Big future for Belfast’s five-piece Wynona Bleach – second album due soon in 2024 as the follow-up to debut long player, 2022’s “Moonsoake”, and sassy new single “Swim In The Bay” is out now.
Wynona Bleach are Melyssa Shannon: vocals, Jonny Woods: guitar / vocals, Aaron Black: guitar, James Foy: drums and Carl Gilmore: bass.
Signed to legendary indie label Fierce Panda (Coldplay, Placebo, Death Cab For Cutie) since 2021, Wynona Bleach have come a long way since forming in 2018 as “R51”, including performing at Reading & Leeds Festival, undertaking a 12-date headline tour of Russia, and support to rock legends Feeder, The Slow Readers Club, Lonely the Brave, and more.
In late 2022 they were nominated for the Northern Ireland Music Prize for both Album and Live act. A winter tour in 2022 culminated in two shows at Other Voices Festival.
“Moonsoake” was recorded immediately after the band was personally chosen to support Alice in Chains for the sold-out Irish leg of their 2019 world tour. It was recorded with Bill Ryder-Jones in an abandoned factory in Portugal, complete with a full recording studio determinedly hauled over there by the band from their hometown.
The album features tracks mixed by Grammy-nominated Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh, who have had extensive careers working alongside artists including Manic Street Preachers, Tori Amos, Bjork and Rufus Wainwright.
The band kicked off 2023 with a BBC Sounds live session and interview, and a successful first visit to the USA with showcases at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and New Colossus Festival in New York. A prestigious support slot followed with indie rock legends Ash on the Irish leg of their UK and European tour.
“Swim In the Bay”, was recorded in the band’s rehearsal room/studio – an old ballroom above a working man’s club in Belfast, and it was mixed by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh (The XX, Bjork, Manic St Preachers, Rufus Wainwright.)
