Telefis releases superb dance-clash 'Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics' EP

April 1, 2022

"One of the most potent listens my ears have heard for some time” - Electronic Sound

"Telefís is a sort of electronic fever dream equally inspired by early Kraftwerk and surrealist documentarian Adam Curtis. And, as the best conceptual albums do, a hAon envelopes the listener in its own, self-imagined reality” - Irish Examiner

"Dense, acerbically observed lyrics are delivered in Coughlan’s distinctive baritone over Lee’s backdrops, from sparsely atmospheric synths to bass-driven electro-funk" - The Irish Times

"An enthralling, entertaining union of skillful retro-electro and cuttingly cynical, mischievous surreal declarations” - MOJO

“Telefís blend cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora, and historical introspection to – what else? Electronic dance music!” - Post-Punk

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine

The final salvo from the recently released and much applauded Telefís album ‘a hAon’ is the 'Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics' EP, which finds band members Garret 'Jacknife' Lee (U2, REM, Modest Mouse, The Wombats) and Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions) collaborating with revered electro-pop pioneer Thomas Leer, in addition to creating different versions of four key album tracks.

Telefís (Irish Gaelic for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) is a collaboration between these two Irish iconoclasts. With Jacknife in LA and Cathal in London, the two spent 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and pop culture in their lifetimes, which they've dubbed ”a corrosive nostalgia”. The resultant album 'a hAon' (number one), released by Dimple Discs on March 4, 2022.

A radio edit of the album’s dancefloor banger 'Archbishop Beardmouth' and Thomas Leer's superb remix are accompanied by three new versions of 'Picadors', 'Ballytransnational' and 'There Goes Waterface', created by Jacknife Lee with spoken word appearances by family and friends. These meditative and reflective re-interpretations of the album versions frame Cathal’s lyrics in the voices of an older Irish generation, imbuing the words with a fresh sense of poetry and melancholy.

'The only piece of music discussed during the first call with Cathal in 2020 was “Private Plane” by Thomas Leer. It was a pivotal record for both of us. It changed us when we heard it first and reunited us when the idea of Telefís emerged. Thomas Leer! Thomas Fucking Leer! My fantasy has come true," says Jacknife Lee.

On the theme of the song Cathal Coughlan offers this vignette…"Archbishop Beardmouth visits the ChemOlympics, in his full Byzantine-Slavic magnificence, the giant torso-curtain of hair announcing him. He is very gratified by what he sees. Gone are the mandatory drugs tests and geopolitical skirmishes of yore, and instead, has come immaculate, chemically-enhanced performance. There's only the occasional moment when the live camera feed has to be cut, in order to enable the re-reading of the script, and perhaps the replacement of a competitor. At these times, His Eminence loses interest in the spectacle, and becomes aware of the obsequious ravings of a young man seated below him, who points at a laptop screen full of animated bodies - devised, the young man says, by a special form of artificial intelligence. The youth tries to interest the prelate in buying into the "cryptocurrency" which will fund the growth of this technology, which is named "COPD-coin". The young man explains that he named it this way because it represents a shock to the international order. His Eminence appears irked by this, and begins to grill the young man, "You wish to destabilise your own Motherland in this way? And you dare to approach the Lord God's representative with this treason?” "No, no, Eminence", the young man remonstrates, "It shall be prevented from trading in the Motherland. Only in the sinful and subhuman parts of the world will it be allowed to operate. Because those people are stupid, and decadent." The Archbishop raises an eyebrow and leans forward. "Well then, how much money do you need to raise from this scheme?” Later, at the big reception for the dignitaries, there are home movie screenings. On the screen, we see vintage images of Ireland's famed one-time Orthodox Jansenist Papal ruler, Archbishop John Charles McQuaid (sometimes depicted in the company of his earthly proxy, Éamon de Valera). He parades through a life of saintly self-love (since unfairly besmirched by individuals unfit to have breathed the same air as His Lordship) - from long-con shrine, to concrete basilica, to institution of pious incarceration. It could be said that we shall not see his like again - but let's give it a go. Viva crypto!"

The 'Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics' EP is out now digitally. Apart from such platforms as Spotify and Apple Music, it can be ordered directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

Irish electronic duo Telefis (Cathal Coughlan & Jacknife Lee) release debut 'a hAon' album

March 6, 2022

"There’s something about the meeting of Jacknife Lee’s carefully constructed musical arrangements with Cathal Coughlan’s sonorous vocals that makes for one of the most potent listens my ears have heard for some time” - Electronic Sound

"Dense, acerbically observed lyrics are delivered in Coughlan’s distinctive baritone over Lee’s backdrops, from sparsely atmospheric synths to bass-driven electro-funk" - The Irish Times

“…an enthralling, entertaining union of skillful retro-electro and cuttingly cynical, mischievous surreal declarations” - MOJO

“Telefís blend cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora, and historical introspection to – what else? Electronic dance music!” - Post-Punk

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine

Electronic mavericks and ex-pat Irish iconoclasts Telefís have released their debut album 'a hAon' (Number One), a highly unique collection of 13 tracks, via Dimple Discs.

Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) is a collaboration between in-demand composer/mixer/producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors) and singer-lyricist-composer Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and many acclaimed solo works). Having known each other vaguely in Ireland's early 80s post-punk scene, Jacknife is now based in L.A. and Cathal, a native of Cork, lives in London. A timely re-introduction by a mutual friend led to the two spending 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, which the two have labelled .."a corrosive nostalgia".

A series of remarkable singles and remixes, starting with the electro-funk monster 'We Need' EP in mid-2021 and followed by 'Mister Imperator', see Coughlan and Lee de-construct the Ireland of their youth through the prism of politics, technology and religion. Complemented by arcane imagery and 60s/70s video footage that are both playfully ironic and endearingly melancholic, these singles have set the table for one of year’s most intriguing and adventurous debut albums.

This album follows the release of their 'Falun Gong Dancer EP' with legendary post-punk bass maestro Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited, Invaders Of The Heart), in which Jacknife Lee transforms a disarmingly quiet and reflective song with vocals and ghostly piano chords into a deep-dub odyssey with Wobble’s signature low-end bass runs anchoring crisp percussion and panoramic space-echo effects.

On their work together as Telefís, Cathal Coughlan observes, "Collaborating in this way with a dynamic and consummate artist, who has access to a wide range of skills which I don't have, but with whom I share many common interests and cultural/historical reference points, has been one of the highlights of my creative life. It's made me so glad that I've been able to remain active for long enough to see something like this happen. Easily as spontaneous and full of surprises as any in-person collaboration, it’s shaken loose many weird and hopefully wonderful things in my verbal workshop. And nobody has heard me use my voice in some of these ways before now, either."

Jacknife Lee adds: "I'd just finished mangling a Luke Haines and Peter Buck record. Luke knows Cathal and re-introduced us. On the first or second correspondence we thought we should make some music together. Music is probably the only way I can properly communicate with someone. I sent Cathal the backing track that would become "We Need" and he sent me back the vocal and we went back and forth from there. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced us to work remotely, and I think helped us get to where we got so quickly. Cathal is without doubt one of the finest lyricists of our time and writes like no one else. Some of the vocals he sent over made me burst out laughing with giddiness and delight at the novelty of them. Mischievous, dark, arcane, crispy fresh, and always unexpected. Every song with a backstory that could be a novel. This is easily the most enjoyable and rewarding music that I've been involved with.”

Part celebration, part satire, Telefís is an exploration of nostalgia as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on the very fringes of Europe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer. On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history.

As of March 4, the 'a hAon' album will be available on CD and Vinyl, both with two-sided lyric sheet insert, as well as across digital platforms. Physical orders are available at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital album can be ordered at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon. U.S. orders can be placed at http://ffm.to/telefisusa.

ALBUM CREDITS
All tracks written by Cathal Coughlan and Jacknife Lee, except 'Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics' and 'There Goes Waterface' (co-written with Davide Rossi).
Extra vocals on 'Sex Bunting' by Melissa Garner Lee, on 'Ballytransnational' by Esme Lee, on 'Mister Imperator' by Betsey Lee.
Drums on 'Ballytransnational' by Matt Bishop.
Strings on 'Stampede' by Davide Rossi.
Horns on 'Picadors' by Jordan Katz.
Extra production on 'Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics' and 'There Goes Waterface' by Davide Rossi.
Mastered by Anthony Chapman.
Artwork and videos by Jacknife Lee.
Published by Besme Music/Cathal Coughlan.
Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music |

Irish electronic duo Telefis (Cathal Coughlan & Jacknife Lee) preview 'Ballytransnational' ahead of releasing debut 'a hAon' LP.

February 24, 2022

Two of Ireland’s most celebrated musicians take a conceptual electro-funk joyride through the past into the future.

Following the release of the 'Falun Gong Dancer EP' with legendary post-punk bass maestro Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited, Invaders Of The Heart), electronic duo Telefís are gearing up for their debut album 'a hAon' (Number One), a highly unique collection of 13 tracks that will be released by Dimple Discs on March 4. Ahead of this, they present the track 'Ballytransnational'.

Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) is a collaboration between two acclaimed ex-pat Irish iconoclasts, in-demand composer/mixer/producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors) and singer-lyricist-composer Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and many acclaimed solo works). Having known each other vaguely in Ireland's early 80s post-punk scene, Jacknife is now based in L.A. and Cathal, a native of Cork, lives in London. A timely re-introduction by a mutual friend led to the two spending 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, which the two have labelled .."a corrosive nostalgia".

Cathal Coughlan comments on 'Ballytransnational': "A gaunt wooden rollercoaster overlooks the flatlands leading to a land border which, for many years until now, used to count for nothing. It used to be the topic of rueful recollections from decades past, but the received wisdom was that the bad old days were over, and seamless moving of fluid identities and capital now ruled the day. Public health concerns and political ferment have now given way to protectionism of many kinds. As the generation who understood the damage caused by that border passes away, the border's time has come again. And it says: you're never going back.'

A series of remarkable singles and remixes, starting with the electro-funk monster 'We Need' EP in mid-2021 and followed by 'Mister Imperator', see Coughlan and Lee de-construct the Ireland of their youth through the prism of politics, technology and religion. Complemented by arcane imagery and 60s/70s video footage that are both playfully ironic and endearingly melancholic, these singles have set the table for one of year’s most intriguing and adventurous debut albums.

"Collaborating in this way, with a dynamic and consummate artist, who has access to a wide range of skills which I don't have, but with whom I share many common interests and cultural/historical reference points, has been one of the highlights of my creative life. It's made me so glad that I've been able to remain active for long enough to see something like this happen. Easily as spontaneous and full of surprises as any in-person collaboration, it’s shaken loose many weird and hopefully wonderful things in my verbal workshop. And nobody has heard me use my voice in some of these ways before now, either,” says Cathal Coughlan.

Jacknife Lee adds: "I'd just finished mangling a Luke Haines and Peter Buck record. Luke knows Cathal and re-introduced us. On the first or second correspondence we thought we should make some music together. Music is probably the only way I can properly communicate with someone. I sent Cathal the backing track that would become "We Need" and he sent me back the vocal and we went back and forth from there. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced us to work remotely, and I think helped us get to where we got so quickly. Cathal is without doubt one of the finest lyricists of our time and writes like no one else. Some of the vocals he sent over made me burst out laughing with giddiness and delight at the novelty of them. Mischievous, dark, arcane, crispy fresh, and always unexpected. Every song with a backstory that could be a novel. This is easily the most enjoyable and rewarding music that I've been involved with.”

Part celebration, part satire, Telefís is an exploration of nostalgia as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on the very fringes of Europe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer. On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history.

On March 4, the 'a hAon' album will be released on CD and Vinyl, both
with two-sided lyric sheet insert, as well as across digital platforms. Physical orders are available at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital album can be pre-ordered at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon. U.S. orders can be placed at http://ffm.to/telefisusa.

SELECT PRESS FEEDBACK
"There’s something about the meeting of Jacknife Lee’s carefully constructed musical arrangements with Cathal Coughlan’s sonorous vocals that makes for one of the most potent listens my ears have heard for some time” - Electronic Sound

"Dense, acerbically observed lyrics are delivered in Coughlan’s distinctive baritone over Lee’s backdrops, from sparsely atmospheric synths to bass-driven electro-funk" - The Irish Times

“…an enthralling, entertaining union of skillful retro-electro and cuttingly cynical, mischievous surreal declarations” - MOJO

“Telefís blend cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora, and historical introspection to – what else? Electronic dance music!” - Post-Punk

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine

Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music

Telefis and Jah Wobble release 'Falun Gong Dancer' EP and new video. Debut Telefis album 'a hAon' is out March 4

January 24, 2022

"A shimmering piece of pop. Laced in hypnotic energy" ~ Far Out Magazine

"Ultra trippy" ~ Dangerous Minds

“Blends cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora and historical introspection to electronic dance music” – PostPunk.com

"This is actually a dancepop monster, channelling ‘Stop Making Sense’-era Talking Heads with acute contemporary social commentary" ~ Is This Music?

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... watch them take the world by storm with this big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine

Electronic duo Telefís - made up of acclaimed Irish iconoclasts Jacknife Lee and Cathal Coughlan - are releasing the 'Falun Gong Dancer EP' with legendary post-punk bass maestro Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited, Invaders Of The Heart)via London's Dimple Discs. They also present a new video for 'Falun Gong Dancer (Donkey's Gudge Dub)'.

Based on the third single from the forthcoming debut album 'a hAon' (Number One)by Telefís (Irish Gaelic for TV, pronounced Tele-feesh), this follows the earlier-released 'Mister Imperator' EP and 'We Need' EP.

As Telefís, LA-based producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors) and Cathal Coughlan(Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and acclaimed solo artist), now based in London, present a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and pop culture in their lifetimes, which they call ”a corrosive nostalgia”.

The involvement of Jah Wobble, one of the most innovative bass players of our time, transforms the disarmingly quiet and reflective original version, with its stark vocals and ghostly piano chords, into a deep-dub odyssey. His signature low-end bass anchors crisp percussion and panoramic space-echo effects.

"An honour to be involved in this, to be working with Telefis. This seemingly simple, sweet naive video speaks volumes. The ancestral trek; Rural Ireland to the dancehalls, Pubs and crowded rented rooms of tough uncompromising London. All captured in a Dub Prism," says Jah Wobble.

"Even a relatively obscure musical life such as mine can fortunately bring pinch-yourself moments of proximity to greatness, and so it is with Jah Wobble's transformative contribution to this version of 'Falun Gong Dancer'. The song was already a high-point of the first Telefís album, but in this version it goes somewhere else entirely, thanks to JW's signature contribution," says Cathal Coughlan.

Jacknife Lee elucidates: "There are few bass players as iconic as Jah Wobble. I have studied and tried to copy his style for decades but never really got close. Brian from Dimple Discs suggested we ask him to get on 'Falun Gong Dancer', but I didn’t believe it would happen. We are still shocked that he agreed to collaborate with us and are excited for it to be heard”.

In Telefís, Jacknife Lee creates an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history. Jacknife is also known for his remixes for such heavy hitters as Radiohead, U2, Blur, Run-DMC, Pink, Future Sound of London, Christina Aguilera, TLC, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, The Raveonettes, Kraftwerk, New Order and Kasabian.

The 'Falun Gong Dancer EP' is out on January 21 and can be ordered digitally. The 'a hAon' album will be released on March 4 with CD and vinyl available for pre-order at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital album at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon.

Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music |

Jah Wobble teams up with Telefís (REM/ U2 producer Jacknife Lee & Microdisney frontman Cathal Coughlan) on 'Falun Gong Dancer'

January 9, 2022

"A shimmering piece of pop. Laced in hypnotic energy, the song is steeped in Irish history" ~ Far Out Magazine

“Blends cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora and historical introspection to electronic dance music” – PostPunk.com

"This is actually a dancepop monster, channelling ‘Stop Making Sense’-era Talking Heads with acute contemporary social commentary" ~ Is This Music?

"As stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem... watch them take the world by storm with this big sound and vision" ~ The Spill Magazine

The third single from the debut Telefís album 'a hAon' sees members Jacknife Lee and Cathal Coughlan collaborate with legendary post-punk bass maestro Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited, Invaders Of The Heart).

Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) unites two acclaimed Irish iconoclasts - producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors) and Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and acclaimed solo artist).

With Jacknife now based in LA and Cathal based in London, the two traded ideas and music files over lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and pop culture in their lifetimes, which they label ..”a corrosive nostalgia”. The result is their debut 'a hAon' (Number One) album.

One of the most innovative bass players of his generation, here Jah Wobble transforms the disarmingly quiet and reflective original version, with its stark vocals and ghostly piano chords, into a deep-dub odyssey, his signature low-end bass runs anchoring crisp percussion and panoramic space-echo effects.

"Even a relatively obscure musical life such as mine can fortunately bring pinch-yourself moments of proximity to greatness, and so it is with Jah Wobble's transformative contribution to this version of 'Falun Gong Dancer'. The song was already a high-point of the first Telefís album, but in this version it goes somewhere else entirely, thanks to JW's signature contribution," says Cathal Coughlan.

Jacknife Lee elucidates: "There are few bass players as iconic as Jah Wobble. I have studied and tried to copy his style for decades but never really got close. Brian from Dimple Discs suggested we ask him to get on 'Falun Gong Dancer', but I didn’t believe it would happen. We are still shocked that he agreed to collaborate with us and are excited for it to be heard”

Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history. He has also created remixes for Radiohead, U2, Blur, Run-DMC, Pink, Future Sound of London, Christina Aguilera, TLC, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, The Raveonettes, Kraftwerk, New Order and Kasabian.

Earlier, the duo released the original version of this song with its stark arrangement and stellar video by Matt Mahurin (Peter Gabriel, Tom Waits, U2, Sting, David Byrne, Joni Mitchell), who, as well as the following up the 'Mister Imperator' EPand 'We Need' EP.

As of December 7, the Jah Wobble mix of 'Falun Gong Dancer' can be obtained on Bandcamp and elsewhere digitally at https://orcd.co/telefisfalungongdancer. The 'a hAon' album will be released by London's Dimple Discs on February 11. CD and vinyl are available for pre-order at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital album at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon.

Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music

Telefís (Jacknife Lee & Cathal Coughlan) present 'Falun Gong Dancer' single with video by Matt Mahurin (Peter Gabriel, U2, Tom Waits, REM, Tracy Chapman, Sting)

December 2, 2021

“Irish sensations Telefís, aka Cathal Coughlan and Jacknife Lee, blend cultural celebration, satire, the splintered identity of the Irish diaspora, and historical introspection to – what else? Electronic dance music!” – PostPunk.com

"This is actually a dancepop monster, channelling ‘Stop Making Sense’-era Talking Heads with acute contemporary social commentary" ~ Is This Music?

"The first offerings from these Irish music legends sounds as stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem, to draw just two parallels. This project may be rooted in the insular cultural experience of a small country, but just watch them take the world by storm with this big sound and vision here and now" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Garret “Jacknife” Lee – the man who left punk guitar behind for the delights of big breaks like “Bursting Off The Backbeat” before finding his métier as an in-demand producer for U2, The Killers, Modest Mouse and more. He’s on record as saying that if he doesn’t make noise, he gets very grumpy; what mischief can the two of them be cooking up?” ~ Backseat Mafia

Producer/ mixer/ composer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Cars, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors, Taylor Swift) and singer-songwriter Cathal Coughlan, frontman of Microdisney and The Fatima Mansions and acclaimed for his many solo works (including his latest solo album 'Song Of Co-Aklan’) present 'Falun Gong Dancer' - their new single under the moniker Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh).

"Falun Gong Dancer' is the latest taste of their debut album 'a hAon' (Number One), which will be released on February 11 via London-based Dimple Discs, following up the 'Mister Imperator' EP, which includes the original version, the 'Mister Imperator (Dub Mix)' and two other remixes.

In contrast with the first two Telefís releases, 'Falun Gong Dancer' is a very stark arrangement, featuring a cyclical, meditative melody over dissolving piano chords and synth pulses, heard in episodic passages which take the listener on a tour of the world - from London, to the US-Mexico border, to the cities of Australasia - in the company of a hapless narrator. Occasional interludes of electronic harmony hint at either a tentative intimacy, or at an isolation which is final and absolute - it remains ambiguous.

"Each episode describes a further incident in his romantic pursuit of the dancer of the song's title, as he (over-?)identifies with her perceived struggles, and hopes to find common cause with her - for his own depleted condition to become their common cause, perhaps. Implicit is the narrator's ticking internal clock, which must surely count down to zero before long. Time is out of joint, and the narrator has been repelled by or expelled from his natural habitat, although we do not learn where his home is or was," says Cathal Coughlan.

The accompanying video was created by American illustrator, photographer, and film director Matt Mahurin (Peter Gabriel, U2, Tom Waits, REM, Tracy Chapman, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Ice-T, Metallica, David Byrne, Joni Mitchell), who notes, "Just as a unique and powerful piece of music can transport the listener to new and thrilling emotional territory, to be given the opportunity to create the visuals for such a special song left me no choice but to discover images and inspiration that were unexpected yet timeless. The daring expanses of silence, yearning vocals, and compelling lyrics gave me the gift of exploring the essential of the earthly and the curiosity of the cosmic. It's an honor and joy to be trusted by Jacknife and Cathal to help them share their amazing music."

With Jacknife now based in Los Angeles and Cathal based in London, the two spent 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, what the two have labelled "a corrosive nostalgia".

On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history. He has also created remixes for such artists as Radiohead, U2, Blur, Run-DMC, Pink, Future Sound of London, Christina Aguilera, TLC, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, The Raveonettes, Kraftwerk, New Order and Kasabian.

He explains: "Silence can cause tension. Even when recording the song, the pausing became both comforting and frustrating. When I listen to the song now I can’t help but try to alter time, trying to force the next line to come sooner, willing it earlier, but it doesn’t and won’t arrive when I expect it. It always comes a little bit late. I'm active in the space. When the line does come it’s soothing and beautiful but the lyric is complex and doesn’t resolve anything. And then the silence again. Is the song long? Is it short? It confuses my already recently disturbed perception of time."

The forthcoming 'a hAon' album includes 13 highly unique tracks - part celebration and part satire - in which Telefís explores nostalgia, as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on Europe's very fringe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer.

On December 3, 'Falun Gong Dancer' will be available digitally across online stores and streaming platforms at https://orcd.co/telefisfalungongdancer. The 'a hAon' LP will be released on February 11 on CD and vinyl (both with a two-sided lyric sheet insert). Physical pre-orders are now available at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon and the digital release at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon.

Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music

Telefís (Cathal Coughlan and Jacknife Lee) announce 'a hAon' LP, share 'Mister Imperator (Dub Mix)'

November 1, 2021

"This is actually a dancepop monster, channelling ‘Stop Making Sense’-era Talking Heads with acute contemporary social commentary" ~ Is This Music?

"The first offerings from these Irish music legends sounds as stunning as the best of Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem, to draw just two parallels. This project may be rooted in the insular cultural experience of a small country, but just watch them take the world by storm with this big sound and vision here and now" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Garret “Jacknife” Lee – the man who left punk guitar behind for the delights of big breaks like “Bursting Off The Backbeat” before finding his métier as an in-demand producer for U2, The Killers, Modest Mouse and more. He’s on record as saying that if he doesn’t make noise, he gets very grumpy; what mischief can the two of them be cooking up?” ~ Backseat Mafia

"...full of percussive synth-driven rhythms and vocals" ~ Hot Press

London-based Dimple Discs has announced they will release the debut album from Telefís (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh), a collaboration between two acclaimed Irish iconoclasts, producer/ mixer/ composer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The Cars, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Crystal Castles, Editors, Taylor Swift) and singer-songwriter Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, The Fatima Mansions and many acclaimed solo works) on February 11. Ahead of that, they present 'Mister Imperator (Dub Mix)', an invigorated and deliciously twisted new take on the duo's recently-released 'Mister Imperator' single.

Titled 'a hAon' (Number One), this is a highly unique 13-track album that is part celebration, part satire, in which Telefís explores nostalgia, as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on the very fringes of Europe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer.

The second single from the album, 'Mister Imperator' is a deliciously retro-electro affair that loosely recounts the tale of a beloved pianist, who was a light entertainment staple of early TV fare dating back to the first broadcasts in The Irish Republic in 1961.

With Jacknife now based in Los Angeles and Cathal based in London, the two spent 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, what the two have labelled "a corrosive nostalgia".

"I'd just finished mangling a Luke Haines and Peter Buck record. Luke knows Cathal and re-introduced us. On the first or second correspondence we thought we should make some music together. Music is probably the only way I can properly communicate with someone. I sent Cathal the backing track that would become 'We Need' and he sent me back the vocal and we went back and forth from there. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced us to work remotely, and I think helped us get to where we got so quickly," says Jacknife Lee.

"Cathal is, without doubt, one of the finest lyricists of our time and writes like no one else. Some of the vocals he sent over made me burst out laughing with giddiness and delight at the novelty of them. Mischievous, dark, arcane, crispy fresh, and always unexpected. Every song with a backstory that could be a novel. This is easily the most enjoyable and rewarding music that I've been involved with".

Indeed, evidence of Coughlan’s lyrical ingenuity and artistry was on full display earlier this year when he returned after a 10-year absence with a highly acclaimed solo album 'Song Of Co-Aklan’.

On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history. He has also created remixes for such artists as Radiohead, U2, Blur, Run-DMC, Pink, Future Sound of London, Christina Aguilera, TLC, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, The Raveonettes, Kraftwerk, New Order and Kasabian.

Cathal observes, "Collaborating in this way, with a dynamic and consummate artist, who has access to a wide range of skills that I don't have, but with whom I share many common interests and cultural/historical reference points, has been one of the highlights of my creative life. It's made me so glad that I've been able to remain active for long enough to see something like this happen. Easily as spontaneous and full of surprises as any in-person collaboration, it’s shaken loose many weird and hopefully wonderful things in my verbal workshop. And nobody has heard me use my voice in some of these ways before now, either".

As of November 5, 'Mister Imperator (Dub Mix)' will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. On February 11, the 'a hAon' LP will be released on CD and vinyl (both with a two-sided lyric sheet insert) and can be pre-ordered at https://ffm.to/telefisahaon. It will also be released on all digital platforms, available at https://orcd.co/telefisahaon.

ALBUM CREDITS
All tracks written by Cathal Coughlan and Jacknife Lee except “Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics” and “There Goes Waterface” co-written by Davide Rossi
Extra vocals on “Sex Bunting” by Melissa Garner Lee, on “Ballytransnational” by Esme Lee, on “Mister Imperator” by Betsey Lee
Drums on “Ballytransnational” by Matt Bishop
Strings on “Stampede” by Davide Rossi
Horns on “Picadors” by Jordan Katz
Extra production on “Archbishop Beardmouth At The ChemOlympics” and “There Goes Waterface” by Davide Rossi
Mastered by Anthony Chapman
Artwork by Jacknife Lee
Published by Besme Music / Schubert Music

Keep up with Telefís
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Dimple Discs
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Discogs | Proper Music |