Chvrches- Every open eye
Release Date: 25th September
Standing on the shoulders of such electric synth-pop giants as Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys and even Kraftwerk are Glaswegian trio Chvrches. No strangers to Ireland they’ve hit both Longitude and Electric Picnic in recent years with their synthetic beats and hooking melodies. Their debut album ‘The Bones of What You Believe’ featured many such catchy tracks including one that made an appearance on FIFA 14.
The band are mostly underrated and unexplored by radio, occupying the space between mainstream pop and electronic indie so it will be interesting to see if the impact of their latest album can change this. Pre-releases suggest that we’re in for an even faster-paced whirlwind of synth beats and clear melodies. Lauren Mayberry’s golden voice cuts through the weight of the pounding backdrops of each track. The mood of the album is more uplifting and celebratory than its predecessor which tended to focus on themes of revenge. I for one hope to hear more of these upcoming songs blared out in ads, soundtracks and music venues everywhere.
John Grant- Grey Tickles, Black Pressure.
Release Date: 2nd October
The Michigan man with a voice like honey dripping over thunder is releasing another solo album. Grant has previously produced two fantastic albums in ‘Queen of Denmark’ and ‘Pale Green Ghosts’. These albums however dealt with quite heavy subject matters such as his personal drug addiction and sexuality. Grant has a gift for switching between warm comforting tones and unnerving and discomforting lyrics and background melodies and often juxtaposing the two. His curious and unique talent for putting together seemingly random and strange lyrics and working them into the rhythm of the song is worth listening to and this is set to continue in his new album with the pre-release of ‘Disappointing’ giving us a glimpse of what is to come. This song hints at a very different twist for Grant, the synthetic backdrop is quite an unusual canvas for the normally organic singer-songwriter. Collaborations with other musicians and deeper exploration of John Grant’s own style means this album is set to be a very interesting one.
Chris Hadfield- Space sessions: Songs from a Tin Can
Release Date: 9th October
Yes the astronaut that shot to fame by documenting his experiences in space on social media and again for recording his version of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ is releasing his first album. Using a small guitar that he managed to get up to the ISS and over the course of his stint in space, Hadfield managed to record an album-full of music that was influential to him. The audio is gritty and primitive given that most of it was recorded using an iPad. The special appeal of the album is that it will be the only album ever recorded in zero gravity. Hadfield is by far not the most talented singer to come out of Canada but his passion is very real and clearly audible in every track. These are the songs that inspired a man to leave this planet and venture into the final frontier and the songs that helped him along the way. So if you want extraordinary inspiration in an album that forces you to think then don’t give this one a miss.
Kevin O’Reilly
