‘Making us yearn for a brighter tomorrow, it’s the feel-good summer banger we’ve been waiting for.’

Those of you who have been long-term followers of Listen to Discover will very much know that this is far from the first time Danny G & The Major 7ths have graced our pages. And as ever, it’s with very good reason. Never ceasing to amaze those who hear his tracks, the Irish artist and advocate for music within the country now teams up with a collective of hip-hop vocalists to put a brand new spin on the neo-soul deliciousness that is ‘Believing’. This track though is so much more than a re-release and for that matter a remix. In fact, it’s not pushing things too much to say it’s pretty much a brand new track.

Harnessing original elements found on the 2019 single and blending them with carefully chosen interview segments from Sinead O’Connor and Seamus Heaney, you instantly get a sense of what we are to experience. There is relevance within what is being heard, a relevance that hits different given the times we have been through, and are hopefully soon to leave behind us. Saying ‘We’re all going through these things… one has been brave about ones suffering’, O’Connor’s phrasing and openness around mental health is so connective that your attention is on that alone. Likewise, Heaney’s clip from 1995 where he states, ‘there’s a new mood in the country that promises new energy’ could easily be referring to so many parts of the world that are hoping for a boom after the bust.

Speaking about the inclusion of these phrases within the opening, Danny says, ‘The two clips struck me in different ways, O’Connor’s for the bravery and power of her words, and Heaney’s because he could be describing today’s lockdown in Ireland. Even though there is this frustration and anxiety at not being able to play live music, it also seems like Irish artists are on a creative high right now, particularly in the Soul / Hip-hop arena. The struggles of lockdown can force you to get to find new ways of making music,
and for me, this track is a perfect example of that.’

‘Give me good feeling
You’ve got me smiling again
Believing
Don’t go leaving
Now I’m believing’

Like tracks that have come before, ‘Make Me Feel (Believing)’ is one that serves to not only highlight Danny’s own phenomenal musicality, but that of his counterparts within the Irish music scene. Early indications of the immensely clever re-working that producer JusMe has created sees lo-fi textures, finger clicks, and chilled-out melodic fragments support those aforementiond speeches. Then, appropriately bringing a new energy, a paired back sound featuring an inverted version of the inimitable bassline drives the atmosphere in a new sonic direction. One that completely balances new and existing content.

It’s true that this blend is one that’s incredibly impressive, and if you’ve never heard the auditory source of inspiration you question nothing about it, however, what really shines through is the truly seamless way that the sparser instrumental elements work alongside the contrasting vocals. Each taking us on equally thought-provoking and reflective journeys within the verses, Breezy Ideygoke, King Koko, and 0phelia respectively guide us through topics such free speech, COVID, earthquakes, freedom of movement, and political manipulation. It really is as wide as could be. And yet, through its relevance you never feel disconnected.

Maybe it’s because the world has been the total opposite of what most would wish for in recent times. Or maybe it’s because, within the chaos, people have realised that those issues have actually existed for a long while and now is the time for change. For whatever the reason though, in every word being projected the personality-filled stories that are unfolding feel anything but separate. In fact, with them being infused with purposeful musical fragments from the original, Danny’s vocals sounding as soulful as ever, and super breathy flute motifs bringing a smile to your face, it’s clear they have achieved exactly what they set out to do: create a ‘feel-good summer-banger with a positive message.’