With lo-fi 90s vibes aplenty, Galway four-piece NewDad are a like a great big, shoegazey hug - something to blitz away the dreary January blues. And they’re bang on trend, too.
By: Neive McCarthy.
“All my mum cares about is that Robert Smith is on that Gorillaz song – it’s crazy!” jokes Áindle O’Beirn of NewDad, Galway’s finest new band. The four-piece only released their first single last year, but they’ve quickly risen up the ranks. Nestling into BBC 6 Music’s A-List and brushing shoulders with big names left right and centre, there’s no doubt that their rise so far has been fast and furious.
Ireland itself is churning out a whole host of exciting new music – from Fontaines D.C. to The Murder Capital, something of a punk renaissance has swept the shores of the country. “We’re very happy that guitar music is coming back, because it’s what we do!” remarks Áindle, who plays bass in the band. However, whilst a heavier sound is having its heyday, NewDad bring something fresh. Operating in a hazy, dreamlike world, their sound feels worlds away from their contemporaries thrashing guitars – in the best way possible.
“When we’re writing a song, and we think it’s too heavy a sound we will try and put something in that brightens it up a bit. ‘Like ‘Blue’, a lot of it is sad…” lead singer and guitarist Julie remarks. “…but it’s got that funky beat!” Áindle jumps in. There’s something innately soothing about their tracks, and it lies within that sweet spot of sad and upbeat. It’s a direct encouragement to leave behind your thoughts and sway in time. “We don’t want anything to be too drab or serious – we’re not very sad people in real life, so we want our music to reflect our personalities a lot.” Áindle continues.
Over Zoom, that upbeat part of their music comes across fiercely – it’s all easy laughs and smiles and excitedly talking over one another. That very thing that asks you to free your inhibitions stems from the laidback nature of the band themselves. There’s a definite sense of self-assuredness about them, too. “We know ourselves, and what is NewDad,” guitarist Sean lays out. That confidence seems to only solidify with each release – none more than their upcoming ones. The new year will see the band releasing their debut EP, produced by Chris Ryan, who has previously mixed their tracks.
