Murmurations is the debut album from Under Starling. The quartet began back in 2017 with the Ethereal EP, and have amassed a large following in that time. Thanks in part to their expansive sound, but also through a heavy incorporation of their roots and passions. Their personality and love for Ireland bleeds into their music. As they make their first foray into the world of albums, Murmurations is not an introduction, but a wonderful sum of those parts.
Latest single “The Hunger” sets aside the acoustic guitars and replaces them with roaring, distorted riffs. Easily becoming the heaviest song on the album, and with good reason. Inspired by the Irish Famine, the vocals are strained and filled with anger as they touch upon themes of survival and desperation. Illustrating the suffering inflicted by colonisers in that period. Illustrating how painful and sombre it was, and remains to this day. If I hadn’t already been blown away by “Rat King”, it would’ve come as a definite surprise to hear the band head down a heavier avenue.
While it’s a style I feel Under Starling should explore more, Murmurations delivers a wonderful revolving door of genres that flow nicely into one another. The folk-inspired “Hawthorn Tree” opens the record to a spellbinding performance that utilises Celtic folklore and mystical imagery. Its warm, acoustic chords are met with equally soft harmonies, and references to Celtic goddess Rhiannon and fairy forts turn it into an other-worldly sound. It’s beautiful.
“Changeling” sees the band channel the story of Bridget Clearly into their sound, allowing it to progress into an immediate, Pop-influenced tune that soon turns dark as themes of paranoia and suspicion creep into the mix. The guitars start to get heavier, adding some grit and texture to its atmospheric instrumental. It leads into “Dreamer”, which tells the story of a relationship that fell apart, highlighting how one person moved on while the another reminisces. These themes of sadness are paired with an unexpected crossing of paths, throwing nostalgia and hope into the layers to make it quite a bittersweet listen.
The title track is an effective piece that sees spoken word that explores themes of nature, collectivism and digital isolation, paired against an instrumental that feels equal parts industrial and natural. As the lyrics detail a starling murmuration played on a screen, it really highlights how dystopian things can get sometimes, and how disjointed we can become from what’s around us.
Under Starling have really delivered something great here. Murmurations is such a well-rounded record, one of the most complete of the year. It serves as an excellent showcase of what the band can deliver through different genres, but also informs us of important milestones in Ireland’s history, while also providing a spotlight for some superstitions and stories too. It’s brilliant, and a real education of a listen on top of being emotive, powerful and all encompassing.
“The Hunger” features on our Dead Good Rock Music playlist, which you can check out here.