Personally, Owen Denvir’s E.P release was one of the releases I felt most excited for following his participation in the Oh Yeah Centre’s Scratch My Progress program and wonderful set at Sunflower Festival 2015. However, Denvir is not new to the local music scene; his voice is recognisable from Rams’ Pocket Radio and Ciaran Lavery tracks as well as his viola, guitar and piano. Upon the first hearing of the E.P from start to finish I was thrown back to summer and realised that this E.P could be the sound track to your whole summer.
‘Daydreamer’, the title track and summer anthem song, to be listened to mid afternoon on the sunniest of days with friends at the height of excitement and relaxation. This head bobbing song is a beautiful introduction to Owen Denvir’s rich voice accompanied by a simple guitar layered by string drones and soft drumming to fill the sound. The song truly makes the listener a Daydreamer too.
As the perfect summer day winds down, it’s time to listen to Track 2 ‘Staring at the Sun’. With a very similar feeling, ‘Staring at the Sun’ merely tones it down a little to be the summer evening reflective song. The wonderful Hannah McPhillimy’s vocals haunt this track and creates a perfect blend to Owen Denvir’s slightly accented voice filling you with warmth.
Late summer night sunsets were missing ‘Lonely’, the most enchanting lullaby to end a perfect day. This mesmerising and fragile song is incredibly retrospective and almost intrusive but perfectly captures an instrumental grace capable of charming any audience.
The beautiful love song ‘Coast of Spain’ finishes the E.P with a promise of the next summer day at sunrise. This love song has a rich string melody as well as a bright and shimmering drum beat to compliment Denvir’s voice. The “goodbye, goodbye” chorus is a promise of another beautiful summer day lacking all daily trials and stresses. Overall, Owen Denvir creates magical blend of folk and pop and captures Belfast and the craft of local music as his storytelling music enchants all listeners and critics.
◀ STANDOUT ⁞ Lonely ▶
◀ SOUNDS LIKE ⁞ Joshua Burnside | Foy Vance ▶
