Following the split of The Girl and the Dreamcatcher at the end of last year, fans of the duo have been eagerly awaiting new music from Ryan McCartan and now, finally, that moment has arrived! Releasing a new single on 12th January, Ryan was the first of the duo to take the plunge; the single is called ‘When You Went Away’ and has already put Ryan on the list to watch for 2017.
There are already two versions of the song, the released single and the acoustic version on Ryans’ Youtube channel; personal preference will pick your favourite, but either way its a song to get your teeth into. Ryan doesn’t stray too far from The Girl and the Dreamcatchers vibe, but he undeniably carves out his own voice with this track. The lyrics and the music are addictive, with definite jazz undertones, especially with his voice, which has come into its own. The base line is guaranteed to stick in your head (you will be humming it in the shower after one listen) and is particularly prevalent in the acoustic version. The whole track is an eclectic mix of smooth, easy listening and an upbeat dance song; it’s a chimera of a song, which isn’t easy to pull off but has clearly been successful in this case.
For anyone looking for new music from a rising artist this is the place to start. Perfect for fans of various genres, Ryans’ new music is charming, unique and classy (think Jason Mraz and his ‘Casanova Session’ but fresh and more upbeat) and sets the bar high for artists this year; and although more music from The Girl and the Dreamcatcher would be welcomed with opened headphones, this new music from Ryan has set him on a course of success. Be sure to keep him on your radar and ‘When You Went Away’ on repeat as we head into the new semester.
– Kathryn Cockrill
