In their first six months, PostLast, the duo of HAVVK’s Julie Hough and BARQ’s Stephen McHale, have consistently drawn us in with their prismatic alt-pop craft.
Three months after premiering their third single, ‘Scavenge,’ we’re excited to present a first listen of the wonderfully wistful ‘Mizen,’ out tomorrow, 19th September. The song was inspired by one of Julie Hough’s earliest memories – a family holiday in Cork and Kerry. The accompanying music video features the same seascapes that mesmerised her as a child.
Reflecting on the track, Julie said: “I remember being in the back seat of the car, listening to Christy Moore, learning about St. Brendan and his albatross, and imagining places like Crookhaven and Barleycove had magical histories I could uncover. I was especially awestruck by Mizen Head’s coastline and fascinated by Fastnet Lighthouse.”
“It was the first time I felt a sense of vastness -both in time and in the depth and danger of the sea. At some point on the trip, I won a little ring from a gumball machine. It had a blue plastic gem, and I convinced myself it was a piece of light from Fastnet that I was taking home. Whenever I see a lighthouse, I’m brought back to that feeling of awe and curiosity.”
Stephen McHale adds: “Julie’s vocals and lyrics really evoke a mood of nostalgia and wonder. The sounds are quite pretty and wistful, aligning with themes of childhood and imagination. But the dissonant, chaotic elements creeping in around the bridge and final chorus reflect the awe and danger you feel, as a child or even as an adult, looking out at Fastnet Lighthouse, surrounded by the wild Atlantic Ocean.”
This energy is mirrored perfectly in the video, shot by Eileen Timmons and McHale, and edited by Bjorn MacGiolla, featuring the awe-inspiring seascapes of Cork and Kerry.
Speaking about the video, McHale – who filmed the nature shots – said: “Childhood memories and dreams have an innocence and vulnerability to them, and with this in mind we decided to go with close up shots of Julie singing directly to camera in order to heighten the personal nature of what’s being talked about in the lyrics. I think the quality of Julie’s performance of the vocal parts in general also demanded the focus afforded to them in this video.
“For all the shots of the sea and countryside I travelled to Mizen Head and the surrounding area in order to record footage of all the well-known landmarks; Mizen Head, Crookhaven Lighthouse, Three Castle Head, etc. However, during the editing process it became apparent that any shots of landscapes or famous landmarks didn’t really sit well with the tone of the song. Instead we focused on using the abstract shots I had captured of the sea, water, and nature in general, focussing on what was immediately in front of the camera rather than trying to represent a broader view.”
“This narrower viewpoint sits more comfortably with implying the perspective of a child, as children are often happy to be entirely immersed in a small detail of what’s immediately in front of them, with a small patch of sea inspiring just as much awe as thoughts of the enormity of the Atlantic Ocean.”
With the release of ‘Mizen,’ the duo also announce their debut EP, Pull Me Into the Open Sea, out 24th October via VETA Records. Keep an ear out for more details soon, and check out ‘Mizen’ below.
