Eugene McGuinness had accepted his career in music was over. The end of his deal with Domino records, followed by a difficult self-released album, fatherhood, and just life generally, saw his personal dreams and ambitions slowly slip out onto the horizon.
A period of great change, McGuinness had embraced his new work and family life – happy to leave the ugliness of the music biz behind him – but the absence of making music, and the joy the process brings, left a hole.
Ten years on from Domino, an evolved McGuinness is back – with the sun kissed ‘Seascape’.
Seascape was conceived in the North of Ireland and explores the ‘yearning to feel something – awareness, presence… when most of the time you’re too busy to feel anything at all. It’s about the pursuit of that… or how those magical moments can just happen’ says McGuinness.
Recorded at Liverpool’s Docklands Speed Shop with friend and producer Gajo Paco, the recording is imbued with spontaneity. Eugene, Gajo and a host of acquaintances were ‘feeling it out’ along the way, trusting the process, and encouraging a series of ‘happy accidents’ to contribute to Seascape’s warm and organic sound.
Vocal harmonies meet lush bass, vintage guitars, keys, strings and swirling Wurlitzer, with a drum machine adding to the track’s intimacy – united by McGuinness’ compelling gift for melody, and topped with his trademark lyrical flair.
Experimental and collaborative, Seascape is the ‘soup of a communal moment’, picking up where the artist’s debut release, ‘The Early Learnings…’, left off. A return to playfulness, rawness, and mysterious off-kilter pop from a more mature Eugene McGuinness.
Released 24 July 2025, on Docklands Speed Shop & Mellowtone Records. Pre-save here: ditto.fm/seascape-eugene-mcguinness.
“Absolutely beautiful”
John Kennedy, Radio X
“A nimble lyricist and a cheerfully wordy raconteur”
The Guardian
“From Liverpool you get the hooks and melodies, London you get the sharp razor sharp outlook and from Ireland comes the wistful smoky romanticism”
Drowned In Sound
