NoExit fuses garage rock with melodic indie rock

Fusing garage rock with melodic indie rock, duo NoExit have released their debut EP Wander Lush.

Comprised of multi-Instrumentalist, Producer and Songwriter Nollaig (Noel) Brennan and Benjamin Delannoy on keys and production, the Irish team have spent six years building up to this debut release.

Noel spent his time conceptualised over six cites in that time; from Toronto, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Auckland, Wellington, and Sydney this was emotional development from a 20-year-old leaving home for the first time to travel on his own accord up until his recent decision to come home and get the tunes recorded under the name NoExit.

He arrived in New Zealand, got some work out of a hostel and met Ben, who was a Reason wizard and needed a songwriter. The two exchanged knowledge and after loads of jams, and drives around New Zealand, wrote a few tunes, then kept writing and hammering away at their style. As of recently, Ben finds himself in Barcelona and Noel is home in Ireland and the two are keeping the tunes flowing and the vibes strong.

With money he had saved, Noel set up his own studio in Athlone, Ireland, and recorded, performed and mixed everything himself, with Ben making the journey from Barcelona to add his distinct production touches.

Lead single ‘Fuelin’ Fires’ is a bold start to the EP with sweet jangly guitar riffs and predominant vocals punching above the rest. It’s about the time that he felt the most paralysed in his movements to start making the music he wanted as Noel explains.

“I just couldn’t actually pool my mental resources together enough to get a project together, just out of fear of trying and incredibly low self-esteem. Until I got the exact same advice from two very different, but equally important people in my life within a week of each other, and both of them didn’t know each other at all!

“They both had said to me, ‘just start. It doesn’t matter what you do or what it amounts to, just start something and see where it goes…. just..start.’ It really fuckin stuck to me and helped me towards getting out of my slump. love those guys.”

Next track ‘Sort It Out’ focuses more on a keyboard-driven alternative sound whilst Noel tackles issues of addictions and ‘On The Hop’ turns the EP on its head; looking for a safe haven with Banjo-like guitar plucks and upbeat piano. Finally ‘Burn The Zest’ puts the spotlight back on alt rock guitars and raw vocals from Noel.

He adds: “I began writing it about a friend but then saw correlations with my own behaviour around the time of writing it, and it freaked me out.”

NoExit has intentions of shaking things up within modern rock n roll and Wander Lush puts those intentions into meaningful songs inspired by personal experiences he’s seen in five different countries. Check out the EP below and leave an ICM Star Rating out of 10!