THE end of January brings glimmers of hope for the future, while Irish artists continue to make a splash abroad and at home – as typified by the upcoming performances at this year's Choice awards.
With the recent surge in Omicron cases beginning to taper off, governments have wasted no time in easing restrictions. News that draconian curfews are to be scrapped, table service is to cease and the ban on dancing (it’s still strange to type that out) will be lifted by the end of the month. This is news surely to be welcomed by the thriving independent arts sector all over the country.
This comes just in time for RTÉ to announce the line-up for their upcoming awards ceremony. Taking place in the iconic Vicar Street, seven of this year’s 10 nominees for ‘Best Album’ will take to the stage, including Soda Blonde, Kojaque and Northern Winds' favourite For Those I Love. It’s anyone's guess who will take home the €10,000 grand prize, but with stiff competition this year, my money is on producer David Balfe. GIGS: Junk Drawer are touring England and Scotland
Meanwhile, two bright stars of the Irish scene make career strides and release new tracks this week. German rockers Junk Drawer are on tour in the UK, but their new single ‘Tears In Costa’ is a devastating one. Speaking about the track, singer Stevie Lennox says: “The general gist of the song comes from the realisation that at any point, we can be flung back to ground zero with nothing but our experience behind us. And that’s tough, but it’s something that needs to be accepted, otherwise you risk getting pulled down with that reset.” The first new release since their debut ‘Year Of The Sofa’, Junk Drawers typical brand of tongue-in-cheek rock and kitchen sink drama will surely shift tickets on their romp around England and Scotland.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is singer Moncrieff, whose new single ‘Warm’ comes alongside news of him signing to the German label ENERGIE MUSIK. The first track from an upcoming EP, set for release late in the spring, ‘Warm’ represents a shift in the singer's sound. Softer and with a gentle approach to production and acoustics, it’s described as his “first-ever love song”. He continued: “Nobody’s perfect. This song is about being that person, and that rare moment in life when you find that person that truly sees you for you, your imperfections, flaws and scars as well as your good traits and loves you for them. It’s a comforting and happy feeling to just know that all you have to do is be yourself.”
And in industry news, AIM Ireland (Association of Independent Music) has a new captain at the helm. Gill Dooley, who started her career at EMI before heading into distribution and management, will take the wheel following a six-month intern period. With her role centred on securing partnerships, opportunities and benefits for the independents of Ireland, Dooley has already seen over 100 new companies join up with the organisation.
The best of luck to Gill and her team.
And we end this week’s column with a spotlight on some of the freshest and best new releases from independent artists in Ireland.
First up is ‘Quiz Show’ from Lucy Blue, whose spacey contemporary pop is the sound of right now. Buzzy synths, bedroom pop vocals and midnight-drenched production, this track has it all.
Also, we have ‘clarified thoughts’, the standout track from the D*mp and Curtisy collaboration ‘An EP Of Sorts’. Lo-fi static production and a jazzy delivery fire this track to the top of the EP.
