An innate ability to project a wide range and depth of feeling
The collection of songs delivers a series of personal and poetic messages to a former obsession as Cathal rides the sheer uncomplicated joy of the highs, as well as finding beauty in the lows of a former relationship.
The cinematic atmosphere is electric throughout, cemented by crystal clear vocals and emotive storytelling. From the bluesy guitar and melodic textures of ‘Frame’ through to the stripped back piano ballad ‘Taking On The Wind’, Cathal expertly delves into a variety of sounds, seamlessly fusing together Blues, Jazz, Funk and Old Soul to create his own space sonically.
Cathal said about the EP “The songs collectively talk about one relationship and its eventual demise. The title of the EP comes from the idea of feeling momentary comfort in writing about this now past relationship. Fixated on this one person still, watching how well they are doing and feeling a little bit left behind – like a sad proudness.
He continued to talk about the lead single “‘Lilac Eyes’ is a song about how someone’s mood can have a huge impact on your own. It’s about mental health and if we want to get specific, it’s about the lockdown. There’s a line “all I want to know is that you’re happier than you are sad”. That pretty much sums up the song.
Hailing from Camlough, near Newry, Cathal has been raised on Irish traditional music – a passion passed down through his family from his great grandad. From playing in the living room to concerts at local venues, Cathal’s upbringing was punctuated with unforgettable live music. He began playing the guitar at 13 years old and by 16, was a national champion. Cathal plays and writes as part of contemporary Irish folk group Cúig, recording two albums and touring across Europe and the US. One of the tracks, ‘Carry On’, was used by Aer Lingus on an online advert and has racked up more than 650,000 views.
At just 21 years old, Cathal is now ready to launch his solo career, relishing the freedom to express himself through thoughtful, personal songwriting and uplifting guitar. Cathal writes as if he was playing to an empty room, showcasing an innate ability to project a wide range and depth of feeling, that is frank and imaginative. Support for the artist continues to grow with previous releases from the EP being positively reviewed by leading Irish music blogs such as Nailler9, and Hotpress and a host of international music tastemakers, as well as enjoyed spot plays on BBC Introducing, RTE 2 and been playlisted by Apple Music.
Drawing on his love for blues, Cathal performs live in a trio format. The expressive energy of his live show is immediate, with the band able to improvise and make the audience feel something different every single time they play. A recent move to Edinburgh will see Cathal performing venues such as Sneaky Pete’s and The Voodoo Rooms as soon as they re-open. In the meantime, Cathal will keep fans entertained via live streaming performances on his social channels and will perform a live version of ‘I’m Writing To You’ on Instagram on June 26th with more live shows to be announced.
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