On repeat…
It’s all a bit nuts at the minute. We don’t know whether we’re coming or going, up or down, standing too close to strangers or not close enough to loved ones.
There’s a lot of uncertainty, but this too shall pass.
In the meantime though, one constant we can always rely on is the extraordinary quality of music coming from the island of Ireland.
Borders
The collaboration of Derry duo Eoin O’Callaghan, AKA Elma Orkestra, and Ryan Vail resulted in Borders, an incredible album released in June of last year and which deservedly took home the prize of Best Album at the Northern Ireland Music Prize back in November 2019.
A time which feels like roughly four decades ago at this point.
The pair now return with the highly-anticipated final single to be taken from that award-winning, audio-visual work, bringing us ‘LOVE’ when we need it most.
It’s a fitting final chapter to the Borders project, one which has seen the two travel and perform all around the world, from their hometown in Ireland, to deepest Mexico and the Berlin Wall.
The latest track is also included in a new, extended digital release of the Borders album which you can listen to in full right here.
For now though, treat yourself to some ‘LOVE’.
Plug in, hit play, drift off…
Clip via Elma Orkestra
“We’re in this together…”
As the duo themselves say, “we were writing the record during the early stages of the Brexit talks and for us it felt like a massive piece of history unfolding right in front of us. The idea was we were sound-tracking all these emotions that were being forced on us daily and trying to make sense of it through music.
“Over the last month or so, Brexit has become a meaningless drop in the ocean. Now, more than ever we need to realise that the world is only as strong as its weakest members.
“We’re in this together.
“We are all humans sharing the same planet and the message from this album has never been more important.
“Currently new borders are being erected and enforced the world over however as with nature, a theme which runs deep throughout the Borders album, the virus knows no borders, race or creed. Love, community, and compassion are more important than ever and this song offers a glimmer of hope to a better and brighter future.”
All upcoming Borders concerts are currently being rescheduled, but if you are interested in going to check out a live performance (coronavirus and 2km radius-permitting, of course), make sure you stalk the lads on any social platform you like right here…
Elma Orkestra on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and website.
Ryan Vail on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and website.
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