SONGS OF THE WEEK
Cathy Davey – The Pattern
Combining her love of songwriting, horses , dogs and the outdoors, Cathy Davey's new single is long overdue but worth the wait by virtue that we know there's more like this to come. Davey's honey-toned voice is counterpointed by squared-edged synth line that swirls into the song's chorus. The album is coming in the autumn.
The Academic – Mixtape 2003
The Mullingar lads have got a busy summer ahead with dates in Iveagh Gardens supporting Bell X1 before festival dates at PukkelPop, Lowlands Festival and a UK tour in October. A perfect time to drop a slice of energetic nostalgia-tinged indie pop music that is inspired by the changes that have occurred since a CD mixtape from the titular year.
Lisa Hannigan - Fall
Prayer For The Dying
, our first taste from the third Hannigan album At Swim, produced by The National's Aaron Dessner, was
[ a country-tinged elegyOpens in new window ]
. The first actual single
Fall
, is brighter but Lisa's trademark delicate lilt dominates. The video featuring Lisa performing choreography by Supple Nam, has the singer fighting an idea crowding her own mind before relenting.
Eoin Boyle - Skybirds
This is a fine electro-pop single from a Dublin musician. There's not much info available but there's the detection of a guitar singer-songwriter background and pop tones on Boyle's second single.
RELEASE OF THE WEEK
Brigid Mae Power – Brigid Mae Power
More recently making music as Brigid Power Ryce, this Galway musician harks back to the alt-folk of yore. Produced by singer-songwriter Peter Broderick in Portland, her second album release through US label Tompkins Square leaves plenty of space for Power's moving whispy voice to fill, while piano, organ or atmospheric synthesizer drone in reverbed support. The impression is left of a delicate harmonic release pushing and pulling between distance and intimacy.
NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK
TAU
If you've wondered in the past few years where the singer of Humanzi went to, here's your answer. Now based in Berlin for nine years, Shaun Mulrooney formed TAU after a trip to the Mexican desert, which helps explain the mystic psychedelic nature of the music of the duo (Venezuelan-born Gerald Pasqualin is the other half). An album due in September is purported to feature "songs of praise" in English, Spanish and Irish along with collaborations with Knox Chandler of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Earl Harvin of Tindersticks, Nina Hynes and Miss Kenichi. Mother is a hippy indication of what's in store.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Callum Stewart - Parachute
Directed by Reuben Skinner
The Northern Irish pop singer is only 19 but already he's sung with Nile Rodgers and Chic and Rudimental. On this big pop song co-written with Jimbo Barry (The Script), Andrew Jackson (Bastille & Lana Del Ray) and Tre Sheppard, is aiming for big things. So why not follow in Bieber's footsteps and use Iceland's natural beauty as a backdrop for a music video?
