Eoin Dolan – June Hope (2020)
Hailing from Galway, Eoin Dolan is a songwriter and producer who has self-released six records. His own music is a sublime combination of heartbreaking melodies and rich instrumentation all wrapped in classic songwriting finesse. His latest EP June Hope draws on diverse inspiration to create a vintage psychedelic pop sound.
The theme of the EP is the charting of the journey from youth to young adulthood. This is done through the prism of seasonal change. Throughout the EP, the songs evoke a sense of nostalgic optimism.
‘June Hope’ is the first and title track that sets the tone from the first note. Dolan’s gentle vocals have an airy quality to them on this single. This complements the melody and the mesmerising lyrics. This is a very relaxing song to listen to that perfectly captures the feeling of renewal.
‘Supermacs’ continues the gentle tone of ‘June Hope’ while adding its own flavour to the proceedings. The writing on this track is very creative and brings different instruments to play wonderfully. The humming on the track also adds a little something that you can’t quite put your finger on.
‘Cairo Café’ has a bit of a Beach Boys feel to it with all the summery imagery and surf tones this entails. There are a few layers to the melody that you can really get into throughout this song. The lyrics paint the scene clearly and give you an uplifting feeling as you listen.
The last song is ‘Gardening Magazines and Peppermint Tea’ which has a different and slightly eery tone to it. There are notes creeping through the melody that gives you an uneasy vibe that is countered by the lyrics of the song. This track leaves you feeling both happy and sad as it evokes calm days and twilight.
Eoin Dolan showcases his musical finesse with uplifting yet heartbreaking melodies on June Hope. The EP is a combination of fun summertime tunes and eerily majestic ballads. Each track offers lush instrumentation with Dolan’s individual flair.
Find out more about Eoin Dolan on his website, Twitter and Spotify.
