Dublin singer-songwriter Conor Furlong has been making waves with the announcement of his debut album ‘Rapid Eye Movement’, to be released on the 20th September.
The album is represented well by lead single R.E.M Saved My Life Tonight, a ballad track filled with anthemic guitars and soaring vocals. A pretty beautiful introduction to the artist, it showcases his skills as a songwriter.
Rapid Eye Movement is filled with a tracklist varying in style and moods. Weaved in between solid pop songs like Summer Song and seven minutes, spiritualized inspired tracks like Bow Down. It is the tense interlude Dream which carries the listener through a huge number of emotions in a short space of time.
Some tracks don’t fare so well, however. The instrumental Sleeping In Outer Space channels artists like The Cinematic Orchestra or Boards of Canada, but placed so late in the tracklist it really doesn’t add much to the album. Your Sad Smile comes right after and it’s harmonica the throughout makes the song feel more melodramatic than it should.
The production on the album hinders it somewhat as well. The vocals are completely drenched in reverb which at times works, but other times it hides Furlong’s ability. Album closer In Paradise needed huge punching drums but the percussion feels buried in the background.
Overall however it’s a great record from Conor Furlong, he has showcased his talents very clearly and Rapid Eye Movement feels like an artist really honing his craft as a musician.
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