I initially got Halls confused with Walls but there’s no comparison between the latter’s pumping intricate electronica and the former’s elegiac minimal piano music. ‘White Chalk’ is a perfect morning awakening (um, pretend you’re only up right, I was busy this morning) – a sumptuous reverberating piano melody with Sam Howard’s Sufjan-esque timbre recalling parts of James Blake in the percussive desolation and How To Dress Well in its hymnal minimalism. When the choir comes in your heart may break.
Halls’ debut album Ark (supposedly “a dramatic and emotive study of loss and modern anxiety”) in October 15th on No Pain In Pop. This is a pretty special teaser. Listen to his Fragile EP released earlier this year after ‘White Chalk’:
Tracklisting
1. I
2. White Chalk
3. I’m Not There
4. Roses For The Dead
5. Ark
6. Funeral
7. Shadow Of The Colossus
8. Arc
9. Reverie
10. Holy Communion
11. Winter Prayer
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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, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
Very excellent.