The Breath

Exquisitely crafted, personal, heartfelt songs delivered by Ríoghnach’s stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, coupled with Stuart’s understated brilliance, have seen The Breath record 3 albums for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. An amazingly full, yet intimate, sound live – simply one of the best bands we’ve seen.

The Breath is Manchester-based guitarist Stuart McCallum and singer/flautist Ríoghnach Connolly. They met on the city’s gig circuit in the late noughties. An unlikely pairing though it was, he an acclaimed guitar whiz, ex long-time member of The Cinematic Orchestra and a softly spoken Manchester urbanite, she a folk singer with a larger-than-life personality and a powerful voice to match. Their connection was immediate; they formed The Breath in 2016, a singer-songwriter duo to present their contemporary take on alt-folk, with a range of other influences, including some jazz undertones.

For them, it’s all about the song. Connolly is a storyteller and their exquisitely crafted, honest, personal, heartfelt songs are as likely to touch on childhood summers and first love as cultural dislocation, post- colonial injustices and grief. But it’s Ríoghnach’s impassioned delivery and extraordinary stop-you-in- your-tracks voice, coupled with Stuart’s understated brilliance that is so engaging.

The Breath have released three albums on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. Their breakthrough album, ‘Carry Your Kin’ (2016) delved deeply into the spaces between rock, ambient and Irish folk, where layered vocals, mesmerising guitar riffs and expansive folk arrangements created a big sound. ‘Let the Cards Fall’ followed in 2018, and, like the first, was recorded with a full band granting a multi-textured kaleidoscope of sound with a cinematic sensibility. References to Celtic history and cultural loss are woven into a bewitching collection of songs that span beguiling ballads and punch-the-air anthems. In support of the release, Stuart and Ríoghnach performed a series of shows – just the two of them. Stripped bare, they found a new depth and beauty in their songs allowing their extraordinary connection to shine through.

We’re so thrilled to bring The Breath to the intimate confines of the Studio. In their prestigious international showcase at the WOMEX international music Expo a few years ago, they completely blew the audience away – probably the best reaction we’ve seen to a set there – and we’ve been hoping to bring them to the Studio ever since. We’re delighted to finally be doing so!

Read more: The Breath – Official Website