WATCH: Marlody – ‘Runaway’

Marlody is a singer-songwriter from Kent signed to Skep Wax Records. Her acclaimed debut album I’m Not Sure At All came out last month, and ‘Runaway’ is the third single off the record; a delicate and enchanting song that will leave you wanting more. 

‘Runaway’ opens with warm organ keys flowing; the soothing allure drew me in immediately. Marlody’s clear and present vocals come in next, taking centre stage and demonstrating this is a no-frills, lyric and vocal-driven song. Marlody’s voice is beautifully soulful, you can hear the feelings ejected into the lyrics, poignantly reflecting on “being on the brink of oblivion: contemplating the beauty of nothingness but stepping back just in time”. The stirring words convey a sense of regret and longing, giving the song a melancholic feel tinged with a glimmer of hope. 

Although ‘Runaway’ remains pretty stripped-back in instrumentation and production, the vocal production captures every detail which makes you feel more connected to the words, immersed in its raw emotion. Some very subtle drums enter later on and satisfying vocal overlaps and harmonies give the track another moment of satisfying interest. It’s refreshing to hear a track that isn’t overloaded with sounds and noises, and allows the vocal to take precedence. 

Accompanying the song is a music video which shows a blurred figure from behind, walking through different pastoral scenes; a stunningly atmospheric visual which perfectly conveys the overall feel of the lyrics. Watch it now:

To hear this captivating voice is person, Marlody has upcoming gigs over summer in London and Kent including a date at London’s prestigious Bush Hall on the 20th May. Grab a ticket and check out the rest of her album, I know I will.

I’m Not Sure At All, the new album from Marlody, is out now via Skep Wax Records.

Ella Patenall
@ellapatenall

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LIVE: Ailbhe Reddy – Moth Club, London 18.04.23

“I’m a one trick pony” joked Ailbhe Reddy to her attentive crowd at Hackney’s Moth Club last week. Referring to the similar content of the songs that make up her latest album, Endless Affair – “this one’s about being hungover” – Reddy’s self deprecating remarks and tender, clear vocals charmed her listeners at the East London venue.

Opening her set with bittersweet anthem ‘Between Your Teeth’, which is taken from her debut album Personal History, Reddy was backed by a full band for the majority of her show. Pausing briefly between songs to share personal anecdotes, including her memory of the disastrous last time she played piano live – “I covered a little song called ‘Imagine’, don’t know if you’ve heard of it? It didn’t go well” – Reddy’s headline performance made up for her past mistakes.

With a setlist full of tracks from her second album Endless Affair, Reddy delivered great renditions of ‘Inhaling’, ‘Shoulderblades’, ‘Last To Leave’ and the hugely relatable ‘Shitshow’, on which she scrutinizes her drunken reflection. On record, Reddy’s poetic, vulnerable lyrics are balanced alongside her wry humour, and this translated well in a live setting too. Whether Reddy was learning to “take love where it’s planted” on the beautifully sincere ‘Bloom’, trying to get under and ex’s skin on ‘ILYW’ (‘I’m Losing You’re Winning’), or simply owning up to being ‘A Mess’, she managed to retain these key elements of her craft under the spotlight.

Songs from her debut album, Personal History, also made the cut, including ‘Looking Happy’ and the title track, on which Reddy passionately repeated the lyric “I don’t want to go on dates / and hear personal history / I don’t want to share my own / unless it’s you listening”, which proved to be a real highlight of the set.

Whilst Reddy clearly relished playing with a full band behind her, there were moments when the collective volume of the instruments overpowered her vocal. This was atoned for at the end of the set, when she played her final three songs solo. Closing the night with the emotive ‘Pray For Me’, which was dedicated to her late Grandmother, Reddy’s crowd listened intently as she shared stories about the “wordless promises” she made to her relative in the latter stages of her life. It was a poignant and powerful note to end the set on, and one which will ensure fans keep coming back to see Reddy play live again.

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Niamh Barry

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘Endless Affair’

“My God look at the state of me / this is so embarrassing” sings Irish songwriter Ailbhe Reddy, scrutinising her drunken reflection on ‘Shitshow’, the opening track to her latest album, Endless Affair. Following on from 2020’s debut full length release, Personal History, on her new record Reddy finds the sweet spot between romantic melancholy, unfiltered shame and wry humour, as she re-frames her fractured memories of nights spent partying in her early 20s and various fluctuating loves and infatuations.

Written and recorded between January 2019 and October 2020, Reddy paired up with producer Tommy McLaughlin again to co-produce Endless Affair. She relished the opportunity to create a truly rounded sound on the record, which maintains the raw spirit of her debut, but showcases a development in her intuition for writing songs that continue to tap into both a personal and universal vein.

Whether she’s admiring the unique way the light defines her partner’s body on ‘Shoulderblades’, or feeling the walls closing in on ‘Last To Leave’, Reddy’s skill for revisiting a moment and making it more poignant – or more painful – than before is the lifeblood of Endless Affair. “It’s not just your drink you’re spilling / to anybody who will listen” she observes on the latter, over gentle beats and considered instrumentation, softening the awkward reality of the situation. It’s a relatable reflection on wanting to atone for potentially embarrassing behaviour – whether personally, or vicariously.

Reddy presents her emotions with endearing and at times excruciating honesty, learning to “take love where it’s planted” on the beautifully sincere ‘Bloom’, revealing the rawness of the wounds left by a breakup on ‘Damage’, and remembering a period of painful apathy on ‘Inhaling’. She explores all these things with charm, wit and impressive grace. This is especially true of ‘Pray For Me’ – dedicated to her late Grandmother – and moving ode ‘Motherhood’, which the songwriter nurtured and developed multiple times throughout the album’s recording process.

Whilst tenderness flows through the veins of Endless Affair, it’s also permeated with moments of recklessness and humour. This is epitomized especially by Reddy’s half-hearted attempts to verbally get under an ex’s skin on ‘ILYW’ (‘I’m Losing You’re Winning’), and the the rolling rhythms and energetic riffs on ‘A Mess’. A reflection on an early, chaotic relationship, the track is a buoyant rumination on the cyclical nature of bad habits and a lively effort to move past them. Whilst the repetition of the titular lyric ‘A Mess’ could sting if it was delivered differently, Reddy claims it as a lighthearted label, accepting that youth and inexperience are all part of the learning process when it comes to forming healthy relationships.

Ultimately, Endless Affair is a patient, earnest reflection on personal growth and a heartening reminder that we’re all just ‘Amateurs’ trying to make sense of the bruises that mysteriously materialise on our bodies the morning after we’ve had too much of a good time. It reaffirms Reddy’s astute songwriting sensibilities and is a tonic for any extended emotional hangover.

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Niamh Barry

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘Last To Leave’

An intricate re-framing of the extended emotional hangover that often sets in before the end of a big night out, Irish musician Ailbhe Reddy has shared her latest single ‘Last To Leave’. Taken from her upcoming second album, Endless Affair, which is set for release on 17th March via MNRK, the track is a relatable reflection on taking things too far, and wanting to atone for potentially embarrassing behaviour – whether personally, or vicariously.

“’Last To Leave’ is about having an infatuation with someone who you find frustrating and watching as they make a fool of themselves at a party, while knowing you might be doing the same thing,” Reddy explains about her new single. The songwriter explores this scenario through the lens of a bystander, but is all too aware that she may also be guilty by association. Reddy acknowledges this via her endearing, yet excruciatingly raw lyrics and crystalline vocals. “It’s not just your drink you’re spilling / to anybody who will listen” she observes, over gentle beats and considered instrumentation, softening the awkward reality of the situation.

Following on from her debut album, Personal History (2020), Reddy’s upcoming record Endless Affair is inspired by her romantic relationships and her fractured memories of many a fun night spent partying in her early 20s. It’s both a poignant and playful offering, that sees her tap into the need to be with others, to soak up the experience as much as possible, and to remind listeners that they’re not missing out – even if they have to leave the party early.

Reddy will be playing the revered SXSW festival in Texas in March, before returning to the UK and Ireland in April and May to play a string of headline shows. Full dates are below.

Listen to ‘Last To Leave’ here:

Ailbhe Reddy 2023 UK & Ireland Tour Dates
12 April – Portland Arms, Cambridge, UK
13 April – Louisiana, Bristol, UK
14 April – Gullivers, Manchester, UK
15 April – Hug & Pint, Glasgow, UK
16 April – Brudenell, Leeds, UK
18 April – Moth Club, London, UK
05 May – Whelans, Dublin, IE
06 May – Whelans, Dublin, IE

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Niamh Barry

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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