“Egyptian Summer” by Good Strangers

Artist: Good Strangers

Song: Egyptian Summer

Genres: #indie #indiefolk

Influences: boygenius, Wolf Alice, The Cure

Location: Mullingar, Ireland

Release date: August, 2023

Comment: Some songs are truly special. From the moment you hear them for the first time, you know that they will become a fixture of your daily soundtrack for months to come. That was the case when I listened to “Egyptian Summer” by Good Strangers. The mind-blowing thing is that this is the band’s first ever single, released ahead of their forthcoming debut EP, ‘Adult Teenage Novels’, coming out this fall.

Good Strangers came into existence as a collaboration of Irish musician friends, united by their shared passion for music and a history of playing together in various bands and projects. The band’s two lead singers, Niamh Kirby and Conor Quinn, who are best friends since they were 3, formed the group in 2022 after returning from Berlin, where they were inspired by the vibrant indie folk scene in the German capital. They chose the act’s name as a celebration of community and the many good strangers the band has met throughout their time touring, travelling and attending festivals.

In “Egyptian Summer,” the Irish band paints a raw and poetic portrayal of the moment when a beautiful relationship begins to unravel. Connor wrote it after going through a tough breakup, reminiscing about a summer in Egypt and searching for signs that everything would go downhill afterwards. Musically, the track has a similar vibe to Of Monsters And Men‘s debut album, without sounding exactly the same. What it really sets it apart for me are two things: first, how well Connor and Niamh’s voices fit together, and second, the emotion that they are able to transmit with their heartfelt vocals.

In conclusion, “Egyptian Summer” by Good Strangers is a sublime testament to the power of storytelling through music. It delves into the complexities of love, loss, and self-discovery, wrapped in an indie soundscape that feels both familiar and fresh. I honestly can’t wait for the debut EP!

“Remember that Egyptian Summer
The fork lightning over the bay
When we forgot everything
We forgot our troubles
When love was kind
And the silence was noise
But Underneath a marble sky
I never seen you look so happy
In your life.

And you were always cracking jokes
And laughing at my funny ways
And as the thunder rolled
Well so did my sorrow
We told lies
We told them all the time
But underneath a marble sky
Nothing mattered.

I need a thunderstorm
To distract from the pain
Cause tomorrow might be the same damn sorrow
I need something to happen
The heavens to burst
The sky to tear open
The passion to run and flow like a river
Out of my eyes
Once it’s out of my heart
It’s such a cold and desolate
Happy ever when
It’s such a cold and desolate
Happiness never came.

We sat at the bar and we talked
about the things we used to like
And romanticised the pain
Always remember it’s a crying shame
Like reaching for the heavens
but the heavens never came
And I’ve played the victim long before you arrived
These are not my people
It’s not my scene
not my style
So I’m going back
I’m going back to the city
Please forgive me”

Good Strangers, Egyptian Summer

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