Patrick Kelleher & His Cold Dead Hands‘ second album was never going to be exactly the same sound as his debut You Look Cold. Where that album traded on the sounds of leftfield electronica, experimental and ambient music, Golden Syrup moves between the shadows and sub-genres of electronica and ambient music into deeper territory.
Golden Syrup is more nuanced than its predecessor taking in gothic noir electronica, spectral pop, woozy ’80s synthesizers, “whacked-out ghost disco”, “kraut-disco” and Italo-influenced numbers.
Patrick Kelleher’s voice is much more versatile too. From the Ian Curtis-esque croon of ‘Seen Me Blue’ to the rather sweet and gentle tones of ‘Broken Up Now,’ he exudes a confidence which was always lurking in the music but it now sure of itself. John Maus is a good comparison in that regard. Golden Syrup is also more of a band record, so it’s harder to define overall with its mesh of styles and sounds. Give it lots of spins.
Golden Syrup gets a launch this Friday in The Grand Social with support Declan Q Kelly, Magic Pocket & DJs Mici Durnin & School Tour. (€10).
Pre-order – LP vinyl (w/ mp3 Download code) | Digipak CD
Patrick Kelleher & His Cold Dead Hands – Golden Syrup by osakaRecords
