Such is the familiarity of his music It is hard to believe that ‘Animal’ is only Gareth Dunlop’s second full-length album. None the less, the Northern Ireland singer-songwriter is back with a new sound that delights and surprises in equal measure.
Opening with ‘Animal’ the listener is treated with a 1980’s synth sound that is sure to bring Dunlop a legion of new fans. The electronic theme continues with ‘Look Back Smiling’. A song that was partially written for Dunlop’s son and the impact that COVID 19 had on his primary socialisation.
A hint of gospel runs through ‘Old Friends’ as the layered music build upon multiple harmonies pushing Dunlop’s gavel edged vocal to new levels. The dreamy ‘Humans’ is possibly one of the best songs that Dunlop has penned to date and will no doubt become a fan favourite at shows. While ‘Headlights’ and ‘My Kind of Paradise’ takes the listener back into a more familiar guitar based sound.
Stepping outside of his usual guitar based sound on ‘Animal’ has been a brave decision for Dunlop to take. The switch to a synth based electronic sound has allowed him to push himself as a creative artist both in front of the microphone and in the studio. As previously mentioned there are hints of the sounds of the 1980’s that were made famous by the experimentation and melodies of Ultravox and Kate Bush, yet Dunlop retains his individuality and puts his own stamp on the original music he has created.