Earlier this month, Drogheda-based indie musician Donal Quinn released his latest single, “Precious”. You can stream it on Spotify or buy it on iTunes. The song recently got airplay on BBC Radio Ulster and RTÉ 2FM and he has played shows at popular music venues like Whistlebinkies in Edinburgh and The Grand Social in Dublin. He describes his style of music as “indie dance”.

He combines the conventional method of writing and composing the song with a guitar with using modern technology, like a Mac computer.

Some people might think the two genres are quite different and don’t necessarily go together, but is that the case? Let’s take a look at Donal Quinn’s latest song.

Review

This song is very danceable, upbeat, and poppy, reminding me a bit of noughties Arctic Monkeys, but in this decade. I can see it having appeal on both sides of the Atlantic with its very British influenced vocals and instrumentals with Florida/California vibes. I can visualise this song playing at a pool, a beach, a bar, or prom. “Precious” marries the vocal style of indie music and the funky elements of dance music, a very interesting and pleasant combination of sounds. Add this to your party playlist or an upbeat, good vibes playlist.

Q&A

Angie Moon: What inspired “Precious”?

Donal Quinn: Precious was inspired by classic 80’s pop music and 90’s house music. I wanted to make a club track that had a bit of a tropical flavour.

AM: What was recording it like?

DQ: I recorded the track in Gunfactory Studios, Hackney, London with producer Tom McFall. It was a fun track to record. We had the shorts, sunglasses and Mojitos out in the studio by the end of it.

AM: What is the difference between the music scenes in London versus in Dublin?

DQ: I haven’t experienced the London music scene yet, so I cannot compare them both. I have heard that London is the place to be if you are making music in the UK. I know that the Grime scene is thriving. In Dublin, there are multiple live music showcases and event nights every night of the week. There are plenty of opportunities for artists to perform original material.

AM: Do you think it’s hard to break into music here in Ireland?

DQ: I think that if you have a great song, that is recorded very well then you should do well in the Irish music scene.

AM: What is your proudest moment so far in your music career?

DQ: Having three of my tracks selected and played on BBC Introducing have been my proudest moments so far.

AM: Who are your favourite indie musicians?

DQ: My favourite indie musicians are Arctic Monkeys.

AM: Who are your favourite dance musicians?

DQ: My favourite dance musicians are The Prodigy.

AM: What music did you grow up with?

DQ: I grew up listening to The Strokes.

AM: What have you been listening to recently?

DQ: I have been listening The Courteeners a lot lately.

AM: What is your favourite decade in music and why is it your favourite?

DQ: My favourite decade in music is the 00’s. There were a lot of amazing bands at the time for me to grow up with.

AM: Who inspired you to go into music?

DQ: I was inspired to go into music by all the bands and artists I was listening to… I wanted to be like them.

AM: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

DQ: I would advise aspiring musicians to try to find your own voice and style.

AM: What keeps you motivated?

DQ: Music, songwriting, performing, recording, releasing, producing, arranging, etc are all very fulfilling. It is something I never get tired of doing, so there is little motivation needed!

You can follow Donal Quinn on Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud.