Peter Vogelaar enlists fellow Irishman Deaf Joe as he continues to hone his unique and memorable production style on this new folktronica release
‘Felicity Breathes’ is a breath of fresh Irish air. From the cultured, deliberately poised electronics of Peter Vogelaar to the understated vocal melodies of compatriot Deaf Joe, the track allows the artists to come together to showcase the poise and nuance that both hold in their respective crafts.
The track is slow burning, with Peter’s distinctive and wonderfully perplexing electronics carving out a delicate and almost other-worldly atmosphere from its offset. From here the track mutates and contorts into a real journey, but never becomes jarring enough to curb its contemporary indie pop appeal.
It is Deaf Joe’s vocals however, that really elevate this to another level. While these electronics set a unique and captivating scene, the vocals skirt around it in a way that feels natural and effortless, providing a real sense melody and soul.
“I had the beat track on my headphones for a few months, and knew it was special, I loved it and waited and waited til the right melody clicked in my head. I just got the urge one day and was like “right, you’re not leaving the studio today ‘til it’s done”. Deaf Joe relates of the track. “Lyrically I was thinking about that moment in a relationship when someone starts to ask questions about what’s going on. You’ve been coasting along and everything is amazing and then suddenly all you’re doing is talking about your relationship, ‘the’ relationship. It sucks all the magic out of things, turns everything upside down. The way I see it you’ve got to live in the present and be grateful for each day together. You’ve got to chill out, breathe, relax, or else you’re fucked…”
The track is a magnificent advertisement for each of these artists, and is sure to see the stock rise for the both of them. The way that these artists compliment each others talents is seamless, and ‘Felicity Breathes’ serves not only as a lament over the analytical demise of a relationship, but as a glistening showcase of their respective strengths, and of Irish music as a whole.
