On the Nineteenth of October, Ylroy, an Irish-Filipino singer-songwriter and student at the TU Conservatory, slowly establishing themselves in Dublin’s indie music scene, released their debut EP, Three Flowers For My Beloved, and I could not be more excited to listen to it – both recorded and live.
I met Ylroy in my first year of college at the Trinity Chapel Choir. While not a Trinity student themselves, they would join our performances, singing in a beautiful tenor that struck a chord within me. When I found out they write original music, I looked for it and was amazed by the quality. Three Flowers For My Beloved was probably the first time in my life I became invested in an EP’s pre-release hype. I got tickets for their EP launch performance at The Sound House. I was elated. I put all my faith in Ylroy, and my already high expectations were surpassed in a way I wouldn’t have believed possible.
The EP
The EP has four tracks, three songs and an instrumental intro track. It begins with a piano arrangement of the ‘Old Hundredth’ by Vaughan Williams. This melody, full title ‘The Old Hundredth Psalm’, accompanies the church hymn ‘All people that on earth do dwell’ – a usually glorious and pompous-sounding composition – was first composed for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, and is accompanied by a brass fanfare. Ylroy and pianist Ella Fallon recontextualise the melody, creating an intimate, warm, Christmas-esque opening to the EP. I am particularly taken by the breathing that can be heard in the background of the track, which helps recreate that particular feeling of live performance tangibility, whether intentional or not.
The Introduction seamlessly transitions into the first track, ‘Stephen’s Day’. The artist describes the song as evoking the feeling of ‘winter time in Ireland’, the weather of which influences them to ‘find temporary happiness’, such as, in the instance of the song, ‘going on a date with someone [they] barely know and actively ignoring the red flags that visibly present themselves just to have a little bit of a dance during one of the coldest nights of the year’. The soft guitars, windchimes and piano create a magical atmosphere, which reminds me of my careless days in primary school, a bittersweet feeling. The lyrics of the song are hopeful, a mix of emotions reflecting the winter cold and the familiar warmth of the seasonal holidays.
You said ‘I won’t know what to say’
It’s always been this way
I can’t help that I am like
this season
I don’t really mind as long
As you have faith and a prayer
To put my mind at ease
Tonight, on Stephen’s day
The third track of the EP, ‘Spring’, is inspired by Ashley Eriksson’s ‘Island Song’ from the Nickelodeon cartoon Adventure Time. The song mixes typical ‘childhood’ instruments (glockenspiel, tambourine) with reflective lyrics diving into ‘the complexity of queer relationships which encompasses identity, “coming out”, and romantic commitment’ – a theme central to all of Ylroy’s art. The lyrics of the song reveal a dissonance between a desire of commitment and the truth, and difficulty of queer relationships in one’s twenties. The artist says that ‘the journey to ‘coming out’ is vastly different among people’ and that ‘sometimes it is best for everyone to give space and depart with loved ones to allow them to flourish’, which is what the track is really about. Even though my relationships could not be described as ‘queer’, the feeling of being in a different place from the person you’re involved with is a well-known one (sadly!). Every song in Ylroy’s EP transcends its initial backstory and resonates with many, making it personable and relatable.
The EP wraps up with ‘(Don’t) Let It Show’, a triumph of self-actualization through self-acceptance as a queer individual. The song style reminds me of the Mouldy Peaches’ as well as Angus and Julia Stone’s music, the former a band the artist cites as influential to their work. Talking about the song, Ylroy says they ‘came out as non-binary a year ago, which [they] never would have thought to say out loud if it wasn’t for the people that have supported [them] and loved [them] for who [they are]’ and that they think ‘the journey in realising who you are is easier if you are surrounded with people who understand, and would love you regardless of how you present yourself’. To Ylroy, the song is a reminder that everyone deserves to be loved and appreciated in their true colours. ‘(Don’t) Let It Show’ is a glorious conclusion, a musical climax, equating the feeling of Vaughan’s ‘Old Hundredth’ arrangement in its original orchestral form with trumpet and, this way, bringing the EP’s tracks to a full circle.
Three Flowers For My Beloved starts as a chilled, quiet, acoustic reflection upon complex feelings and experiences, and flourishes into instrumental and vocal jubilation, just like flowers do; from winter to spring to summer, the EP blossoms in a seasonal-like way, a testament to the musician’s journey. Ylroy’s songs remind me of Beabadoobee’s, an artist whose music I deeply admire.
The Gig
The gig was opened by Aoife and Llama Cult. Performing folk-rock, folk-pop and pop-rock songs, the performers were a wonderful warm-up. Aoife was accompanied by two guitarists-slash-bassists-slash-backing-vocalists who introduced themselves as Sarah and Alex (I later found out that they are also from the band ‘Spit’). They delivered some amazing instrumentals to accompany the singer’s powerful voice, not to mention their wicked sense of style! Aoife, Alex and Sarah left me speechless with their musical and performance skill. Llama Cult, the second opener, a band by Donagh Kelly and Karl Tuohy, delivered some energising tracks that had me dancing and bopping my head like I was the only person on that floor.
Once the openers concluded, it was Ylroy’s time to come on stage. The artist was accompanied onstage by Jamie Gogan, Hazel Lattimore, Erinn Lennon and Dylan Quinn, TU Conservatory students who provided instrumentals for the EP recording. I was blown away by the calibre of their performance. Ylroy performed two sets: Kilkenny, which included both released and unreleased songs, and the EP. Their performance of the EP’s introduction and a later acapella performance were two stand-out moments during the gig. The lack of instrumentals only highlighted the phenomenal voices of the singers, and the picking of volunteers from the crowd really emphasised how connected Ylroy is to their listeners. Due to the absence of a piano, the singer invited some choir singers from the crowd to sight-read the ‘Old Hundredth’ melody. The moment felt intimate and entrancing, and unexpectedly made me reflect upon my own choir experience and my deep love for church hymns.
While the music is the focus, the social aspect of the live performance should be addressed. I came to the gig on my own, fully expecting to not know anyone in the crowd. It was a small gig in a cosy, intimate spot – the performers were young adults and students from various Dublin universities, so I felt as though I could just find someone to hang out with on the spot. I was so right. The ambience in The Sound House was amazing, everyone in the crowd was friendly and cool, and I left the gig having made some wonderful connections and possibly future friends. It doesn’t usually happen at live performances, but if you want to find someone to talk to on a lonely evening, I would highly recommend checking out emerging or ‘underground’ artists’ gigs. In my experience, that’s where some of the coolest people go to spend their evenings, and they’re usually up for a chat.
Verdict?
It was exhilarating! Ylroy’s EP launch was one of the best gigs I’ve been to. The quality of their music and the live performance was undeniable, particularly for a student musician just releasing their debut EP. I’d argue that my experience at the gig was better than most of my experiences at established artists’ concerts. I left The Sound House with a newfound appreciation for intimate concerts and a strong craving to attend another one soon!
WORDS: Agne Kniuraite
