For Those I Love announces self-titled debut album and shares new single 'Birthday / The Pain'

Following the release of two acclaimed singles, 'I Have A Love' and 'Top Scheme', as well as a performance on Later.. with Jools Holland, Dublin producer and songwriter For Those I Love, aka David Balfe, has revealed that his  much-anticipated debut album is set to be released on March 26, via September Recordings.

At its core, the upcoming self-titled album pays tribute to his best friend and former bandmate, Paul Curran, who passed away in 2018. Following Paul’s tragic death, Balfe locked himself away in his home studio for months, recording over 76 songs that would eventually be condensed down to form the basis of his debut album – a 9-track project addressing grief and catharsis.

Alongside news of the album, For Those I Love has also shared his third single today, 'Birthday / The Pain'.

"I was six when I first encountered the fallout of a violent death," Balfe says of the new track. "It's such a haunting burden at that age, and still is. 'Birthday / The Pain' recalls that moment, the desperation of trying to make sense of it as a child, and what it'd mean for me growing up against that backdrop."

'Birthday / The Pain' arrives with an accompanying video from director Sam Davis. Inspired by how the track was put together, through the use of old recordings, WhatsApp messages and samples, Davis decided to approach the video in a similar way – combining multiples of of images in order to create one piece.

"This video is a journey through a landscape of memories – a train of thought," Davis says. "Created using a process called photogrammetry, thousands of photos were stitched together using AI to produce giant 3D models. These scenes, inspired by long chats with Dave and from the lyrics themselves, touch on the past, loss, freedom and addiction. Something we all face at some point."

For Those I Love is out on March 26. Take a look at the video for 'Birthday / The Pain' below: