Track of the Day: Big Sleep - 'Tutti Frutti'

Dublin-based duo Big Sleep have released their latest single 'Tutti Frutti', taken from their forthcoming new EP Feel Something Someday.

Rónán Connolly and Florence-born musician Matteo Poli took the time to hone their craft during the pandemic, focusing on what meant most to them and their unique sound. The pair first met at school when Poli came to Dublin on exchange to learn English. After countless hours spent playing open mics, charity gigs, battles of the bands and busking sessions, they gained a reputation for their energetic live shows, performing as a four-piece with a roster of some of Dublin’s most talented musicians.

Slowly becoming mainstays of Dublin's live scene, Big Sleep are onstage every week in venues across the city, with sold-out shows in Whelan’s and Bellobar to name a few. 2021 saw the release of previous singles 'Between The Trees', 'Tattoos', 'Tall Stories' plus 2020's 'Paint on Cars'.

Their infectious new track was inspired by both present and past garage and punk rock outfits such as The Drums, The Jam, Joy Division and Molchat Doma. It contrasts driving percussive rhythms, gritty guitar riffs and dirty bass lines with unguarded lyrics brought to life by lead singer Connolly's laidback, charismatic vocals.

‘Tutti Frutti’ is an intimate snapshot into the future of Big Sleep, who have major plans for 2022. Debut EP Feel Something Someday fuses indie-alternative genres along with pop, soul and R&B to create a sound that resembles the middle ground between the likes of Lime Cordiale and Tom Misch.

So far, Big Sleep have shared the stage with The Coronas, Robert John Ardiff, 49th and Main, and Malaki. The duo also travelled to the Italian capital to make their international live debut with six sold out shows over three nights at La Cairola, Rome.

Feel Something Someday is set for release in June 2022 with an Irish tour to be announced and European tour dates to follow for Italy and France.

"The EP is nearly a year in the making from a collection of songs that we wrote during pre-Covid times when we were gigging around Dublin," Big Sleep explain.

"There are also songs that we had the time to drive ourselves mad taking apart and putting back together again over the pandemic. We tracked them over two days with our band in the live room of Hellfire Studios in the Dublin mountains.

"We were lucky enough to work with one of our heroes in the Irish music scene, James Smith who mixed and produced the EP. When I was 18, I remember seeing his band for the first time in Vicar Street supporting Little Green Cars and I was hooked ever since so we knew our songs were in good hands when he decided to work together. We tracked vocals and guitar overdubs between myself and Matteo's shared house and in James' family home," Rónán Connolly adds.

The project also saw Jesse Russell of Cooks But We're Chefs hop on trumpet for some of the EP tracks ("we love him for that," the boys quip).

"This EP gave us the chance to develop our love for styles like garage rock, R&B and newer pop and take inspiration from influences like DOPE LEMON, The Drums and Whitney. Special thanks to Aidan Gray on bass and Jacopo Stofler on lead guitar for being a part of it - we love ya. Our debut EP 'Feel Something Someday' will be out in mid-June. In the meantime, give our first single 'Tutti Frutti' a spin."

Connolly and Poli will hit the Sound House, Dublin stage on May 21st. Grab your tickets here.

Listen to 'Tutti Frutti' below:

Images: Instagram/@narrysphotographyvids.