Let’s Set Sail – ‘Five of Trumps/Leon’

Dublin based group Let’s Set Sail have just released their new double A-side single ‘Five of Trumps/Leon’. Electronic-indie acts are in abundance at the moment, but the four-piece have managed to carve out a niche for themselves with their colloquial alternative pop music.

The first single is the lengthy ‘Five of Trumps’ which manages to slowly build an atmospheric soundscape without ever threatening to outstay its welcome. Ambient synths weave around the emotive vocals to lead the way into the track, before it sparks into life with the introduction of a rhythmic bassline and some low-key drums. As the song gathers pace and builds toward its conclusion, the impassioned vocal delivery stands out as a particular highlight.

The second offering, ‘Leon’, is a more conventional pop song, with a much shorter running time and a wonderfully Irish vocal taking centre stage once again. Too many Irish artists sing with an almost Americanised vocal delivery and it’s great to see Let’s Set Sail characterising their music with their Dublin roots. The band’s compositional ability and tendency toward abstract lyricism are evident throughout ‘Leon’.

Let’s Set Sail are more than capable of crafting memorable electronic pop songs, but it’s their ability to evoke images of Dublin and the distinctly Irish flavour that permeates these singles, which allows them to stand out from their peers.

The single is available to purchase here.

By Shane Croghan