#80. Gareth Dunlop on his new album 'Animal'

In episode #80 of The XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar catches up with Belfast born singer-songwriter and producer Gareth Dunlop. Inspired by icons such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Tom Waits, plus a soupçon of Pink Floyd, Dunlop picked up a guitar aged 14 and soon began performing covers and original songs in live venues around Northern Ireland, ROI and the rest of the UK. In 2011 he won a Young Songwriter of the Year award in Belfast that not only earned him an invite to collaborate with seasoned writers in Nashville, an experience he has repeated many times since, but it also enabled him to tour the US extensively. Animal consists of a diverse set of songs that include the soulful and anthemic Right about Ready and the first single Look Back Smiling - which evoke the '80s yet exude timeless quality. The highly atmospheric Sorrow and Prisoner of My Past both channel late-period Roxy Music and the laid-back '60s dream-pop vibe of Humans, plus a memorable title song, adds an electronic bounce to its subtle groove. In this interview, Gareth talks about his new album, Animal, songwriting, musical influences, etc.