Colm O’Brien

Knowing Colm O’Brien as one half of Ora Fantoma, it was pretty evident he’s a man of many musical tastes.

My only time seeing the drum and bass duo live was at a Battle of the Bands competition in Cyprus Avenue.

Including heavy riff originals and hip-hop covers, Ora Fantoma staged a memorable performance that rightly went on to win the competition.

Nevertheless, I was surprised to see Colm perform two Celtic folk tunes in the Troubadour studios – and they were also really good?

Evidently, Colm is the type of musician who can seamlessly seep into multiple styles.

His song I Will Return By Tomorrow is so drastically different to what I was expecting to hear – melancholy, with an uplifting glimmer of hope for the future, all under the guidance of a jaunty Celtic chord pattern.

The only way to keep up with Colm’s ever-evolving sound is to head over to his Facebook page, where you’ll find a sound for all ears.

— Stephen Cool