What’s in a name? Quite a lot, if you are Kevin Littlewood of Dublin rockers Alias Empire. Or, as they used to be, Choice-nominated up-and-comers Dry County.

“People kind of associated the name Dry County with country or rock music, and were always getting it wrong and calling us Dry Country, which was infuriating,” he says. “Changing the name was a big set-back at the time. And it’s been a tough slog. Sure, it would’ve been easier to pack it in. However, giving up was never an option.”
Six years since their Choice nomination, the ensemble have put out their first long-player as Alias Empire, the sprawling Safety In Numbers.
“You can’t just bang it out because you worry people are about to lose interest,” he says of the group’s hiatus. “Look at Bowie, he’s a prime example. There was a quote from him, ‘I’ve got nothing to say, so why would I make an album,’ which I admire.”
The biggest compliment you could pay Alias Empire is that their sound isn’t easily classifiable. It drifts between ambient electronica and dance, always sounding unique. What does Kevin think of the Irish electro scene?
“The thing I really fucking hate is when people say ‘It’s good for an Irish record’. You don’t have to put the word ‘Irish’ in there. We’re not behind anybody else here. We’re just as good as anywhere.”

Safety In Numbers is out now.