There is nothing more satisfying for a music blogger than to be there at the beginning of something special. It has happened once already and our instincts are telling us that lightning could be about to strike again with this new duo from Meath/Dublin called The Ambience Affair. Jamie Clarke and Marc Gallagher have only been playing together for a few months but their debut recording is something to behold. The 4 track ‘Fragile Things’ EP was released as a handmade limited edition in February and we got wind of the title track soon afterwards. My first impression was that it didn’t sound like an Irish band, especially one taking its first tentative steps. Here were 2 young lads sculpting experimental sounds that on closer inspection also revealed wonderful tuneage. That the instrumentation is mostly acoustic makes what happens sound all the more exciting. Add in Jamie’s intense vocal bursts and you have a recipe that will have the listener salivating for the Ambience Affairs’ next bold move. The sparkle is evident for all to see and we’re confident that this is the beginning of something really special.
Jamie gave us a bio for the band and an account of how the EP was made.
“The Ambience Affair are a two-piece from Meath/Dublin who combine looped vocals & guitars together with driving rhythms to create songs that are both captivating and original. The EP ‘Fragile Things’ was recorded in 3 days in Dublin and was the band’s first ever experience recording.They’ve been together 10 months after Jamie met Marc in the music shop Jamie had just started working in. Jamie was looking for a drummer previous to this and Marc came to one of his solo gigs and decided there was enough there to start the band.
(Now on to first person)
The EP itself is something we’re both really proud of. I can still put it on the stereo and enjoy it so either I’m really egotistical or it’s not a bad collection of songs. The reviews we received for it have been really great. The general consensus has been ‘A promising start’, and that’s a line we’re really comfortable with. We feel we’re still such a young band and are learning about so much everyday. Live, I think there may be one gig so far where I haven’t fucked up a loop or the song in some way. The mistakes are almost part of who we are and there’s a couple we left in on the EP that happened naturally. We’re really excited about the future and hope that the EP is a little taster of what’s to come.
-Jamie”
Press
…Layered guitar over immediate vocals and tight-as-a-duck’s-arse drums…
…it’s happy/sad/angry all at the same time and it makes me want to dance and cry…
Elsewhere
Indie Rock Cafe, Swear I’m Not Paul, Largehearted Boy