Don't Look Behind You The Firstborn Is Dead Recordings****
Humanzi's former drummer makes a cracking solo record? Stop laughing at the back – it's so true you'll believe a man can fly. Although conceived while Humanzi were stationed in Berlin,
Don't Look Behind You took proper shape from the time Brian Gallagher returned to Dublin; you can sense his displacement and engagement in the quite beautiful songs, including
2 Dimensional,
I'm Not Here(both of which reference spooked early Pink Floyd),
Divisionary(which fuses warped Ennio Morricone with song-based Brian Eno), and
Living Is for Dreaming(very fine indie pop).
The album’s distinct, keen-edged intelligence is simultaneously sombre, subtle and stylishly (though not slavishly) experimental. Easily one of the best, most impressively potent Irish albums of the year so far.
Download tracks: 2 Dimensional, Divsionary, Ways of Wasting Time