Reflective, shimmering, and poetic, The Night is the Start of the Day is the new album from Eagle Mountain Poets, featuring Jah Seal and Beansidhe. Moving from spacey spoken word to poppy reggae to thumping Afrobeat-tinged rockers, there's a theme of time winding through this album: time and space, time and memory, and "something that connects us beyond time".
The opener Goodness (Aldubb Mix) features Galway artist Beansidhe and sets the tone of the album: remembering the goodness and kindness amidst the sorrow and the pain.
Softly spoken and lyrically militant, Beansidhe's One Thread draws on the old warnings that our destinies are interwoven. Here, we get a classic 45" disco mix with the original back to back with the dub version. 'Lately' bubbles into cheerful acceptance of life's pains and pleasures. "Living for Today' is a story of return, banishing sorrows and finding purpose.
From Jah Seal comes the bluesy 'Love of Every Living Being', about the discovery of the parallel worlds: "There is a time you say, running right straight through this same door". Title track The Night is the Start of the Day takes us face to face with our unhappy modern world: "Everyone wants out of this reality". It's a companion piece to Atlantic West Coast Vibration, which shares the summery feeling of Love of Every Living Being.
A soundtrack for road trips and sunset sessions... big shout to DJ Dribbler at Pikes Ibiza who has been running these tunes last summer! This is the fourth album from the Irieland production team of Jah Seal and Aldubb.
Eagle Mountain Poets:
Vocals: Jah Seal, Beansidhe, FRYA, Nigel McGinley
Bass: Kevin Tolan, Jah Seal
Guitar: Nigel McGinley, Jah Seal
Keyboard: Jah Seal, FRYA
Drums: Aldubb, Sean McGinley
Percussion: Aldubb
Recorded in Westport. Mixed and mastered at Planet Earth Studios, Berlin.
General release from 1 March 2024. Find details at irieland.co
IrieLand Music publishes music, books, magazines, art and exhibitions.
Reach us at irieland@protonmail.com