Track of the Day: Niall McDowell - 'Brokeback'

A year after releasing singles 'Tennessee' and 'Do You Think I'm Pretty?', Niall McDowell has released a new single in preparation for their upcoming EP. 'Brokeback' will be the lead track on the captivating new project, titled It Was an Honour to Be Nominated.

The Belfast singer-songwriter says, "Brokeback is written from the perspective I had as a child in a cathedral choir, and more specifically an experience where I had a panic attack during a television broadcast of a Mass. I felt like this song poured out of me one night, and using this experience as a metaphor for my own current emotions surrounding grief and knowing what i know now versus what i knew then, was very validating to me. It's my favourite song I've written."

Much like a church itself, there's a quietness to the track which amplifies McDowell's important, confessional form of wordplay brilliantly.

Produced by Chris Ryan (NewDad, Just Mustard) and recorded at home, this track marks a new era for the singer. McDowell's new track is especially raw with a focus on lo-fi lyricism. The crooning serenade speaks of longing, heartache, and the nervousness of love.

The pair focused heavily on getting an intimate and raw feel to the song, with the soft sounds of strings plucking on a telecaster and the swoons of shifting reverb synths, topped off with McDowell's distinctive crooning.

Listen to 'Brokeback' below.