New Irish Sounds In Britain/Diaspora : Louis Brennan

The name: Louis Brennan.

The deal: A Dubliner born and raised, Louis is a London based singer song writer who released his debut album The Reductive Power Of A Coastal Town (Dublin?) in May 2013 through Full + Bless, a Levels Entertainment imprint. The album was launched with a powerful gig at the Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green that month. He commanded the stage akin to some kind of demented preacher: speaking in tongues and determined to save our souls.  Prior to this, his debut single “The Towpath” (for some reason all I can think of is the Topaz) received support from NME and Drowned in Sound.

The sound: Intense, dirge like, glitchy folktronica.

When you google Louis Brennan, the first result is the Irish-Australian mechanical engineer who invented the first practical guided missile. It took ten years for his invention to reap any dividends. The modern Louis Brennan is an inventor of an entirely different breed. His self described “future folk” is an odd proposition and quite unlike anything you’re likely to stumble across this year. With his music described as “dubstep Leonard Cohen” and “pound shop Bond themes”, Louis’ mine shaft deep baritone snakes through a stripped back electronic back drop with a Nick Cave type malevolence during  “The Quiet Room” as he channels Padraig Pearse and Ian Brown exclaiming, “I’m desperate to die for an audience. I’m desperate to be adored.” Let’s hope it takes less than ten years for Louis’ terse, apocalyptic tunes to reap the dividends they deserve.

If you have the cojones, click the link below to bear witness to “Clean Break” from the album launch.

He says: ”If I had all the money I spent on drink I’d spend it on drink!” – from this Altsounds interview.

I say: Abstract and esoteric yet oddly infectious and addictive.

For lovers of: Thom Yorke, Tom Waits, Nick Cave.

In a word: Apocalyptic

What now? Download the album for free here. In other news, Louis is in the process of organising some acoustic gigs. It should be an experience to see how he translates his trippy electronica to a more traditional singer songwriter setting.

Like: Louis Brennan on Facebook.
Follow: @loubrennanmusic on Twitter.
Tagged: Thom Yorke, Tom Waits, Nick Cave.