 'Whiskey Whiskey' is Joshua Burnside's most confessional song to date, meandering along finger-picked strings that sound and feel like a bicycle wheel in motion, or a vintage film projector. The low-key production and cavernous electronic intro ramp up the intensity before 'Whiskey Whiskey' draws you into this new, claustrophobic world. Like a friend talking to you under the covers, or staring out the window of a transatlantic flight.

Here Burnside lays out his fear of flying. He turns to the cabin crew for signs of danger, an affirmation of his fright. It doesn't come, and he's instead forced to fight rationale on his own, in his head. He reasons, "If there's nowhere for our souls to go, then I don't want to be so sober, so..I don't wanna die sober."

How can anyone argue with that? A heartbreaking, triumphant introduction to a new era entirely his own. 

Taylor Johnson


Album Review | Arvo Party | Devotions

by 03:37


It's hard to imagine sometimes, that there was a world before this.

A connected humanity. An interactive society. We were doing so well, weren't we? Like anything, it's easy to romanticise the past, and with most of planet Earth stricken by the worst infectious outbreak since the 1800's,  we are understandably desperate to resume some semblance of  'normal life'; but it wasn't all roses pre-Corona. The technology providing a crucial lifeline for families now, was for many the focal point of a colder planet. A safe haven for narcissism, bullying and fake news feeding directly into our brains, almost constantly. One positive to be grasped in all this is the appreciation of genuine human connection, and on 'Devotions', the latest record from Belfast's ambient Father figure Arvo Patry, we hear a collection of lush reunification songs. This is captured best by the albums intoxicating spinal fragments, 'sunna' and 'cristofieri', the latter appropriately named after the Italian inventor of the piano.

For a musician once at the centre of alt-rock, Tuppeny Nudgers LaFaro, Arvo Party is bassist/producer Herb Magee's opportunity to push sonic boundaries with no fear; but fear still plays it's part in 'Devotions' genetic make-up. Born within quarantine, tensions and optimism acquiesce across the record, like on the simmering, rain drop-sampling 'voivvev'. Just as Sigur Ros's masterpiece Ágætis byrjun did so well, the human voice is just another instrument in the Arvo Party cannon.

Much of 'Devotions' could soundtrack a David Attenborough documentary. In 'a history of everything including you', decades pass in seconds, millennia in minutes. You can see the Earth evolve around Magee's spectral sounds. Whether Arvo Party's work denotes a stark warning of what we may yet lose in the future, or a beacon of hope because we haven't yet lost it, will depend on what sort of day your having. The beauty in it, what makes it such a gratifying listen, is that decision remains yours.

Taylor Johnson


EP Review | Philip Watts d'Alton | Reflections

by 10:01


10 years ago Philip Watts d'Alton's band 'John, Shelly and the Creatures'  were the folk pantheon of the NI Music scene. Their debut record 'Dinosaur' was a Neil Young shaped, epic road trip. Starry eyed and smelling of campfire smoke, it's magnificent lead single 'Long May You Reign' will forever be synonymous with Irish beauty spots, soundtracking a 'Discover Ireland' TV campaign. If there was a subconscious passing of the baton from Dublin beach boys The Thrills, d'Alton's band showed no signs of nerves, taking the early attention in their strides.

In the intervening years, Watts d'Alton has been far from idle. His band grew up, changing their name to Master & Dog and releasing their brooding, self-reflective debut to sweeping critical acclaim in 2012. With their alt-folk legacy all but assured, d'Alton moved into the producers chair, working on releases from Rory Nellis, Tour Alaska, Sam Wickens and more, racking up serious radio airmiles in the process. As his profile off stage continues to grow, new solo EP 'Reflections' is a timely reminder of the songwriter's ability in front of the microphone. Four tracks of wistful elegance, 'Reflections' plays along the faded lines of past glories, romances and the heartache of Summer, viewed through maturer, but ultimately happier eyes.

The deeper you dive into d'Alton's world, the clearer the water. 'Reflections' may be musically distant from 'Master and Dog', but they share a common ideology; to take you on a journey, even if they're heading in different directions.

There are moments of absolute beauty across 'Reflections', like when the title track ascends to an Elliot Smith inspired shimmering jam. Or 'Just Called's rhetorical cry's in the dark, to someone he'd do anything to reach. Indeed, Smith's influence looms large across 'Reflection', the sweetness of the music often belying the true sentiments underneath.

Take 'Trees', a trapeze dangling waltz through d'Alton's deepest autumnal thoughts. He doesn't come to any grand conclusions, as there's none to be had. Instead, he comes to accept that he's both 'made it and faded', but it's ultimately 'gone in a second'.  Beatles-esque strings cut through just as your hoping for them, richly textured, deeply moving.

This is self-indulgent work of the best kind. d'Alton has made no compromises on a record made entirely for himself, on difficult days and triumphant nights; and it's this that makes it such an intoxicating listen. His penchant for soundtracking the natural (and personal) world has clearly never left him.

Taylor Johnson


Single Review | Joel Harkin | Vada

by 05:33



Joel Harkin is on a roll.

When the Donegal native first arrived in Belfast, he was as aspiring a songwriter as any. Not anymore, now he's the real thing. The release of debut EP 'Rosewater' in 2018 showcased Harkin's natural wit and conversationalist tone. At live shows, he garnered a reputation as a truly unique performer, talking to the audience in two facets. Firstly, in the space in-between. He always connected, engrossing crowds before he'd played a note on his heavily reverbed guitar. Secondly, through the songs themselves. Much like Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek, Joel Harkin is a story teller with no desire to hide behind metaphor. He says exactly what he's thinking, in honest, often devastating detail. (There's a reason much of his merch is emblazoned with 'Joel Harkin Makes Me Cry')

We rejoin our hero on the cusp of releasing 'Never Happy', his debut record. Things have changed; the name Joel Harkin is synonymous across town with fatalism and tired, wandering thoughts. The kind of conversations you have by torchlight, in makeshift tents. On Rose Water's slumberous closer 'Charlie & Deirdre' he sings, "If I open my window, the city it leaks in" and on 'Vada', it's clear Joel Harkin has kept his window bolted shut. This is not a city song; this was born and raised in his subconscious, exploring a world where his childhood friends live alongside Thomas J, from the 1991 coming-of-age film 'My Girl'.

Instrumentally stunning, 'Vada' (named presumably after 'My Girl's protagonist) flows with all the ease and intensity that 'Smoke Signals' did for Phoebe Bridgers, albeit in a gentler way. You feel Harkin has really found his voice, bringing it right down to a whisper before scratching the skies when required. It's the small details that make records like this so special, and it is here that Joel Harkin is currently thriving. The unexpected colloquial hush of "We climbed a rooftop that night, so we did" looks ridiculous written down, but is captivating in Harkin's Donegal lilt. The song moves as one, clarinet and lush plucked strings reminiscing of idle days spent drinking red wine and listening to Andy Shauf's 'The Party' on repeat.

'Never Happy' may be an extraordinary record. Based off the singles we've heard so far, it will be an early contender for the NI Music Prize. It will arrive in strange times, but oddly, you feel it's author won't mind one bit.

Taylor Johnson


Single Review | Cherym | Weird Ones

by 03:39

When Derry punk-trio Cherym released 'Abigail' earlier this year, the game changed.

A dynamic, pop-punk punch to the throat, 'Abigail's penchant for sparking a singalong was obvious from the first riff. The nuances were subtle, the delivery biting and when you've a chorus that good, it's difficult to get things wrong. On debut EP 'Mouthbreatherz', we heard a band finding their feet, albeit with brilliant songs like 'Pretty Boys' and 'Take It Back' pointing the way forward. 'Weird Ones' is a different beast altogether.

A darker edged, critical swipe at the friends who walk away, Cherym aren't happy losing their shit at a house party here. In fact, they aren't happy at all. When Hannah Richardson spits, "Stop, what's this? Yeah I see her in your friends list", you can feel the coruscating hurt. It's a fightback song, made all the more immediate by the melodies entrenched around her words. We hear a huge influence for the first time from Simon Neil, with an intro and verses particularly reminiscent of Biffy Clyro's breakthrough pop-crossover 'Puzzle'. Like the Biff in their punk heyday, 'Weird Ones' takes a break from chasing the effervescent pop-smash chorus we all know they can do, instead letting their emotions pour out in a different, more considered way. We do not yet know if Cherym are planning a debut record, but with an ever growing catalog of diverse, invigorating pop at their disposal, their canvas is getting bigger.

The hooks remain sharp and the rhythm is pounding, but 'Weird Ones' shows that Cherym are just as happy to go 12 rounds and win on points, as they are to knock you out in 1 punch. A welcome and exciting evolution.

Taylor Johnson


Album Review | Junk Drawer | Ready For The House

by 09:25

A dark, self-effacing portrayal of a modern life more alien than the one Damon Albarn and co declared 'rubbish' in 1993, Junk Drawer's debut arrives in the midst of a global pandemic. With much of the housebound world uncertain of its future, the timing couldn't be better.


Framed through the eyes of Junk Drawer's dynamic songwriting duo, brothers Stevie and Jake Lennox, 'Ready For The House' is a record not so much searching for answers, as accepting that there aren’t any. Reflecting on a turbulent few years for the band personally, at times the lyrics across '...House' make for a heartbreaking listen. Like on the Sisyphean 'Mumble Days', when Jake sings, "An anecdote that's well-refined touches on my brittle mind, and stomach acid hurts my singing voice". For years the brothers have suffered from poor mental health, and while this record refuses to offer any definitive solutions, there's a definite refusal to turn the lights off completely.


Woozy opener 'What I've Learned / What I'm Learning' ushers you into Junk Drawer's home with fragile hope.

"Sometimes I dream of coloured worlds of no hurt.
Surround me in warmth & bright, sparkling, all-knowing glow.
All so distinct you stop just to absorb the thought
that all matters & does not, but none of it can be bought."

Subtle synths guide Brian Coney's fuzz-bass and lackadaisical riffs towards the window, bathing them in the light of another day; but you know it can't last, and just as we're warming up to the idea of going outside, a post-punk melee ensues. "I grasp at trains of thought, ever present but somehow not...".


There's even room for some tragi-comic tidbits, with Lennox unafraid to distance Junk Drawer from their realist peers when he sings, "Allow the many thoughts undulate into themselves, you into twists and turns, the likes of which you’d only read in a Richard Madeley novel."


Elsewhere, 'INFJ' highlights just how far Junk Drawer have come from their earliest work. At 8 minutes long, it's a self indulgent, late night tour around 'Ready For The House's darkest edges, fearless and violent. It sets you up for the cold claustrophobia of 'Temporary Day', a collision of atmosphere and simplicity. It gives the first concrete indication that everything is, perhaps, going to be okay. The fog is lifting.


Closer 'Pile', is Junk Drawer's masterpiece thus far. Inspired by Stevie's attempts to get home after a gig without his medication, 'Pile' embodies every hazy thought, sleepless night and the inescapable angst of the age we live in. "I've lost myself, to myself, I'm gonna miss me when I'm gone." Junk Drawer strike the rare balance of the universal, whilst remaining entirely personal. It all falls apart in the climactic outro, but somehow, that's okay.


For all it's inherent unrest, 'Ready For The House' refuses to revel in it's sadness, nor shy away from it. Instead, Junk Drawer have painted a picture of Earth many will recognise, but few will openly admit to knowing. Across this record, the band fight back. They do so with kindness. By choosing to get up in the morning. By listening to Captain Beefheart and finding small moments in the day where it feels a little easier.

"I'm going to pay my friends a compliment today and I'll try to be more."

Taylor Johnson


Interview | Dark Tropics

by 01:44


Approximately 2,368 miles from Belfast, 20 year old songwriter Rio was dreaming of joining a jazz band.

Like Amy Winehouse before her, Rio's pop-ambitions were secondary to the simple art of self-expression; a shy exterior hiding a voice of nostalgic vulnerability. Upon her return, the singer placed an ad to turn the dream into reality; Meanwhile, like a twist from a Jennifer Egan novel, Newry born producer/songwriter and ex Kid Trench frontman Gerard Sands was on the lookout to form a new band. Scouring the internet for singers, he came across Rio's ad. It stuck out a mile. She sent over an acapella-jazz rendition of 'Crazy' by Gnarles Barkley and as simply as it had all started, Dark Tropics were born.

What's remarkable about 'Badlands', Dark Tropics brooding, melancholic debut single, is the intensity of the vocal. A jazz heart remains at the base of the duos cinematic pop, with Gerard's compositions propping the venture up, keeping things moving. To be so young, Rio exerts a deeply personal connection to every note and lyric. Whether by design, or accident, it's no surprise that within only a few months Dark Tropics have risen from virtually nothing to radio playlists across Ireland, with RTE, Today FM, BBC Radio Ulster and more giving 'Badlands' significant airtime. Having worked tirelessly since their formation last year, the current lockdown may afford a chance to breathe for a change. Taylor Johnson took the rare chance to catch up with Dark Tropics reclusive frontwoman Rio...


Hi Rio, thanks for taking the time to chat to us! How’ve you been?


Everything is a bit mad at the moment but considering what’s happening I’ve been much better than expected!!


We live in strange times right now, have you been able to find any inspiration amid the madness? Scenes from around the world are extraordinary…


I’ve been walking down to Portmuck most days, at one point it was very overcast and everything was grey, I can’t explain the feeling but it definitely was the biggest inspiration I’ve had in a while, everything is so surreal right now that I feel like inspiration is everywhere!


Your formation story reads like something from a novel, how natural was your songwriting connection when you first began writing together?


I was going from writing poetry to songs, totally different things, for myself it’s been a journey to learn to write songs that mean something but still sound like songs! But I was able to connect with Gerard’s writing almost instantly and I find when we wrote together, everything is a lot faster and smoother.


Did you know straight away something special was happening?


I’ll let you know when it actually sinks in, I’m still in a bubble of disbelief!


You can hear the jazz-influence shimmering under ‘Badlands’, will that always be something you keep at the heart of your music?


It’s not in everything, but I always try to sneak a little jazz in! Definitely a big love of mine.


How surprised have you been by the reception the singles received? In the modern world it’s increasingly rare for commercial radio to support new talent, but the grassroots following you’ve built speaks for itself…


Even now, none of it feels real, I know it’s happening but it doesn’t feel like it’s happening to us? I was beyond shocked and absolutely elated at the reception it received!


Growing up, did you always want to be in a band and can you remember the first band/artist you fell in love with?


I loved singing but I never thought much of it, it wasn’t until I started to listen to postmodern jukebox actually that I though “Maybe I COULD do this”! The first band I remember falling in love with was AC/DC! My biggest loves came later in life…


You played your debut gig together at Output Festival and it was Rio’s first gig ever. It’s incredibly rare to have fans down to your first ever gig, but that’s been the reality for Dark Tropics. How does it feel knowing people believe in, and connect to your band from such early days?


If you see any of the videos, there’s a guy in orange dancing like a maniac in the front row, that’s one of my close friends! When I told people about my gig they were all shocked as I hadn’t actually told many people about the band, so to have so many people close to me show up made me unbelievably happy, every time I got nervous I looked up and saw Matt smiling and dancing and all my nerves just melted away! I also really hope that people can connect to our music, all the music I love now is something I connect with and thinking that someone could get the same joy out of something that Dark Tropics produces fills my heart with joy.


You’ve mentioned in previous interviews an early bonding point for you both was Radiohead and The Rolling Stones. Who has the biggest influence over the new music you’re writing?


I really connect with how Keaton Henson writes, it’s so heartfelt and vulnerable, he has definitely been a massive influence on what we’re currently working on! But aside from that, Radiohead will never leave and The Velvet Underground has me by its grips at the moment!


Finally guys, you’ve already began working towards a debut album. A mammoth achievement for any band. What do you hope listeners take away from that record, when they finally hold it in their hands?


Hopefully they will get a feeling of understanding from it, hopefully they’ll listen and feel happy, sad, angry but most of all they’ll understand the scenarios. I guess you could call it a sense of unity almost?


Taylor Johnson

7 Predictions For A Post Covid-19 Musical World

by 08:46

As the ripple of COVID-19 careens across the world, it’s forcing humankind to innovate and change the way we live. We have already looked at the immediate impact the virus is having on the scene, but what might the future hold for music? Here we make 7 musical predictions for a world with Covid-19 left behind.


1. Live gigs return with a bang

There was a time, in the early to mid-2000's, when the Northern Irish music scene was one of the most exciting in the world. Snow Patrol were global phenomenons thanks to medical drama Greys Anatomy and two globetrotting singles.  Two Door Cinema Club, And So I Watch You From Afar and General Fiasco had broken through the Irish gigging circuit and into the major leagues; all turning professional and releasing successful debut records. Across Belfast, venues were full of hot new bands, pushing each other to be better and join the party. Having spent so much time indoors, the music loving people of this tiny nation will flock back to venues they'd perhaps taken for granted. Venues will be heaving with bodies and an enthusiasm not seen since the age we started losing friends.




2. ...but not at the expense of livestream gigs!


The latest trend of internet shows has proved a fun, unique way of engaging fans across the world, from every walk of life, regardless of personal circumstances. Before the outbreak, we'd see occasional acoustic sessions from big stars (our own Gary Lightbody loves a go on Instagram live), manly for promotional reasons. In a post-coronavirus world the importance of this interaction will have increased ten fold, and though no replacement for a hot, sweaty sing along, they will prove a handy alternative for future cancelled shows or breaking big news.






3. Melancholic new tunes

With many artists stuck indoors and little by way of distraction, it's only natural for a musical baby-boom of sorts; and the muse for 99% of human beings right now? You guessed it, isolation! Bon Iver may have beat us to it, but if locking yourself away for months on end with little contact beyond the people you're stranded with gives the world a few more 'For Emma, Forever Ago's, we won't be complaining.




4. Collabs for days

Although a few bands have attempted uniting through the lockdown, a combination of slow internet connection and facetime's distracting filters lays rest to any real productivity. After being denied the right to rock out together, more and more artists will be hanging out and recording duets/harmonies/rap verses on eachothers tracks. Ryan McMullan feat. Jordan Adetunji? Why not!?





5. 'Getting the ol' band back together' becomes a regular thing

Okay, so it looks like nothing is going to bring Oasis back. Warring Gallagher's aside, we'll see an increase of hibernating bands across the country dusting off the flying V's and booking a practice space. Having had time to reflect on their glory days during the lockdown, they'll remember how good it felt being on stage, and how pointless it is putting that reunion off any longer. Expect some serious nostalgia and your Uncle Keith to grow his hair out again.





6. DIY- not? An increase in lofi releases 

Another positive effect of the Covid-19 lockdown has been forcing artists to think outside the box. So far we've already saw Joshua Burnside release 'Far O'er the Sounding Main', a folk EP recorded in his bedroom, and Pascalwillnotsurvivethis's 'Gravestone At Surf Point', recorded (drums and all) in his living room. As more artists adapt to lofi life, the appeals of the home studio will hold new importance for some. We may even see the emergence of a scene, with bands taking their lead from the likes of The Mountain Goats (recorded most of their early albums on a boombox), Radiator Hospital (laptop in their kitchen) and Low Roar (iPhone in a bathroom), saving money in the process.



7. A Little Solidarity...

Before Covid-19 something special was happening in Northern Ireland. That won't be diminished. In fact, it will be stronger than ever. And So I Watch You From Afar's 'OK?' Festival was due to bring artists from across the country and the scene together to raise money for mental health charities (and will be doing so in October). Volume Control and the Oh Yeah Centre it calls home had experienced one of their most successful years ever. The 'Girls Rock School' in Belfast was continuing to grow. The NI Music Prize had it's first year in the upscale Ulster Hall and new promoters were coming to the fore with a dedication to helping artists and nothing more. This time away from the music scene we love will only help us to cherish it more. We will see artists going to eachothers shows and sharing their music. We will see more bands break out of Northern Ireland and into the world. Our infrastructure will recover and grow. There will be hope and more than just a little solidarity.


Taylor Johnson
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