Irish artist FIGR has released his first track, Fear Ft. Conor Clancy. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
FIGR is Darragh Griffin, who also plays with the band Hermitage Green, and he has fulfilled his long time ambition to write and produce his own work with the new four-track EP, which he wrote, produced and recorded at home in Clare.
He then recruited Conor Clancy and Niamh Hinchy of Toucan and Ronan Mitchell of Fox Jaw to add their vocals.
"Fear was an interesting song for me as it was the first time I've ever started a track with the drums and percussion," says Griffin.
"I spent a day in the first lockdown basically making noise around my house and then stitching those sounds together - clicks, claps, Tibetan bowls, pint glasses, whiskey bottles, wardrobes - you name it! I then added some piano chords which gave it a house feel before rolling into synth world where the magic really happened."
He adds, "Fear is a song about embracing the parts of life we can’t control and focusing on the connections that really matter. I wanted the track to have a raw intensity to it. Conor Clancy's vocal really elevated the track to where I envisioned it."
Tell us three things about yourself?
I spend much time trawling the internet for hidden musical gems.
There is never anywhere I'd rather be than on the west coast of Ireland.
I have a six-week-old daughter named Fiadh.
How would you describe your music?
At my core there is a singer-singer writer, but there is also an experimental DJ/producer battling for space. The music is a combination of both
Who are your musical inspirations?
Lau, LCD Soundsystem, Murli, Chris Thile, Oscar Peterson, Tom Misch, Jacob Collier and on and on.
How did you occupy yourself during the coronavirus lockdown?
This project! I'd always wanted to write and produce my own music from start to finish and FIGR was the perfect opportunity to throw myself in deep. My wife worked from home and I pretty much kept the exact same schedule, 9 to 5 music, and production Monday to Friday plus the extra hours when I couldn't drag myself away. It was not work, though, I loved every second. I also did a whole lot of yoga and exercise which all helped the headspace for creativity.
What's your favourite song right now?
Ultimatum by Disclosure ft Fatoumata Diawara.
Favourite lyric of all time?
'And his children come around him with their prittle prattling stories, With their prittle prattling stories to drive care away'. It’s from Spencer the Rover by John Martyn but it’s an old folk song and the original writer is unknown.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?
Aretha Franklin - Bridge Over Troubled Waters.
Where can people find your music/more information?
The Internet provides all - Instagram mainly @figrmusic, Facebook, my website, and Bandcamp.
