One of Ireland's finest electronic live acts, Dubliners Dry County make music awash with melody and melancholy; music which both celebrates and laments, all funnelled through a blend of dance and pop framed by guitar, drums, bass and layers of electronica.
Though having only released their debut album last year, the four-piece have long been one of the capital's hidden secrets, having first emerged with their well-received 'Nothing Stays in Place' EP in May 2004.
Comprised of Kevin Littlewood, Phil Porter, Stuart Flood and Derek Cosgrave, the group are also one of the country's more interesting live acts, having played regularly around the country over the past three years.
Along the way have come a number of festival appearances and support slots with God Is an Astronaut, Whipping Boy and Jape, though the past year has seen the band begin to really forge a name for themselves.
Released in May 2007, 'Unexpected Falls', the group's debut, is an intriguing and often hypnotic album bristling with waves of high energy to one degree, while offset by dreamier infectious sounds on another.
Full of crossover appeal, you can hear shades of Sigur Rós as if remixed by Boards of Canada in recent single 'Another Idea', while Aphex Twin is all over 'Attention'. On their less frantic moments, elements of Leftfield, Zero 7 and Lemon Jelly creep in.
A lesson for other acts keen to record material as quickly as possible, Dry County were more patient in their approach to making 'Unexpected Falls'. Gradually crafting and progressing their sound, an album of material worked on since 2004 was scrapped as the dynamic within the band began to change.
Receiving national airplay from the likes of Alison Curtis, RTÉ 2fm's Dan Hegarty and Donal Dineen, the album has been a minor hit on the Irish scene and was recently boosted by a nomination for this year's Choice Music Prize. The band aim to see out 2008 with tours of the UK and Ireland.
Steve Cummins
www.drycounty.org
RTÉ is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party websites or material accessed through the RTÉ.ie site. RTÉ does not exercise any control or supervision of content of these linked sites.
