And so I Watch You From Afar Deliver Soundtrack of the Contrasts of Ireland

And So I Watch You From Afar have finished their new album "Megafauna". It will be released on August 9th, and its sound is mind-blowing! Because that's the case, and I know you can hardly await it, I'm sharing my preview of it with you today!

You can already check out three pre-released songs, and of course, I'm adding them to this article. And So I Watch You From Afar called them:

1. "North "Coast Megafauna" (Track 1)
2. "Do Mór" (Track 2)
3. "Years Ago" (Track 6)

"Megafauna" is a tribute to the two places the band members call their homes: Portrush on the beautiful north coast of Ireland and the cultural centre, metropolis and boiling pot of Belfast. The album sounds beautifully familiar and is full of warmth, love, and humour. As a result, ASIWYFA's latest work actually sounds very much like what coming home should feel like. You can definitely hear that the collective is firmly rooted in its base.

But now, to the three pre-released songs. At this point, I'd love to share what ASIWYFA said about them—as many personal references as there lay in the songs, I think it's the best way of sharing them with the world.

"North Coast Megafauna"

And So I Watch You From Afar's Rory Friers found the following words for the song "North Coast Megafauna":

"North Coast Mega Fauna is one of our favourite tracks on the record. A love letter to the North Coast, our friends there, the energy, the cold days skateboarding, the long summers in the sea, our beloved music venue, the closeness of it all. It has the heart of the land there with the weight of the North Atlantic."

"Do Mór"

The piece "Do Mór" starts calm and rhythmic in a classic post-rock manner but very soon discharges into a rollercoaster of emotions. Not only melodically, the track is a special treat. There are math-rock hints and percussion moments to melt away, and the guitar work is simply top-level! Great, fantastic, to fall in love with and to keep forever!

"Years Ago"

Here is what And So I Watch You From Afar member Rory Friers, said about the sixth track, "Years Ago":

"Where 'Years Ago' retains some of the urgency that is across Megafauna, for me, it also presents another colour of the record - A kind of sensitivity. Underpinned by a nod to the old hip hop loops that we all grew up on."

And So I Watch You From Afar -–"Megafauna" – This is how the album continues

I can only reveal so much about the rest of the record: I can't stop listening to the nine songs in total on a continuous loop. They inspire me, take me on a journey, and stimulate my imagination and wanderlust. I am so glad that this band exists, and I am beyond grateful they made these nine new songs. There's no way I'd ever want to do without them again. The album is nothing less than the musicalisation of Ireland's contrasts.

"Megafauna" is so multi-layered, delicate, interwoven, and magical that categorising the record is almost impossible. My tip: don't even try. And So I Watch You From Afar tell their own personal, unique story, which will always play out differently for each person who listens to them and spends time with this spectacular music.

And So I Watch You From Afar have certainly released "Megafauna" with the intention of making the hearts of the music world race again with their first release after the highly acclaimed album "Jettison" from 2022. If this assumption is correct, they have clearly succeeded. That much is for sure.

"Megafauna" – what And So I Watch You From Afar say about the album

Here is what Rory Friers said about "Megafauna":

"'Megafauna' is essentially a distilled moniker for our peers; all of the friends and characters that we've grown up with who've made us and our homes what they are today. Lockdown was an intensely introspective and reflective process, which put the comfort of community at the forefront of our minds throughout the writing process."

And So I Watch You From Afar – This is what the band's plans look like

In addition to the ArcTanGent Festival in Bristol, ASIWYFA will be travelling to a few more festivals this year. A few club gigs have already been announced for the UK this winter. I'd say: Stay tuned to see what happens with the tour dates!

The official release day for "Megafauna" is August 9th. Check out my interview with ASIWYFA bass player Ewen here!

You can pre-order "Megafauna" on Bandcamp.

And So I Watch You From Afar – "Do Mór"