Orian goes for the introspective approach from his Berlin base
WEXFORD HAS never been short of talent when it comes to singer-songwriters, bands and musicians capable of making their mark on the international stage.
Joey Ryan, from Enniscorthy, released two albums and performed for almost a decade under his own name but in 2019 changed direction slightly and transformed into the artist now known as Orian.
It was a very natural progression that reflected the songwriters move away from his folk and acoustic blues roots into a more indie, alternative and atmospheric space and that’s very evident on his new single, ‘What Pulls You’.
The new single comes on the back of two very well received independent releases in the form of ‘Tryin’’ and ‘Holding On’, with which Orian received support from radio stations in Ireland, Britain and Germany.
‘What Pulls You’ is an introspective ode to loved ones and one’s inner-self and follows on from another poignant track, ‘Grateful’, which was about letting people close to you in.
On the new track Orian tackles the darkness of inner battles and how much better they’re dealt with in company.
The song was produced by long-term collaborator, Andor, and was mastered by Ainsley Adams.
Orian admits the song is a very personal number and he penned it in reference to the ways in which school and ‘toxic notions of masculinity drum in the need to put on a brave face from a very early age, and how dangerous this can be’.
‘In school there was no allowance for feeling down, or any avenue to pursue to talk to anyone about it,’ Orian said when commenting on the track.
‘It was very much a grin and bear it, with a smile on your face kind of attitude, which is incredibly dangerous and wrong,’ he added.
With that in mind ‘What Pulls You’ is in many ways a journey of self-discovery for Orian: ‘I wanted to address this for the first time in my music as these experiences have left a lingering impact on me. This song is a testament to that; allowing people in and not suffering in silence.’
The accompanying video to the song, directed by Nick Scholey, drives home the importance of individual expression and collective support
‘What Pulls You’ is an extremely well produced number and comes from the top drawer of international contemporary songwriting.
The fact Orian is blessed with fabulous warmth to his voice is a bonus.
The song begins with a gentle melody set to an effect-infused guitar pattern.
There is a definite Euro-pop feel to the song that should earn it a lot of airplay across mainland Europe, however, what should make it stand apart from a lot of contemporary pop-rock releases is that it very much retains the essence of a singer-songwriter’s passion and sincerity.
It bears some slight similarity to the work of Hozier and it has an absolutely fantastic chorus.
The arrangement of the song is exemplary;it builds gradually from a gentle introduction before culminating in a massive pre-chorus and chorus section.
Vocally, Orian is absolutely on top of his game and the arrangement of the backing vocals is fantastic.
The production is fabulous and the overall warmth of the instrumentation sounds particularly good through headphones.
Now based in Berlin, Orian completed his second headline tour of Germany last year, prior to lockdown. He has also shared stages as special guest to legendary artists such as Mick Flannery, JET, Bastille, George Ezra, John Spillane, David Ryan Harris, and Jack L.
An artist whose profile is very much in the ascendancy ‘What Pulls You’ highlights that fact in exemplary fashion.
The single is now available to download and stream on the usual online platforms.