Music from the Heart

How far does someone need to travel, over how many years, to find what they’re looking for in the faces, names and sounds of the home they left so long ago? What answers are there to be found on the long road back to oneself? These are the questions that Wicklow born songwriter Bjorn Baillie asks himself, his collaborators and his audience, with his debut single Septembering, released under the name The Jonah Medal. The song was part recorded in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles and Brighton, UK (in Nick Cave’s studio).

James O’Connor is an Irish folk singer-songwriter, performer and recording artist. Blending upbeat rhythms and a sense of yearning with an inherent folk spirit, O’Connor’s debut album ‘Behind the Scenes’ (2014) was praised by critics, with Hot Press describing lead single ‘Tightrope’ as “a terrific start [with] Kinks-like observational vignettes.” Prior to this, O’Connor’s EP ‘Falling Up’ (2010) reached #9 in the Irish Top 50 singles charts. Creatively influenced by traditional Irish folk music and country-blues artists like Willie Nelson, as well as more contemporary rock and indie groups such as Snow Patrol, Arcade Fire, Villagers. His new album ‘A Cluster of Narratives’, is a folk rock journey that celebrates the joy of living. From uplifting legacy anthem ‘We Are The Stories’ to redemptive titular track ‘A Cluster of Narratives’, O’Connor’s latest music is defiant and rousing, with unabashedly honest lyrics and a melodic Irish lilt that sets him apart.

When Vincent Jacob met Fanny Hill and founded Yard of Blondes, none of them imagined the journey their band would take them on. Both French, they met in Venice, California, back in 2010. It took them a week to play their first show in LA and a few months to get on the road. In 2012 they decided to become a full rock band and recorded a heavier EP Murderology at Firewater Studios in Gardena, California. They had no idea that the studio owner is New York hardcore legend and Biohazard's founder, Billy Graziadei. In April 2020, the band finally got noticed and signed with the labels Die Laughing Records (California) and Golden Robots (Australia). Almost a year after the beginning of the pandemic the Los Angeles band had to part ways with the labels and become independent again. Hummingbird is the 4th single from the forthcoming album "Feed the Moon", to be released in 2021.

We all know Hotel California by the Eagles. Some might think this title is way too popular to name a band after it? Maybe, but if you like very much, you name your band after it. That's how Iceland based band was born in 2009.  Back then they recorded an album called „The New Sound Of Folk“. In 2019 Daniel Green, the singer, decided to write new songs, tunes that wanna take you somewhere, especially when you are driving your car. Then Corona hit us all and the lockdown began. Finally time to rethink what we are doing and aiming for. Time for songwriters to let the magic happen.  During the last seven months Daniel wrote 24 new songs. Songs about friendship, how great kids are (at least in their parents perspective), even a track about Donald Trump. You could say it’s Americana. Maybe that genre fits ok. Neil Young or The Pixies are obvious influences. Every three to four weeks with the beginning of 2021 Hotel California releases one new track, 24 songs over 72 weeks. Two full new albums - the “Orange” with more up-tempo songs and one “Blue” with the folk topics.Let’s hit the road and we get carried away to a place called Hotel California!

Following the release of his debut single in 2019, Colin Andrew, from Kerry,  has been rising through the ranks at an impressive rate. Following the ethos of Irish artists like James Vincent McMorrow or Foy Vance, he has been known for connecting with his audience through honest lyrics and a unique voice. Making his live TV debut on TG4 and BBC 2 NI alongside The High Kings and Daniel O Donnell, he established himself as an exciting new artist. Using this momentum he struck again with consecutive follow-ups which were accompanied by well directed and creative music videos. The video for his third single ‘Loving You In Vain’, directed by viral sensation Threemey, had almost 15,000 views on YouTube in the first two weeks. Colin Andrew has received extensive national radio support from the likes of Radio Kerry, Wired FM, Quarantine FM and has been favourably reviewed by Covert Music Club.With an E.P. in the works, Colin Andrew is set to make his mark as a serious contender in the Irish music scene. For more information please contact  Impact Promotions Ireland.

The Reflection Box is the moniker used by Donegal songwriter, session musician, and multi-instrumentalist Sarah E. Cullen. Not only did the multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning producer T Bone Burnett sent Sarah a personal message, but also agreed to lend his voice to her new single ‘On Lying’. A clip from a keynote speech he gave at SXSW resonated with the singer’s message in the song - and as she was looking for a piece of spoken word to include in the track. She sent T Bone’s management a message to ask if she could use it, and T Bone, after listening to unmixed tracks from the album, gave his permission and also best wishes for the project with a personal message and endorsement.

Following up the successful release of her debut EP Wildflower and its well-received singles, ‘Wildflower’, ‘Changing Tides’ and ‘River’, 21 year old Cork multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Lorraine Nash releases her new single ‘Winter Sun’ As evenings start to draw closer with summer heat long gone ‘Winter Sun’ captures the bright light of romance alongside the chill of disappointment. Lorraine’s song writing is filled with lyrical beauty and her newest single ‘Winter Sun’ is no exception. With the current Covid-19 restrictions in place Lorraine consulted with producer Herring Ahern and drew up a plan to record ‘Winter Sun’ remotely before being sent to studio for finishing touches. It was then mixed and mastered in Clonmoyle East by Herring Ahern with bass and drums from Jason O’Driscoll.

‘It’s Alright to Show Yourself’ is the fourth single since Emperor of Ice Cream announced their return from a twenty-five-year hiatus in May with their previous singles all topping digital charts in Ireland. Their long-awaited debut album 'No Sound Ever Dies' recently entered the official Irish album charts while also hitting the No.1 spot in the indie charts, making it a staggering fourth No 1 since their comeback. ‘No Sound Ever Dies’ while achieving chart success at home, has been very well received internationally with tracks from the album gaining radio airplay in a massive 33 countries spanning the globe.

Arctic Lights is a new music project from Liam O’Callaghan (Bulkhead) and Edward Butt (Emperor of Ice Cream). In 2020, Emperor of Ice Cream who were signed to Sony Records, made a comeback last May to finally release their long-awaited album ‘No Sound Ever Dies’, which entered the official Irish album charts and also hit the No.1 spot in the indie charts, making it a staggering fourth No. 1 since their comeback. ‘No Sound Ever Dies’ while achieving chart success at home in Ireland, has been very well received internationally with tracks from the album gaining radio airplay in a massive 33 countries spanning the globe.