SubSounds Music Collective is a project for young musicians in South County Dublin to work together creating new music for performance and recorded releases. Its latest album ‘Class of 2020’ launches on Friday April 24th 2020. Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions Subsounds have moved this launch online. The Civic in Tallaght will host the event on their Facebook Page at 8pm.
More About SubSounds:
SubSounds is a collective of young musicians aged 14-18 based in Tallaght. Founded in 2004, the initiative teaches gifted youngsters the art of song writing as well as giving them valuable studio time and experience working with industry professionals. Each year, SubSounds releases an album of original material written and recorded entirely by the a unique class of budding youngsters and despite the ongoing pandemic, 2020 is no different. This year’s cohort of 32 students have produced a 16 track album of songs ranging from electro love ballads to punk rock protests recorded in Dublins iconic Windmill Lane studio. The album, scheduled for release on 24th April showcases a diverse range of talent from musicians well beyond their years in terms of grit, focus, and energy.
SubSounds was created by guitarist Martin Moran and bassist Elton Mullally, and features tutelage from producers Gerry Horan and Colin Morris, as well as expertise from past participants of the collective and from recent graduates of BIMM Dublin, such as Lyndsey Lawlor and Amy Naessens. Speaking on the project, Moran says “SubSounds never fails to produce incredible new music. It’s a source of education for mentors and participants alike, unlocking the joy that music brings into young people’s lives, and into the lives of their families.”
Megan McGarry is in her third year as a SubSounds student and says she entered knowing very little about music other than that she liked writing lyrics. “During my time here I’ve learned to play guitar, bass, and drums and have surprised myself time and time again with how my songs have improved, I’ve made friends and memories that will stick with me for life” says the seven- teen year old. Her song ‘Snake Pit’ is the album’s opening track and the lead-single from the record. This exciting debut is full of the guile and venom that has bolstered the likes of Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital in recent years.
The album will be available on all streaming platforms and will be for sale on Bandcamp with all proceeds going to Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland. The students have arranged to perform a virtual concert featuring songs from the album on April 24th. This online event will be run through the Facebook page of The Civic from 8pm.
A Note From A Student:
‘Subsounds is a music course ran by experienced musicians for young people looking to take the leap into the industry. With the help of the “Mentors” each participant is required to write and perform at least one song at the end of year in Dublin’s very own grand social. Throughout the year a number of different workshops, masterclasses and events are held within and throughout Dublin’s music scene that subsounds participants have the chance to get involved in, for example in May 2019 Subsounds participants were invited to the IYMA’s ( Irish Youth Music Awards.) in croke park where they got to sit in on Q&A’s with bands such as The Academic, Riptide Movement, Wyvern Lingo and many more, there they also made connections with BIMM music college and IMRO Ireland. They also done workshops with Ex-SubSounder Katie Laffan a promising up and coming musician around Dublin and Ireland, the one and only Rory Doyle who plays drums for Hozier and many more. Suburban Sounds is a fantastic opportunity for teenagers to express themselves, take on new challenges and make new friends.
For me subsounds made me realise how much I actually love music and everything that comes with it, ive had so many amazing opportunities that would cease to exist if not for the help of sub sounds, I came in knowing minimal to nothing about music other than that I liked writing songs, over my three years in the course ive learned guitar some drums bass and have surprised myself time and time again with how my songs and lyrics are constantly improving ive made friends for life and memories that will stick with me. And I am forever grateful that subsounds found me when it did.
To be completely honest with yiz suburban sounds is whopperrrrr I don’t know how to explain it with good proper English but ill try subsounds is deadly and its just a nice buzz to be apart of you walk into a room and theres loads of other people banging away at instruments you have martin in the corner saying sweet nothings trying to keep his cool while the other mentors are spread out having the bants with everyone you all split up with the intentions of writing a deadly tune by the end of the night and its almost like a fun little challenge to get it done no matter what style of music or what your writing about youll have at least four other youngfellas or youngones saying that’s whopper and then they add their bits and everyone keeps adding until you’ve hit the peak of your song and then you tear it all down and do it again just to make sure its 100% a banger then you do the martin test and if martin likes it then it’s a hit and you can sign it up to imro there and then, no matter what mood your in when you go into subsounds you just forget about everything for a while and I dig that stuff where I can be angry sad bored and no matter what when I walk in on a Wednesday and see martin or Elton or Lyndsey or rob or Gerry standing there with a big goofy smile and a sarcastic comment just lifts my spirits and I instantly want to get straight into whatever were doing it’s a great place to be because its as if all the people who didn’t fit in made a club and everyone fits in there its so chill and flaky and comical most of the time I dunno how to convince people of how deadly subsounds is you’ll have to just do the course to find out yourself’.
Megan McGarry
