Kodaline - The Kodaline EP

Childhood friends Kodaline have come far since they appeared as ‘21 Demands’ on You’re a Star - Ireland’s own X Factor - where they made history as the first unsigned band to hit number one in the Irish singles chart.

But now, on their debut EP, they’ve only gone and done an Aiden Grimshaw and broken clean away from their televised past. This Dublin four-piece – featuring three members of the former band – have ditched their Busted-ish image and pop-grunge sound for a sleeker, more anthemic one, finding fans in Zane Lowe, Fearne Cotton and even Julian Lennon.

‘All I Want’ has enough chanting and echoing to please Coldplay’s generation ‘X and Y’ whilst ‘Lose Your Mind’ cool-y grooves between ‘Cast of Thousands’ era Elbow and Kula Shaker’s trippy-ness. Better yet is ‘Pray’, its galloping build-up and love stricken vocals (“And you slipped away from without talking”) making it a potential single.

The EP ends with the triumphant ‘Perfect World,’ a belter of thumping percussion and enveloping harmonies beneath vocalist Steve Garrigan’s best Chris Martin impression. Make your own judgment there, but don’t be surprised if they share the same stage in the future.