Cliffords - Salt Of The Lee

Across four twisting love letters to their home town, Cork-raised upstarts Cliffords cement a time and place with precision well beyond their years. This second EP is a triumphant follow-up to last year’s already masterful ‘Strawberry Scented’, a release that introduced their impeccable blend of storytelling and emotion. And here, too, it’s a combination that’s immediately evident, from the thunderous outset of ‘Bittersweet’ to the subtle build towards cacophonous highs on the gut-wrenching ‘Dungarvan Bay’, its exploration of the impact of death on the very fabric of place arguably more bittersweet than its predecessor.

Each love letter is tinged in deep-rooted melancholia, with ‘My Favourite Monster’ highlighting the fine line between love and hate. It’s this that flows so perfectly through ‘Salt Of The Lee’, ultimately presenting vocalist Iona Lynch’s acceptance of her fundamental ties to the city in her very bones, as ‘R&H Hall’ rings out. This exceptional storytelling is paired with absolutely massive melodies, visceral in their link to people and place, and steeped in modern tradition. To then highlight Cliffords as ones-to-watch does a disservice to the staggering power and unlimited potential on display here: this is far more than just hype.