Navan singer songwriter Oisin Leech has released his debut solo recording and new video

Navan songwriter Oisin Leech, of musical duo The Lost Brothers, has released his debut solo recording and new video. The single, 'October Sun', was produced and recorded by acclaimed Brooklyn artist Steve Gunn. The track features Portland-based musician M Ward and Tony Garnier. 'October Sun' was released on all streaming platforms on Tuesday last, 17th October.

The official video was filmed on location by Neil McGrory in Malin, County Donegal, and edited by Gavin Wood in Liverpool.

Leech has become known for his deft artistry and captivating musicianship throughout his varied and accomplished career. ‘October Sun’ showcases his stunning vocal and craftsmanship as a writer. Gunn’s production adds a subtle, spacious and at times otherworldly quality, presenting a palette of synth textures and guitar tones which accompany Leech's warm cadence as a vocalist.

Garnier's bass acts like a pulse beneath the song while Ward's electric guitar adds a spectral atmosphere to the track. Gunn joins Leech on vocals for the final chorus and the two voices work beautifully in unison to bring the song home.

'October Sun' was recorded in Malin, Co Donegal in an old schoolhouse which Gunn and Leech transformed into a recording studio over a period of days. The Donegal surroundings of the North Atlantic have found their way onto the alchemy of the track.

“This song is visual," explains Leech. "It's a journey...a travelogue. The refrain of the chorus is a lament pleading with nature.... asking what have you done…?"

Gunn adds: “When Oisin told me he wanted to record in Donegal, it felt serendipitous. I hadn’t told him I’ve always wanted to spend time in that part of Ireland. This was the perfect way for me to finally arrive at a place I’ve always wanted to see - by way of song. To be there with Oisin as he crafted his beautiful song in an old schoolhouse turned studio, was pure magic.”

'October Sun' is an invigorating glimpse into Oisin Leech's first steps as a solo artist. There's a yearning and soulfulness in this new song, one which questions nature's intentions and sheds light on the repercussions of a ruthless humanity. The single, anchored by Gunn's sensitive "less is more” production approach, is fresh yet still feels timeless.

The track was mixed by Jimmy Robertson (Anna Calvi, Arctic Monkeys) in North London and mastered by Josh Bonati (Sufjan Stevens, Pharoah Sanders) in Brooklyn.

M Ward has invited Leech to be a special guest on his October 2023 UK and European dates which include gigs in Paris, Bristol and London. Following that, Lisa O’Neill has asked him to open on her UK October tour with dates in Sunderland, Halifax, Cardiff and London, a number of which are sold out.

The video for ‘October Sun’ was filmed by Inishowen artist and engineer Neil McGrory and edited by Gavin Wood. Neil wanted to ‘capture the moment’ as Steve and Oisin transformed an old Irish school house on the side of a mountain facing the North Atlantic into a temporary working studio. The sun shone in the window as the music started. Neil filmed the musicians as the song was being recorded.

Wood pieced together the footage. “All the footage was shot by Neil in and around the area of where Oisin and Steve worked. I wanted to make it feel like a fly on the wall music documentary, soaked in vintage vibes and sun flares,” he explains.

“Beautiful memories of the session come flooding back when I see this video” adds Oisin. “We borrowed this old U87 microphone that was once used at Air Studios in London in 1970s. That microphone actually became the centrepiece of the session.”

Meanwhile, Oisin and Mark McCausland, the Lost Brothers, and friends return for their annual winter gig at the Solstice, Navan, on 2nd December, next.