THIS IS AMBERLIGHT.
Amberlight is vocalist and songwriter Lauren Doherty, along with guitarist, producer and songwriter Paul Casey. In-studio the duo crafts beautifully ethereal sounds, on stage they bring their songs to life in spectacular fashion.
The pair revel in their differing musical backgrounds. A classically trained singer, Doherty delivers hauntingly evocative lyrics with her effortless pitch-perfect vocals, while Casey’s lyrics are grounded in cinematic production.
Evocative vocals.
Doherty’s musicianship and vocal dexterity across genres has seen her perfrom across the world, from Belfast’s Grand Opera House to London’s Royal Albert Hall to New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Cinematic soundscapes.
Each Amberlight single comes with its own ‘mini movie’. An ardent film fan, Casey revels in the creative process, infusing his passion for music and cinema. Amberlight is set to continue to tell new stories through their cinematic lens, on record and on stage.
Take On Me (A-Ha cover)
Amberlight's fun-filled version of A-Ha’s classic hit ‘Take On Me’ is an uplifting take on an 80’s classic that saw Paul's childhood soundscape kick into overdrive. He tore up the production rule book in his approach to the iconic song, “I knew I had to do this differently. The groove had to be real – I heard a kinetic Stuart Copeland drum part in my head, a fiddle for the iconic riff, a plec-driven bass guitar and Lauren’s vocal hitting all those falsetto notes!”
Liam Bradley's stickwork forms the backbone of the recording, Belfast’s John McCullough adds his deft piano, while Donegal fiddle player Damien McGeehan brings a hint of The Waterboys’ Steve Wickham. Casey’s guitars and production round things off, before we're treated to the final ingredient of this 80’s cocktail – that seminal vocal line. Lauren's delivery is quite simply flawless…
Strong Enough
Nothing Lasts Forever
Nothing Lasts Forever
Chris Rea has written some of the most celebrated songs in modern music. He recently penned another classic, and this time, with Paul in mind. “This came about when Chris sent me the demo”, says Paul. “He said he wrote it with me in mind and that I should record it. It’s a song about hope, and I loved it instantly.”
The lyrics are beautifully direct, metaphorically beautiful and perhaps, unmistakably Derry. It’s a song about two guys from different sides meeting on a bridge. They share a cigarette. They “try to remember what they tried to forget”. And on the snow-swept bridge, “both sides disappear”...
The music video was filmed by Casey against the backdrop of the walled city’s Peace Bridge, the same bridge referenced by Rea in the song.
Only Love (A Fisherman's Lament)
Only Love is a modern Irish lament about the lure of love and an ever-enduring draw to the sea, complete with a haunting, lush production, and a panoramic video filmed and directed by Paul, on location in Donegal and Belfast.
While Lauren is to the fore as always, this is the first time Paul has added his own vocals to an Amberlight track. The resulting recording, produced by Paul at his Cable Junction Studio – seems a perfect balance of these two significant voices in Irish music.
The duo’s song follows the tale of a fisherman who falls in love with a woman on the shore. She mourns when he is lost at sea – and she forever awaits his return… “Only love keeps us from falling, only love tears us apart…”
Peace At Last
Burn So Bright
The Song My Heart Sings
The Song My Heart Sings is a haunting song about love and loss, light and hope, drenched in Celtic tones and wrapped in a thoroughly modern production.
The track serves up an intriguing cinematic-like experience, drawing influence from an otherworldly John Williams-like score. Deftly produced with a nod to Hans Zimmer, the track is sprinkled with a piping-hot flurry of Nigel Kennedy-esque violin riffs and served with a healthy dollop of seemingly ancient Celtic wizardry.
