Limerick’s new-wave/shoegaze band His Father’s Voice deliver a brooding yet purposeful sound with soaring pop melodies, muscular rhythms, and immersive guitars. The live show tugs at a heavy atmosphere that looms around lead singer Ash O’Connor and lead guitarist James Reidy, intensified by Laya Meabhdh Kenny and Cian McGuirk who contain and release a moody rhythm section.

April saw the release of the new-wave inspired ‘Arm’s Length’, which saw the band embark on an Irish tour. The band continues their momentum with ‘Forgot to Feed’, showcasing a dreamscape of whirling keys, washed out guitars and melancholic vocals backdropping the decision to leave a letter unsent.

Feeling unusually hesitant about confiding in friendship spurs a lot of inner reflection on this song. A naive frivolity is present throughout in a dreamscape of reverb-drenched guitars and synth, alongside youthfully energetic drums. But a glimpse of growing maturity dominates the lyrics, along with a pensive bassline adding an interlocking nature to the rhythm section. It’s a coming-of-age growing pain; sometimes we have a role to play in how we encounter the same problems repeatedly. The realisation starts out exasperated and dejected, becomes frustrated and claustrophobic, before delivering an eventual tone of acceptance.

Here is a quote from Ash O’Connor, Lead Vocalist / Rhythm Guitarist: “This song came about around the time that I was listening to a lot of Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzerald. I’d like to think there’s glimpses of that showing through across certain vocal lines, I don’t think I would have made those creative decisions had I been in my usual shoegaze listening rut. Forgot to Feed originally began with quite dark shoegaze guitars, but as the crooning vocals began to achieve the dejected delivery I was looking for, the instrumental brightened and provided a well needed dream-like contrast.”