Paddy Hanna is Ireland’s answer to Richard Hawley. Full of jangling guitars and a crooning vocal, Hanna’s latest track, ‘Austria’, channels the Sheffield musician so much it could be the track Hawley never wrote. Keeping in line with his Hawley influences, there are frequent nods to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, with some distinctly Elvis sounding vocals and cries of ‘baby’ throughout the track.

With some atmospheric harmonies and a ceaseless rhythm section, this song is a jaunty, dreamy tune, which almost seems to belong to a different era. It would be a fitting soundtrack to a romantic montage in an old black-and-white film, as Hanna sings effortlessly “I dreamed of you in the morning”, against a wall of sparkling guitars.

With pop music’s current trend of channelling your inner, old-school crooner – think Alex Turner or George Ezra – Hanna couldn’t have chosen a better time to break. The timelessness of ‘Austria’ marks Hanna out as one to watch and, with the single set for release next week, be sure to keep an eye on this Dublin musician.

‘Austria’ is out 11 May, and you can catch him at Servant Jazz Quarters in London on that evening too. 

 

Tara Hodgson
@tarahodgson