GRIMderry

It's a dismal, wet and windy Monday morning, so what better time to check out Irish musician GRIMderry whose angst fueled electro/rock/blues/jazz blend of music suits the mood.  GRIMderry aka Laurence McDaid is about as Indie as it gets, creating and self-producing his thought provoking music using Ableton from the shed in his back garden, which includes the recently self-released EP - 'Digital Throw-up' - of which more later. 

He describes himself as - "an exporter of Lo-fi Electro-blues: Electro because of the ‘instrumentation’. Blues because, mostly, I get irritated by things other people seem to find totally acceptable; the music I write, therefore, is a sort of catharsis. It could be more obscure, but you have to make some things easy for everyone."








" I love rock music in most forms and electronic music in its most obscure forms. I write pseudo-cryptic songs about things that annoy me, which is less therapeutic than you might imagine. I've been progressively making a name for myself among the; for lack of a better term, alternative Northern Ireland music scene." 











"People have this mental block about music that’s depressing, but I find even the music people ‘dance’ to of a weekend has depressing lyrical content about heart-break, or rejection. People connect with music because of a human need to empathise and relate to their peers. GRIM is my attempt to do that my way."

So with that in mind, it's time to check out the Digital Throw-up EP.






 




The EP kicks off with 'I Pray For Water' and it's short but sweet, soulful and plaintive as opposed to the follow up track 'Quick! Nobody Smile' which is manic and industrial and has shades of Bowie during the 90's but more raw, brash and edgy. 

It's followed up by a lighter almost orchestral in parts electro track, the quirkily titled 'The Sun Seen In Thick Mist Looks Like The Moon'. It's not so grim in Derry all the time as this track is a delight. 













It's back to what GRIMderry does best with 'Machine Speak' with jagged electro beats overlaid with an angst filled vocal.  The electro theme is continued with 'Breaking Up' and it's what Moby would sound like if he crossed to the dark side. It's as compulsive to listen to as it is repetitive and gets my vote for a single release.  







  

This Morning Call

I recently attended a gig in Liverpool's Leaf Tearooms to take in local bands Lumin Bells and Red Sails which included an appearance by This Morning Call.  Main interest on the night was Lumin Bells but after their set probably a third of the audience left.  To their loss as it happens as This Morning Call produced a set that was as eclectic as it was mesmerising.  This Morning Call is the alter ego of singer, songwriter and producer (among other things) Ben Hayworth whose charismatic performance and audience interaction on the night was reminiscent of an early Moby.

'Organs Of The State'- the recently released follow-up album to the critically acclaimed debut 'All Quiet At 4 am' is a true gem.  From the opening notes of the dreamy 'The Circulating System' you're pulled in to the strings and gentle vocals of 'The Pigs' creating an alt-pop landscape you have to explore further.





Third track in 'Silent Film' (released as a single) is as addictive as the excellent Pantha du Prince and TheBell Laboratory collab 'Spectral Split'.  

The slightly moodier 'Signs And Portents' gives way to the catchier 'Sunburn' and a funkier electro-poppy 'Brothers And Sisters', whilst 'Fluids' gives us a dreamscape like listening experience.




You're hitting the dance-floor with the poppy beat of 'Generosity' whilst 'The List' with it's delicate melody and strings and 'We Need Your Bones' brings back the 'chill' factor.  Final track 'Organs Of The State' wouldn't be out of place as the soundtrack to 'Metropolis' with it's infectious, persistent electro/industrial beat.



What it has been is the soundtrack to my holiday recently with its ability to make you hear something different every time you play it.  With the musical aid of Peter Byrom-Smith, Ben Laws, Alex Hulme, Joel Cooper, Andrew Bernhard, Josh Williams and Gaz Hadfield it's high on my list of must have albums for 2013/14 and I'd recommend you get yours without delay!