The Spiritual Leaders – Past Present Future (2023)
When I think about Irish musicians my mind immediately reverts to Westlife and Boyzone. No, not U2 or Sinead O’Connor, but those 90s boybands – what, I had a massive crush on Ronan Keating as a teenager. Now, as a hopefully more mature adult, I still have a crush on Ronan Keating, but another band has firmly planted itself among the immediate Irish reference – The Spiritual Leaders.
Hailing from Cavan, Ireland, The Spiritual Leaders bring a nostalgic flair of post-punk to modern-day audiences. Performing sporadically since 2009, the indie-electronic trio have released several well-received singles and albums. As a run-up to their forthcoming album, This Fictional Place, the lads have released critically acclaimed songs ‘Shadows and Tall Trees’, ‘Hall of Mirrors’ and ‘The Last Sunset’ over the past four months. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Past Present Future’.
A slight reminiscence to Depeche Mode and The Cure exists in ‘Past Present Future’ but The Spiritual Leaders boldly stamp their mark on the post-punk music scene. Deftly finding a line between rock and electronic music, ‘Past Present Future’ arranges guitars, drums, bass and keyboards leaning toward the “rockier” side of things. Yet, while an indie-rock flow is heard within the melody, a wistful slice of electronic basslines and a “ghostly keyboard” brings up the electronic side of things. Interestingly enough, while their leanings toward different genres are evident, it all comes together in a haunting harmonic whole.
Dean Jackson from BBC Introducing said he “absolutely love[s] that” when featuring ‘Past Present Future’ on his show. I agree entirely with Jackson, but I’ll one-up him. I don’t just love that, I am truly swept away by the innovation, charm and elegance of The Spiritual Leaders. Step aside Boyzone, you might lose your place as one of my favourite Irish artists.
For more from The Spiritual Leaders, check out their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
