Dylan Tighe is best known for his work in theatre (he won a gong in the 2010 Irish Times Theatre Awards; his most recent play for RTÉ was nominated for the Prix Europa Radio Prize 2013). He has long battled with mental illness after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 10 years ago. Record, his debut album, covers similar territory, and so lyrically ("mostly written during periods of meltdown," admits Tighe) we have a poignant yet prepossessing piece of work that doesn't shirk its responsibilities. The small but crucial triumph is that Record brims with tunes; from the opening track, Lamotrigine (the title directly references a drug used in the treatment of bipolar disorder), Tighe and friends, including producer Jimmy Eadie and bass clarinetist/saxophonist Sean Mac Erlaine, fashion an audacious and seriously intelligent suite of songs, most of them underpinned by elegant, airy melodies. dylantighe.bandcamp.com
Download: Lamotrigine, The Ghost, Prodigal Son