The late Brian Mulcahy is the inspiration for his son’s new album

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‘HOW To Disappear’ is the new album from Limerick composer Paddy Mulcahy. The record is a tour de force in ethereal and emotional electronic soundscapes.
The writing and recording of How To Disappear happened in the shadow of bad news that Paddy received on the eve of travelling to Canada, when his father revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Paddy Mulcahy chatted to Limerick Post about the inspiration and creation of ‘How To Disappear’.
From his early experimental Drum n Bass tracks to his emotive compositions on piano and lush recordings on synthesizer, Paddy Mulcahy’s music has featured in Cannes Film Festival, Newport Beach Festival and London Fashion Week. His releases on Spotify reach across the globe, close to 100 countries and growing daily.
Paddy’s father is Brian Mulcahy of Limerick legends The O’Malley’s. Sadly, cancer took Brian’s life last September and much of the music on this album was composed as Paddy’s father battled with the disease.
Much of ‘How To Disappear’ was conceived while Paddy was living in Montreal in 2017. Brian Mulcahy only told Paddy that he had been diagnosed with cancer the day before he left for Canada.
“He had known for months beforehand. He didn’t want to upset my plan.
“I wasn’t able to live with my decision of being over there after just hearing about his news.
“I was disappearing away from the family. That whole situation really was the beginning of the whole album for me, really.”
Paddy returned to Limerick to produce the album. Before his passing Brian got to see his son complete this album and re-unite with The O’Malley’s for a full-house show at Lime Tree Theatre to launch their album ‘Can You Hear Me’.
“The show was a massive moment, not just for him, but the whole band. I defiantly got a sense on the night while I was sitting in the audience it was very much centred around Brian.”
Music was always a big part of Paddy’s life and his parents were supportive of his musical ambitions from the beginning.
“Growing up with two parents who worked as music teachers was fairly influential in itself.
“I saw as I grew up that my father was well recognised as a musician and that always had a lasting impact on me.”
Brian and Paddy only ever recorded together once. It was a track called ‘February 13th’ that they created for the Pigtown Fling album produced by Noel Hogan for Limerick’s Capital of Culture year in 2014.
That track was played at Brian’s funeral.
“The track we recorded together was played before we closed the lid of the coffin – that was a very special moment.”
The music on his new album in some ways rolls back the years to his early forays in electronic music. Beside the atmospheric title track and emotional solo piano pieces, you will hear pulsing electronica and even a jungle track.
A kind of coming full circle, but not back to where it all began?
“The writing process and the workflow is totally different. I’m playing all analogue instruments and synthesizers, pianos, all real instruments as opposed to ‘all in the box’ plug ins and midi controllers that would have been the body of ‘Enter Morning’, for example.”
Paddy will be working on a new project in 2020 which should raise his profile in Europe and a hometown performance is promised.
‘How To Disappear’ by Paddy Mulcahy is out on Phases record label. The album is available on double vinyl LP from Steamboat Records, Limerick and all good record shops. ‘How To Disappear’ is also available on LP and download from Amazon.co.uk and all on all streaming platforms.

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