Danish songwriter Agnes Obel comes to Galway

Date Published: {J}

Danish-born songwriter Agnes Obel plays Róisín Dubh on Friday, December 9, when she will perform tracks from her critically acclaimed debut album, Philharmonic.

The album is entirely self-produced and performed and classically inspired training is evident from the opening track, Falling Catching.

With its sparse arrangements, Philharmonic saw Obel create different moods and atmospheres in a way that led one UK critic to describe her as a “master of her craft with a bright future ahead of her”. And so far, the omens are good as Philharmonic went platinum in her native country.

Obel grew up in a musical household and began learning piano at a young age. Her mother and father played classical music and also listened to music from folk performers like Jan Johansson and the great Roy Orbison.

After discovering the likes of Portishead and Elliott Smith as a teenager, Obel began writing her own piano-based songs, but it wasn’t until she moved to Berlin in 2006, where she still lives, that she began recording an album.

Philharmonic was originally released last year, and a deluxe edition of the album, released in May, added a second CD featuring six additional live tracks as well as five instrumental piano sessions.

Fans of pared-back ethereal music will find much to admire at this show. Doors 9pm, tickets €18/€16.