Connemara: the stormy Atlantic coastline, the wind stroking the wildly growing grass, salty mists filling the air and your lungs. Núria Graham’s latest release is set against the backdrop of the rough romance between the edgy cliffs and the hills in the West-Irish region. Shot on 8mm film, the video to the single Connemara, captures the raw energy of small coastline towns and the sea perfectly. The grainy image of the film makes it look like the Catalan-Irish musician is wandering through the hills in the mid-sixties rather than in the 21st century and that is about where her musical style fits in as well.
‘One time or another, we have all felt like we are on the outside looking in, that we do not belong in the reality, in which we find ourselves.’
With almost only her voice, a beat, and jazzy keys, Núria Graham creates a song refined in its minimalism and unpretentiousness. The laconic vocals seems to take you back in time, as does the singer’s appearance. Wrapped in a retro-coat, hair blowing in the wind, she looks like a soul princess from back in the day. Adding to the overall nostalgic vibe the release conjures, the singer tells the story of a young man taking his life in Connemara. With achingly sweet vocals she croons her goodbyes to the dolphins, the boats, the sea, and in the end, life itself; ‘I love you life, but I am out of here’. Listening to Connemara is like staring down the horizon for too long, breathtakingly beautiful but intoxicatingly melancholic.
Every Monday we’re updating the 50-track-strong Listen AHEAD Playlist on Spotify, adding ten strong songs by sill relatively unknown artists at the beginning. This week’s new picks also include fresh songs from Fassine, Little Misty, Eve Owen, beloved songwriter Eliza Shaddad and Swedish experimentalists Saigon whose latest work we introduced to you here as well. Follow the playlist right here on Spotify and give these new talents a chance.