Cork-based indie-folk group BRIARS have released their latest single, Roimh, a track that blends contemporary indie influences with traditional Irish musical elements.
The six-piece band have built a reputation for energetic live performances and a sound that combines folk, indie, pop, rock and Irish traditional music. Their latest release continues that approach, featuring a mix of bouzouki, fiddle, accordion, piano, harmonium, synth, bass and drums.
The title Roimh, pronounced “Riv”, is the Irish word for “before”. According to the band, the song focuses on perseverance, hope and the value of experiences, regardless of how they ultimately end.
Discussing the track, BRIARS said: “The idea is that even if things don’t go as planned, or something ends badly, that it does not negate the time that was spent trying to get there. It would be easy to think ‘what’s the point in doing something if it’s just going to end anyway?’, but it would take us nowhere.”
The band added that the song reflects a range of life experiences, from relationship breakdowns to dealing with loss, while emphasising the importance of remembering positive moments.
“It is partly about the struggle to achieve certain things, and trying to have the persistence to keep going; whether it’s moving on from a relationship that doesn’t end well, or the devastation after someone has passed away, but you’re looking back fondly on all the memories. The bad at the end doesn’t discount the good that came before.”
BRIARS have become a familiar name on the Irish live circuit in recent years, performing alongside acts including The Scratch, The Wran, Leevy and Billow Wood. They have also appeared at festivals such as Whelan’s Folk and Trad Fest, Galway Folk Festival, Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, Cork Roots Festival and Electric Picnic.
Drawing comparisons with artists including Arcade Fire, Bear’s Den, Hudson Taylor and The Riptide Movement, the band have continued to expand their audience through a growing schedule of festival and headline appearances.
The release of Roimh comes ahead of a series of summer performances across Ireland. Upcoming dates include appearances at Doolin Folk Festival in County Clare on 12 June, The Courthouse in Tinahely, County Wicklow on 26 June, Cleere’s in Kilkenny on 10 July and Theatre Royal in Waterford on 11 July.
With Roimh, BRIARS add another release to their catalogue as they continue to establish themselves within Ireland’s indie-folk scene.