Spirals is the second EP in as many months from the hard-working Gregan. Described as electronic folk but better labelled as a singer-songwriter EP, the record showcases Gregan’s simple knack for a melody along with his gruff, earthy vocals. The EP opens well with ‘Not Today’, a catchy folk tune led by Gregan’s acoustic guitar.
The entire EP has a hollow, distant sound, which probably adds to the appeal more than distracts from it. The home-made echo of the tracks makes them warmer and more stripped-back, particularly on the early-Paddy Casey sound of ‘Read Between the Lines’.
The wrongly-titled ‘Baton Down Your Soul’ introduces a lovely reverb effect to Gregan’s vocal, and is the EP’s highpoint. ‘Things I Believe In’ is also a standout, particularly Gregan’s phrasing in the song. Even if there’s little else about him to be found online, one thing is sure, Gregan is a fine singer-songwriter. However, the EP does suffer from a lack of variety, and many of the six tracks are interchangeable. All he needs is someone to point him in the right direction, and then Gregan could be great rather than just good.
[xrr rating=3/5]
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While the sound is raw I really hear potential. Good find!