INTERVIEW: New Music from Crá Croí

Rising from the fringes of County Cork’s underground music world, Crá Croí arrives as a new duo whose name, translating from Irish to “heartache” or “vexation of spirit,” perfectly distils their sound. Blending the aesthetic of 1980s new wave with the bite of post punk and the bleak romance of dark synth rock, the pair have been quick to establish themselves as one of Ireland’s most intriguing musical exports. Their music feels cinematic and wholly absorbing, bringing together melancholy and defiance in equal measure, resulting in a sound that’s accessible and entirely their own.

Featuring the talents of multi-instrumentalist and producer RG and vocalist CD, Crá Croí was forged from a shared fascination with the beauty that often survives in decay. RG oversees the project’s sonic architecture by handling songwriting, production, mixing and mastering while CD provides the expressive vocal delivery and visual direction that define their brooding aesthetic. Together, they create something that feels at once nostalgic and forward-facing, an echo of post punk’s ghosts refracted through the lens of modern electronics.

Their debut single “Radiation Romance,” aptly released on Halloween, unveiled the duo’s haunting world via a collision of distorted guitars, driving rhythms and lyrical tension. With RG and CD handling every aspect of their output, from sound to artwork, Crá Croí’s steadfast DIY ethos presents an uncompromising extension of their worldview which flickers between dissections of nihilism and real life themes to musings on a dystopian future and apocalyptic collapse.

Now, they return with “Fires at Dawn,” their sophomore single and a perfect showcase of their developing musical story. “Fires at Dawn” sounds like what comes after the ruin, casting a soundtrack for those still standing within the wreckage while conjuring images of survival through desolation. It’s music that captures the moment between surrender and rebirth, serving up an anthem for haunted souls trying to outlast the night.

Jumping straight into a hazy scene of pulsing bass guitar and rattling percussive taps, the contrast between the bouncy energy and smokey, gothic-tinged new wave vibes forms an engrossing soundscape as CD’s rich voice glides above. Dashed with intricate flourishes of clean guitar notes and the stretch of airy instrumental textures, the track rolls with steady forward motion as it rises to an epic chorus where overlapping vocal lines swirl to deliver an instantly memorable listening experience. It’s a stellar display of their engaging songwriting flair and highly unique sound that sees them go from strength to strength and end their breakout year on a high note.

As the duo continues to release singles ahead of their forthcoming full-length album Tá brón orm, which means ‘sadness’ or ‘sorrow’, Crá Croí’s universe grows ever deeper and more immersive. With a string of new singles on the way and live shows on the horizon, Crá Croí are set to hit the ground running in 2026 and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store on their exciting musical adventure.

We caught up with Crá Croí to find out more about their musical journey so far, their new sophomore single “Fires at Dawn” and what they’ve got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Crá Croí below.

Hey Crá Croí, how’s things?

CD: Grand.
RG: Good enough.

How did you get together as a duo?

CD: Forces much more powerful than the human mind can fathom have set various wheels in motion eons hence, creating threads and forging powerful leylines that would ultimately and inevitably merge our two paths. That, and chess club.
RG: I guess it was the right time to start something together which we wanted to do for a while.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

CD: Any and all that strive to create without bending to the whims and desires of others.
RG: Mostly artists from the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The Who, Rush, Kiss, Clannad, The Chieftains for example.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

CD: Music is frequency, and frequency is all things, therefore we find inspiration everywhere, and in everything. But especially in early KISS.

What’s been your highlight of 2025?

CD: I found 250 euro in a pair of Jean shorts I hadn’t worn in a while.
RG: To finally release the first singles.

What do you love about the Irish music scene?

CD: The sweet, sweet nepotism.
RG: Irish music and artists are never just one thing stylistically.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

CD: Lying on their backs making snow angels in the ashes of a ruined citadel.
RG: On a green hill in the lashing rain surrounded by a fairy fort.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

CD: It hasn’t.
RG: We’ve both been playing/writign/recording music for a long time. I started in the mid 1980s and I personally I believe that my own songwriting skills and the style of music I create will never be fully developed or finished. There’s always something new to discover or to experiment with.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

CD: Nina Simone, but with the body of a giraffe.
RG: Neil Peart (RIP)

How did you find making your new single “Fires At Dawn”?

CD: Fun.
RG: That song in particular was a very straightforward process. It usually takes me a few days to develop the foundation for a song. “Fires At Dawn” was written in 5 minutes. I had just played bass on a studio session for another artist and so the song came to me after that.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

CD: That the world is bollocksed.
RG: Well it’s about despair and defiance and our vision of beauty forged in collapse. There’s always beauty to be found even amongst the ruins which could also be a metaphor for the light at the end of a long dark tunnel for instance.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

CD: Ozric tentacles.
RG: Clannad and the first four Iron Maiden albums.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

CD: Enjoyment.
RG: An emotional response not necessarily articulated but felt deeply.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

CD: I saw Andy the Doorbum recently. He was amazing.
RG: Too many to remember. If you mean our own as Crá Croí – we’ve never played live yet. In other bands various festivals across Europe and clug gigs on various European tours.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

CD: Lankum, Darkthrone, Mozart. In my back garden so I wouldn’t have to go far.
RG: Clannad, Rush and Type O Negative in the heart of the Cork/Kerry mountains in the west of Ireland.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

CD: Buy comfy shoes and a good bed because when you’re not in one you’re in the other.
RG: Don’t follow anyone’s footsteps – create your own footsteps and then follow your own way of doing things and never give up.

Finally, what do you have lined up next?

CD: 2026 will see us release several new singles throughout the first half of the year, culminating in the release of a full album in the latter half. Also, world domination.
RG: We’ll see. A few more singles like he mentioned and our debut full length album and possibly a special live event, not like a regular gig but a visual and sonic experience.

Listen to Fires At Dawn below