Album Of The Week: Patrick Kelleher & His Cold Dead Hands – Golden Syrup

Patrick Kelleher & His Cold Dead Hands‘ second album was never going to be exactly the same sound as his debut You Look Cold. Where that album traded on the sounds of leftfield electronica, experimental and ambient music, Golden Syrup moves between the shadows and sub-genres of electronica and ambient music into deeper territory.

Golden Syrup is more nuanced than its predecessor taking in gothic noir electronica, spectral pop, woozy ’80s synthesizers, “whacked-out ghost disco”, “kraut-disco” and Italo-influenced numbers.

Patrick Kelleher’s voice is much more versatile too. From the Ian Curtis-esque croon of ‘Seen Me Blue’ to the rather sweet and gentle tones of ‘Broken Up Now,’ he exudes a confidence which was always lurking in the music but it now sure of itself. John Maus is a good comparison in that regard. Golden Syrup is also more of a band record, so it’s harder to define overall with its mesh of styles and sounds. Give it lots of spins.

Golden Syrup gets a launch this Friday in The Grand Social with support Declan Q Kelly, Magic Pocket & DJs Mici Durnin & School Tour. (€10).

Pre-order – LP vinyl (w/ mp3 Download code) | Digipak CD

Patrick Kelleher & His Cold Dead Hands – Golden Syrup by osakaRecords

Niall Byrne

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.

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