Saint Sister have announced their sophomore album, Where I Should End, will be released on June 25th, 2021. The Dublin-based duo of vocalist/songwriter Morgana MacIntyre and harpist/arranger Gemma Doherty has also shared a brand-new single, “Karaoke Song,” alongside its accompanying video, directed by Kev Freeney and Janna Kempermann of Algorithm Productions. Filmed in Algorithm’s Dublin studios, the clip playfully riffs on the karaoke theme with visuals that pay homage to ‘80s new wave/glam and the golden MTV age of the ‘90s. Building on the stunning, folk-driven harmonies that formed their 2018 debut album, Shape of Silence, “Karaoke Song” showcases an elevated sound for Saint Sister, combining their signature ethereal vocals with a fresh, pop-driven melody. Previous singles “Dynamite” and “The Place That I Work” (ft. Lisa Hannigan) were both released last year and are also featured on Where I Should End.
Of “Karaoke Song,” MacIntyre describes how “Gemma had this gorgeous instrumental and I was trying to work in a load of grandiose lyrics that always felt clunky and out of place. At the end of a particularly tiring day spent writing, I started using the song as a way to make fun of the night we had recently shared singing karaoke. I kept thinking ‘no one will take this seriously’ and then I realized maybe I don’t want them to, that’s not the point of the song.”
Freeney and Kempermann added: “We were excited to peruse a new visual language for the band that was both complimentary while giving a new visual perspective for their new single. Inspired by the songs’ theme, the video is a nostalgic expression of the moments we miss and look forward to sharing again with our friends and family.”
Where I Should End is an incredibly hands-on project, with every track written, arranged, and produced by the band, and sees MacIntyre and Doherty confidently evolving into their distinct roles as songwriter and producer. Although the stories behind the songs stem from the unravelling and rebuilding of relationships while on the road, the album finds the duo in a place of great certainty, and performing at their peak. They challenged themselves to create a distinctive shift in their sound, and built upon their already rich, atmospheric melodies to craft varied and resonant soundscapes that radiate with a breathtaking new warmth. Layering synths and drum machines with harp, strings (performed by Crash Ensemble), piano, and other live band components, Where I Should End—recorded at The Meadow Studio, Co. Wicklow with Rian Trench and mixed in Berlin with Benedikt MacIsaac—opens new sonic avenues for Saint Sister, while showcasing their most honest songwriting to date.
Where I Should End follows Shape of Silence, which received critical acclaim and nominations for Album of The Year at both the 2018 RTE Choice Music Prize and the Northern Irish Music Prize. Following its release, Saint Sister toured extensively through Europe and the U.S., including their biggest stateside tour to date with Keane in 2020, unfortunately cut short due to COVID-19. The band have also supported Hozier and Lisa Hannigan on their international tours, and filmed a debut NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (“Saint Sister makes the sort of music I’ve been fascinated with for much of my life, music that mixes the organic with the electronic…That blend is at the heart of my passion for Saint Sister. You can hear it in the chiming sounds of the Roland keyboard, the click of the drum and how it extends and enhances the sound of the harp.”). Hailing from the north of Ireland, MacIntyre and Doherty met in Dublin in 2014, before going on to release their debut EP Madrid the following year.
