Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra present "Borders"

Uniting two of Ireland’s most forward-thinking musical propositions – Eoin O’Callaghan AKA Elma Orkestra and Ryan Vail – ‘Borders’ is a singular collaborative project. Spanning symphonic ambience to widescreen electronica, it’s a genre-warping meeting of the minds from two of the country's most innovative artists.

Having both been releasing music independently of one another since 2012, the album is a project that has almost felt destined to happen. As two artists residing on either sides of the border in Derry/Londonderry, their paths have entwined several times in the past.

Now, mirroring the spirit of the times – of grasping for unity and togetherness in
an unpredictable, ultimately borderless world – ‘Borders’ is a release that sees those creative paths meet head-on. Across eight tracks, from opener ‘Droves’ to the beat-laden outro ‘Arlene’, O’Callaghan and Vail masterfully blur the contours between contemporary electronic and classical realms. This breaking of new ground – of pushing boundaries and thwarting expectations via attention to detail and a joint penchant for analogue equipment – is what underpins ‘Borders’.

Support: Sleephawk