Irish folk duo The Winter Codes – Barney Murray and David Walshe – have released their LP Set The Darkness Reeling (01/08/22). The 14-track album is a love letter to their native Ireland, and an emotional tribute to their fallen band member Paul Walshe. Set The Darkness Reeling mixes the band’s traditional folk influences with a punk edge, making for a unique sound that offers something to fans from all walks of life.

The Winter Codes and Set the Darkness Reeling are the most recent projects from acclaimed artist Barney Murray who originally found success as the lead vocalist for Irish punk band Blood or Whiskey.

Irish alt-folk singer Lisa Loughrey (“one of the best voices in the Irish music scene” – Irish Echo) takes over singing duties from regular singer Barney Murray for the single Troublesome Girl. Jaunty and energetic, the single invites sing-alongs with Loughrey leading rousing choruses above the Winter Codes’ infectious folk-rock mix.

Set The Darkness Reeling’s lead single Too Sly to Die tenacious and kinetic Irish spirit. The band opted to shoot the single’s accompanying video in Dublin landmark pub The Cobblestones. Having hosted traditional Irish music for decades, and being located in one of Dublin’s oldest neighbourhoods, the bar is synonymous with music from the region and with Too Sly to Die, The Winter Codes join the annuls of such musical greats.

“We got the idea to record an EP of five of our songs, and before we knew it we had an album’s worth of material that became the Set The Darkness Reeling album.”

The LP itself saw the duo travel out to the famous Grouse Lodge recording studio. The studio, which housed Michael Jackson as he recorded and lived there, has since been the backdrop to a lot of the recording of the emotionally charged and energetic LP Set the Darkness Reeling.

The collaborations on this album span across many great minds including Daithi Meila from the Irish/Bluegrass band Jig Jam, folk singer Lisa Loughrey, and engineer Sean Montgomery Dietz.

Running throughout Set the Darkness Rising is the emotional tribute to band member Paul Walshe, who tragically passed away ten years ago. With this release, he is immortalised, and a number of the track even feature some of his expert musicianship.

Set the Darkness Reeling is a must listen for fans of Irish folk, rock, and everything in between!

Audiences are able to listen to Set the Darkness Reeling across all platforms now.