Route 109a Recordings (label)
18 October 2022 (released)
18 October 2022
The delectably named HamsandwicH resurface *coughs* following the soaring success of previous release ‘Stories from the Surface’ which debuted at #1 on Ireland’s official album chart. The first time an unsigned Irish act has accomplished this feat with the trio also opening for artists such as Arcade Fire and Pixies. Where to next …?
Well, on the Michael Heffernan produced ‘Magnify’ lie ten forensic dispatches from the frontline of living, the edges of aging and the aging of edges, the quandaries of the quotidian, the memorialised manoeuvres we make to avert more mistakes, the paths we choose are ours to lose, philosophically posing the question: when we run (what) are we fleeing or seeking. All this and more!
Affairs of the head and heart are covered, coated and cloaked in pristine perky-pop (‘Le Soleil’), a jerky smorgasbord of dancefloor deconstructions (‘Electro Wave; ‘Julian’), folkish freak-outs (‘Next Contender’), glam-stomp-pomp on the Kate Bush etherealism of both ‘Fired Up’ and ‘Work of Art’.
The trio consist of Brian Darcy’s yin and yang-gliding guitar riffs, Niamh Farrell's variably vexed and vivacious vocals allied to Podge McNamee's complementing baritone. This is demonstrated to dextrous affect/effect on the duelling ‘A Pact’ and ‘All my blood’ which show how McNamee also shares The National’s Matt Berninger’s gift for guttrall, gutter-full gnoses. Forlorn, heart worn, reborn.
The closing ‘Good Friday’ is a lamenting testament to late manager, Derek Nally. With techno-echoes of LCD Soundsystem’s tear-jerking ear-worker ‘Oh baby’ and the repeated reassurances of ‘When it takes hold …’ there is no point in resisting.
In 2017 Brian Eno produced and guested with Portuguese group, The Gift on their album ‘Altar’. HamsandwicH’s new album has similar textures, themes and tones and where it might remind it never replicates.
Look closely. Listen closer.
