Following a string of acclaimed singles, Irish poet and performer Sinead O’Brien has announced her debut EP, Drowning In Blessings – produced by Dan Carey (Speedy Wunderground, Fontaines D.C., Kate Tempest), and set to be released this summer on Chess Club Records. The news arrives alongside the release of her new single, 'Roman Ruins'.

Originally from Limerick , O’Brien was tipped as one of the Hot Press 'Hot For 2020' Irish acts – and has built up a formidable reputation on both sides of the Irish Sea for her unique blend of spoken word delivery and post-punk principles.

O'Brien explains that the opening lines of 'Roman Ruins' were written "while living in the mansion with fifty people in Hampstead; a sudden realisation occurred."

"It allowed me to see in the brutal light of day," she says. "The illusion was collapsed. Exploded. Statues, monuments, clay and ancient structures emerged... A hidden city. The city wants to stay hidden. This is the blind spot.”

“All four of my bedroom walls faced a different room or hallway," she continues. "It was set up like a boxing ring. I could hear multiple narratives, coming from all directions even in my sleep. There were ‘episodes’ reeling in my mind through the night and into morning. The relentless sounds, conversations. Images from the lyrics are also heard in the musical arrangement. ‘Standing still will kill you’; This shuffling drum, checking in and out like the rug pulling from underneath the feet. Unsettling the foundations. Revealing the ground under. The drum has this magnetic raw power over the other elements - almost tidal. I love this bossiness.”

After performing with the legendary likes of John Cooper Clarke and The Brian Jonestown Massacre at sold-out venues across the U.K., O'Brien joined whenyoung for a national tour in November. She was also among the standout acts at the Eurosonic showcase festival earlier this year.

Listen to 'Roman Ruins' below:

Photo: Nicholas O'Donnell

Revisit our 2019 interview with Sinead O'Brien here.