Words by John O’Connor
It’s been a long wait, almost two years, for Mayo/Galway post rockers Bannered Mare to release a new track, but as the adage goes, some things are worth the wait and this new track Flutter is testament to that. Keeping within the post rock playground the band are used to Flutter is an exploration for lead man Joseph Padfield in finding strength and staying focused in his own artistic goals, something at times that can feel like a sisyphean task. It plays on these themes with smart allusions to Icarus and flights, flying high yet with the ever growing fear of failure, a common fear in the artistic community; especially in recent times.
There is something larger and grander in scale about production on Flutter than what has previously been found on 2019’s single Blame Game and Ep Fear of Missing Out, and the bands more introspective Ep 2018’s Gizzards. A pushing of what their sound can be, it is uplifting and anthemic with its mix of gentle verses and reflective themes, set to a dramatic and pulsing drum line that only adds to the overall pace and scale for the final rousing chorus.
It is a track that dares to look into the creative process and the artistic mindset that many artists will feel a kinship with. It is another track that centres Bannered Mare, and with that Umbrella Records, as a force in the Irish music scene.
Produced and Recorded by Joseph Padfield, Mixed by Aidan Cunningham and Mastered by Magnus Lindberg, Flutter is out now on Umbrella Records.
