Cork’s six-piece band Pebbledash released their new single ‘Slowly Slowly,’ the final track to be taken from their upcoming EP ‘Four Portraits of the Same Ugly House’ (due January 31st).

Known for their distinctive mix of shoegaze, noise rock, dream pop, and traditional Irish influences, the band continues to build on their momentum, offering an EP filled with complex musical ideas and emotional depth. ‘Slowly Slowly’ marks a significant shift toward the darker, more introspective side of the band’s sound. The track was recorded in complete darkness to evoke a sense of isolation, with guitars that ebb and flow like waves of catharsis and frustration.

Opening with a burst of fuzzy guitar and feedback, the track soon settles into layers of drums and modulated, reverb-heavy guitar. As melancholic vocals enter, the song develops, its textured melodies and intense lyrics delving into themes of longing and self-awareness. A subtle structure slowly emerges, enhanced by bass and a complementary second guitar part. The track’s tension builds until it reaches a frenetic, fuzzy climax, before dropping into a spacious, ambient second verse. It ends with a cathartic surge of distortion and glitching guitar pedals.

The band explains: “’Slowly Slowly’ is a song about the desire to belong, be seen, and in many ways the selfishness of needing recognition. The lamenting tone of the vocals and harmonies glide upon the guitars and this frustration builds to the brief release of feedback at the choruses before returning to the echo chamber in the 2nd verse. Recorded in complete darkness in an attempt to capture that feeling of isolation and translate it to the music ‘Slowly Slowly’ jumps between Catharsis and Longing, it is our statement of the “beautiful ugly” the things you want but know you shouldn’t and the heartbreak when things don’t happen like how you dream, and I guess this is us saying its fine to be selfish sometimes about these kinds of things”

The upcoming EP ‘Four Portraits of the Same Ugly House’ encapsulates the essence of Pebbledash’s evolving sound, reflecting a year of growth, change, and introspection. The title refers to the band’s time spent in Cork city, often referred to as the “Ugly House” in their narrative. The four songs on the EP represent key moments in their lives, marked by nostalgia and a desire for connection. Produced by Aidan O’Mahoney at Kitten Lane Studios and mastered by Pete Maher (known for his work with U2, Nick Cave, and The Pixies), the EP offers a rich ideas and beautifully interwoven melodies, alongside explosive, visceral bursts of noise.

Regarding the EP, the band shares: “The EP is an exploration of my time in Cork city or the “Ugly House” as it is referred to in the title. Written at a time where music had become my main focus in Life and all experiences both negative and positive were growing from this, Encased in this small city I found myself becoming familiar with its places and people and these four songs are the portraits of the most impactful moments and feelings. Although many of the songs were started in Cork they were finished when I had to move away for a significant period of time and this feeling of missing friends and spaces I had come to love informed the melancholy of the EP, the songs are quite dynamic and reflected the changing emotions I was feeling at the time. Somehow they appear as love songs but once heard they reveal a depth of my emotions captured over an entire year of change and growth condensed into songs that we have made lyrically and musically rich and now release with a cleanse to anyone who wants to listen.”

Headline photo: Emilyn Cardona

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