As has been highlighted before in many articles on this page, there is no shortage of young musicians in Ireland who are ready to make their mark on the music scene. Names such as Dan Elliott, Declan Carruthers, Amy Naessens, and RyanCahill, among others, have all been featured here before as artists that you should pay attention to in the coming years. Another name that should be added to this list is the Dublin singer/songwriter Aaron Rowe.

My first encounter with the music of Rowe came when I saw him performing with Dan Elliott in The Quay’s in Temple Bar back in February 2017.

The first thing that hits you when you hear Aaron Rowe perform is the voice. The strong and soulful feel immediately draws in the listener and creates a warmth in every vocal that he sings.

One of my favourite songs by the performer is the fantastic Energy, which is another song that demonstrates the soulful voice that the Dubliner has and here it is perfectly complimented with sharp guitar playing that is a feature across all the music of Rowe.

There is also a real sense of depth and emotion to some of the songs by the artist, with the most powerful of these being the excellent Missing Piece.

However, maybe the stand out track by the performer is the outstanding Brother. A powerful and rousing song about thinking nostalgically while also being hopeful and optimistic for the future. It is impossible not to feel instantly better listening to this song, and it is the kind of track that you could see dominating summer radio airwaves in the future.

If you ever find yourself attending The Zodiac Sessions in Bruxelles on a night that Rowe is performing, it is hard not to recognise the feeling that the Dublin man is about to take off. Make sure you’re there when he does.

MK