When We Were Still, released on November 28 via AMS Records, was spearheaded by Irish drummer Dave Hingerty and his Side 4 Collective and he brings an eclectic array of Irish and international artists together, creating songs using his pre-written melodic and primal drum patterns.
Each track on When We Were Still was recorded during Covid, and when time allowed, masked artists came to the studio to finish tracking, others recorded remotely and did some file sharing.
We featured the track Me and Vincent a while ago here, which we loved for its fresh, vibrant and youthful energy. With a playful positivity, it’s a ‘love letter to the urban and suburban communities of Dublin’.
Four Letters is a sultry, introspective journey with wistful vocals and a subtle drumming pattern kept very much in the background and a feel of Tame Impala while First leads with the drumming and piles on the atmosphere with soulful, partly spoken-word lyrics and violin, creating a timeless quality and taking the track into a folk realm. The vocals on First are by Hothouse Flowers’ Peter O Toole. Max Greenwood added the beautiful piano runs, Hothouse Flower, Liam O Maonlaí improvised melodies and lyrics and Claire Sands added viola and cello.
Worked Like They Used To is again a moody, jazz inflected, introspective number featuring Irish duo Selk, with Anna Jordan’s silken-textured, expressive vocals adding a unique touch.
The album contains thirteen tracks, all so different and each one is expressive, vibrant and beautifully constructed.
When We Were Still is Side 4 Collective’s second album and features contributions from a host of acclaimed Irish artists including Liam O Maonlaí, Niamh Regan, Colm Quearney, Mark Geary, Ollie Cole, Anna Jordan, Peter O’Toole, Fergal Edward, Keith Mango, Dark Isle, Carol Keogh, Ross Breen, Sacred Animals, Adrian Crowley, Peter McCarthy and Rey Villalobos.
When We Were Still by Side 4 Collective, released 28th November, via AMS Records