Introducing: Wyvern Lingo

by Ellie Turner

After becoming friends at the age of 11 over a shared love of Led Zepplin, Karen Cowley, Caoimhe Barry and Saoirse Duane have grown up to form Wyvern Lingo, undoubtedly the next ‘it’ band. Intrepid Hozier fans may immediately recognise vocalist Karen Cowley from her beautifully haunting appearance on his track In A Week, which serves as a justifiably impressive introduction to the band. They may also recognise the Wyvern Lingo girls as the primary support act for his most recent UK tour, which threw the Irish group into the mainstream music spotlight – a spotlight they handled very well indeed. Their charismatic onstage appearance and unique sound ensured they weren’t lost amongst the excitement of the rest of the show, with the recent release of their second EP Letters To Willow truly cementing them as an act to watch amongst Hozier fans and other music lovers alike.

Their sound is difficult to describe, blending pop-like melodies, rock inspired guitar riffs and R’n’B style harmonies to create something impressively unique and enjoyable. The structure of their effortless vocal harmonies is reminiscent of the Haim girls, in the way it sounds as though minimal effort is required to produce captivating sounds, as well as the way in which they are often layered on top of a catchy bass line. These harmonies are the stand out focus throughout Letters To Willow, providing each memorable verse with a little something extra. One thing that many may think is unusual about the EP is the complete lack of romantic love songs – surely an unspoken staple on any modern release. This is undeniably one of main causes of the refreshing feel of the 4-track episode, and the interesting lyrics mean a love song is certainly not missing. My personal highlight includes Beast At The Door, written about a scary cartoon watched by drummer Caoimhe at the age of 5.

Considering how repetitive the charts have been recently, Wyvern Lingo offer a much appreciated take on pop/rock/R’n’B. Whether you’re in need of new music to spice up your revision filled days, or if you’re just looking for some music to get your iPod set for summer, this Irish girl band is definitely the answer.