Having spent the past decade or so out of music, galvanised by the pandemic Keelan X has made his return. With one single released at the back end of 2021, Keelan X has returned with latest single, the 80’s-infused These Days.
The singer songwriter had begun to make his way in the world of music as one of the founding members of up-and-coming Irish band The Marigolds. With success, fame and record deals seemingly in their grasp, the band became disenfranchised with the industry as a whole. This led Keelan Cunningham down another path in life, although his love for music never died. The enforced lockdown due to the worldwide pandemic gave Keelan the desire to get back on the horse. What followed was one of the most productive creative periods of his life.
First came ‘No Fall of Rome’, an indie-inflected number that fits in with many of the singer songwriters who permeat the music industry today. However, latest single These Days is a huge departure from what Keelan has produced up until now. Paying homage to the 80s the track conjures memories of classic 80s films like The Breakfast club and Sixteen Candles, transporting the listener back to an era full of flamboyance and creative freedom. The track, whilst unashamedly kitsch, is an easy-on-the-ears pop song that juxtaposes the emotive lyrics with upbeat synth-heavy soundscapes.
These Days does not reinvent the wheel, more so redecorates the wheel, but it’s fun and to the point.
With two singles under his belt, Keelan X is not aiming to stop any time soon. A number of tracks have been written during the past 12 months and he is set to release a number of singles over the course of 2022. It will be interesting to see what direction he moves next.
These Days is out now.