It’s always a pleasure to hear from Belfast musical mastermind Michael Smyth. You’ll know Michael as the ball of energy that plays guitar for shoegazers Virgins. He’s now about to release something really special.
Orchids are a unique project featuring some of the best female/non-binary vocalists from Northern Ireland and brings together some of the finest musicians, producers, engineers, mix and mastering engineers to create an album that stands alone as a creative endeavour.
Here’s what Michael had to say on this amazing project.
“This massive undertaking began following the dissolution of a previous project. I was left with nine recorded songs, featuring Emma Rose on bass and Matthew Milner on drums, but in need of vocals. Unwilling to let these songs wither and die on the vine, I sought a solution that would give the songs the audience they deserved and a way to breathe new life into them.”
“Written with a female vocal in mind, I made the decision to reach out to a number of female/non-binary vocalists from Northern Ireland, inviting them to lend their considerable talents to and feature on a number of different tracks.”
This sounds like it’s going to be a bit special so let’s dive straight in.
The album opens on the punk fury of ‘Revolution’ featuring the powerhouse vocals of Belfast musician Daisy Johnston. We’re coming out the gate at speed with power chords and machine gun drums. The chorus is a chant of “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be a part of your revolution” which is a quote taken from the anarchist revolutionary Emma Goldman. It’s there that the song morphs into glam rock stomp for that brief moment. It’s really unusual and has made this a real ear worm for me.
Following this Smyth teams up with Melyssa Shannon of Wynona Bleach on ‘Memoria’. There’s no let up in pace as the whip crack of the drums ushers the ferocious guitars in. Shannon is dynamic form delivering a barn storming performance. Smyths off kilter guitar solo adding some slacker texture to the breaks. Shannon owns this song and gives every ounce of herself to the vocal delivery.
This leads us into the relative calm of ‘Hourglass’, the first of three tracks featuring Smyth’s Virgins band mate Rebecca Dow. Dow provides a measured and carefully constructed performance. This is brought into sharp focus in the break where Smyths forlorn howl contrasts with her on the button, sharp as a tack delivery.
Dow appears again leading the way on ‘Run’ next. This one leans into that shoegaze aesthetic that we’re so used to hearing her in as lead singer of Virgins. It’s the drums that first caught my ear here though. Milners speedy rolls through the verses explode into half time flourishes in the choruses. And man, those choruses. They are huge, a wall of fuzz suddenly envelopes you and throws you around mercilessly. Is that I xylophone I hear in the mix latterly too? Another really nice textural choice to contrast with the heaviness of the chorus.
Next up is my album stand out track, ‘Mannequin’. Stepping up to then mic this time it’s Siânna from Tramp. Their voice is unlike anything I’ve heard before. A truly unique style that leans into their accent to create something other worldly. The track is bass led leaning into that post hardcore vibe. Guitars chiming over verses and erupting over the choruses. Lyrically Sianna has this to say. “These are thoughts from inside the AFAB (assigned female at birth) body about ways we are still unfree. With the lyrics immediately painting imagery of ‘the Red-Light District”. This is a thrilling track start to finish and I always go back and play, just one more time, on each listen.
‘Do Better’ next brings in the vocal talents of Clodagh May. It’s a taught and vital rebuke of virtue signalling, self-righteousness and band wagoning when it comes to women and LGBTQ+ rights. Musically the band keep it simple allowing May’s lyrics and performance to firmly take the lead. It’s a propulsive riff laden track that really opens up on those massive choruses. It’s no wonder this was chosen as a single.
Frances Ellen of Effie fronts up for ‘Sins’. Her voice bringing a lighter, emotional more direct link to the message behind the song. Guitars are reined in to a more jangly sound to be an appropriate foil for Ellen’s stunning voice. I particularly love the guitar solo, losing none of its impact through dialling back the fuzz. The production choices on ‘Sins’ are genius and really speak to skill of the team pulling all this together.
‘Smile’ sees the return of Melyssa Shannon of Wynona Bleach. This song is perfect for her style of singing. She’s a born rock star and she gets the opportunity to display her complete range here. Musically the song really teases us before unleashing its full force in the chorus. Verses are taught and loaded with tension before the chorus kicks in like a steel toe capped kiss.
The album closes out with the return of Rebecca Dow one last time for ‘And Ghosts’. There’s more than a nod to the ballads of the eighties in those guitars over the expansive verses. As the chorus appears the gazey tones bring us bang up to date. Performances are on point throughout only befitting the final track of an album of this quality.
Orchids is a stunning release that showcases both the vitality in the Northern Irish alternative music scene at the moment whilst providing some much-needed social commentary. When musicians lean into socio political themes the tendency can be let the lyrics carry the song. Not so with Orchids. With some serious talent behind the scenes namely Smyth, Rose and Milners performances not to mention the mixing talents of Jonny Woods, the music partners the lyrics. They join hands and lift this album even higher. That’s the power of these tracks, you don’t just listen to this album. You feel it.
Orchids is out on January 31 on Spotify.
You can follow Orchids on social media here…
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