Hailing from the Viking City of Ireland, Under Starling is breathing fresh air into the Irish music scene with their unique brand of alternative rock. Beautiful with a bite – Under Starling invoke a feeling of euphoria with their reverb-soaked melodies and dark distorted riffs. A powerful rhythm section drives a rocky undertone to their pop-styled music.
The band draws influence from the likes of Biffy Clyro, The 1975, and U2 but their own sound is difficult to pigeonhole. This gritty four-piece are rapidly building their flock of followers through their energetic live shows and popular releases.
The latest single Trick of the Light has gathered many streams on all platforms as well as being playlisted on BBC Radio Ulster. Their Mongrel EP, was praised by the likes of Hot Press, RTE 2XM to name a few.
Between crowd-surfing, mosh pits, and the interaction Danny has with the audience, the band is deeply connected with their fans.
Recently Under Starling has bridged the gap with their international audience by playing their first sold-out show in London.
The escapism offered by their music and live shows brings people together like a flock of starlings. “We are like murmurations”.
‘Portals’ is the highly anticipated upcoming EP from Under Starling. The band took inspiration from the karst terrain and the iconic portal tomb of the Burren, seeing the landscape as a metaphor for life, and the dolmen as a doorway into the past.
This collection of work contains four distinct compositions, each a view into varying elements of life. Canopies explores themes of self-reflection and the cyclical nature of life.
Nazare provides us with the more hopeful side of life, allowing us to persevere through tough times. Eros deals with love, lust and heartbreak, while Coraline is a lullaby for the loss of a loved one. Like the Burren, the themes of Portals are beautiful yet harsh.
The Portals EP (out May 5th) encompasses many genres, including alt-rock, pop rock and experimental pop.
Each song was recorded with a mix of old and new production methods, combining classic rock techniques and vocal processors to create unique soundscapes.
Many of the songs feature a Halcion VoiceLive vocoder, made famous by the likes of Imogen Heap and Bon Iver.
The lead single from this EP is ‘Canopies’, a post-apocalyptic indie rock anthem, describing a world in which mother nature has taken back what is rightfully hers and is out April 7th.
The song depicts how the self-destructive and parasitic tendencies of the human race have us edging towards the point of no return – “lying deep in catacombs”. As we progress through the track, we make the descent from self-reflection, to pure demise as the earth begins to start its life anew without us.