Oisín Leech

Beside Trawbreaga Bay, in Co. Donegal, in an old schoolhouse with a suitcase full of borrowed recording gear, Oisin Leech strums gently on an acoustic guitar and watches the tide pull the water away from this ancient inlet. The thickness of Oisin’s voice soothes the old world room as the sound waves bounce around to be captured in the land where his ancestors still live and still make music.

This is a scene from the makings of acclaimed songwriter Oisin Leech’s new album, the Steve Gunn-produced Cold Sea, which is coming on Outside Music/ Tremone Records (out March 8th). While Leech may be a familiar name in some circles due to his two decade long career as one half of revered Irish folk duo The Lost Brothers, and from his brilliant radio show Caravan Radio, Cold Sea is his first solo offering. Recorded in Malin, in an old sea-facing schoolhouse that Leech and Gunn transformed into a working studio, the album features contributions from M. Ward, Dónal Lunny, Róisín McGrory and Tony Garnier, a long-time member of Bob Dylan’s touring band.

In January 2024 Leech shared the second single from the record, a track called “Colour of the Rain.” The new track a follow up to last autumn’s debut solo single ‘October Sun’, which garnered widespread radio airplay from the likes of BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio Ulster, US Radio, RTE Radio 1 and Radio France.