Dylan John Thomas’ final tour of 2023 affirmed the Scottish singer-songwriter as being on the cusp of something special. Selling almost 9000 tickets in Scotland in a few hours and packing venues across England, too, he inspired rapturous receptions: beers in the air, fans singing along on each other’s shoulders and the joyfully carefree bounce of the mosh pit.
As Dylan now looks set to accelerate his breakthrough with the release of his debut album next month, he shares a fresh preview of what to expect in the shape of ‘What I Need’. While Dylan’s songs span a vast spectrum – ‘What I Need’ comes from a place we haven’t heard from him before. It’s a song which taps into his love of The Beatles to bring sophisticated, psychedelic-tinged pop into his sound. But its lyrics and delivery – a final plea to stay to the person who “made me feel like life’s worth living” – is full of Dylan’s personality and gift for affecting melancholia. The track has been a staple in Dylan’s live shows to rapturous responses, and the fans have eagerly awaited the release.
Rich Turvey (Blossoms, Courteeners) and Dylan produced’ What I Need’ as with the rest of his upcoming album. What’s remarkable about listening to Dylan’s debut album is just how much life experience resonates throughout the collection. From the uplifting bounce of fan favourite opener ‘Fever’ to the devastatingly autobiographical closer ‘Wake Up Ma’, it captures snapshots of his remarkable life story.
Dylan’s profile has flourished and grown in scale with the release of two acclaimed EPs, sold-out headline tours, where he can pack multiple nights at the Glasgow Barrowland; festivals from Reading and Leeds to Glastonbury and TRNSMT, plus high-profile live dates with Liam Gallagher and Sam Fender. Further put in the spotlight with support from Radio 1, BBC Introducing, 6 Music and Radio X, Dylan also won Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Scottish Music Awards in 2022.
Check out the video for ‘What I Need’ – BELOW:
Dylan will celebrate the release of the album by embarking upon a run of intimate album launch shows. Gigs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Liverpool rapidly sold out, but very limited tickets remain available HERE for Aberdeen and Manchester. It may well be the last chance to see him in such venues for a while – the next gig on the calendar is a main stage set at this summer’s TRNSMT. The dates are:
JANUARY
26th – Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree (with Assai)
27th – Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms (with Assai) – SOLD OUT
29th – Glasgow, SWG3 (with Assai) – SOLD OUT
31st – Manchester, Band on the Wall (with HMV)
FEBRUARY
1st – Liverpool, Jacaranda Baltic (with Jacaranda) – SOLD OUT
Be the first to comment