Ireland’s connection to shoegaze traces back to one of the genres pioneers, My Bloody Valentine. Continuing to fly the flag for the genre in 2025 are a whole host of Irish shoegaze bands. Formed in Cork in 2019, Halcyon Low bring their own take on the genre, marring considerable heft and weight with more ethereal and dreamy textures. Following the successful release of their 2023 self-titled EP, which saw their song ‘Simple Boy’ feature in the award winning film ‘The Hurler: A Champion’ Tale’, the band now return with a new single ‘Clover’. A track which fully embraces both ends of the spectrum at which Halcyon Low operate, the result is a shifting track that moves from crushingly heavy to delicate and heavenly. Giving us something that feels quintessentially Halcyon Low.
Halcyon Low is Paul Whelan (vocals/guitar), Tomás O’Shea (guitar), James Coady (bass), and Mark O'Gorman (drums). Formed in Cork in 2019, the band found their path to the live stage blocked by the pandemic. Undeterred they existed simply as a studio project during this time, sending tracks back and forth and allowing their sound to grow through file sharing. As restrictions lifted the band wasted no time in gathering in their practice space and bringing the respective members hammers to the anvil as they slowly shaped their songs and sound. New single ‘Clover’ is a further expansion of this sound.
‘Clover’ is a track that naturally moves, shifts and expands upon itself as we make our way through its runtime. Shifting from crushingly heavy parts characterized by thick walls of wooly fuzz, pummeling drums to being lulled into dreamy, delicate verses that drip in watery chorus pedals and sweet textural reverbs. The entire song feels like a dream, like you can almost reach out and touch it but forever outside of your grasp. Guitars swirl around each other, with a plethora of sound being pulled from their respective pedal boards, bass keeps the song anchored, a focus point while the guitars peel off into ethereal bliss. Lyrically ‘Clover’ looks back on a carefree reckless time, finding joy in going against the grain and somehow making it out the other side. It’s draped in a sense of nostalgia and escapism that has become a recurring theme for Halcyon Low.
The track was recorded, mixed and mastered by Ben Wanders at Wanderland Recording Studios in Limerick with vocals recorded at Pauls’ home studio before being handed over to Ben. The video for the track takes inspiration from old school skate videos as the band hoped to capture the feeling of being carefree and reckless. Reflecting the nostalgic feeling the music evokes and to capture that snapshot of a moment you felt you a part of."
© Michael Smyth
