Damien J. Brennan‘s deep, thick voice with a hint of Irish brogue has a commanding presence.

The title track “Shine” begins softly, showcasing Damien’s vocals, before the accompaniment builds into an impassioned chorus. An ethereal bridge adds structural variety.

“Broken” has a driving energy with a rougher quality to the vocals that matches the subtle anger in the emotion of the song. More vocal layers and heavier instrumentals provide a contrast to the first track.

The folksy song “Blood & Roses” has poetic lyrics and a percussive guitar conjuring more of a country-western feel. The three tracks demonstrate an impressive versatility.

The Northern Ireland native learned to play guitar and got his start busking as he traveled across Italy and Australia. Damien says that although he only busked for a short amount of time, it helped fund his trip and he had some really cool experiences like jamming with some Aborigines who were using bongos and didgeridoo. “It’s definitely a great way to gain confidence and experience for live performances”

[Tweet “[busking] is definitely a great way to gain confidence and experience for live performances @damienbrennan1”]

When Damien returned home he began songwriting and recording demos on a budget. These demos caught the attention of mastering engineer Pete Maher (U2, Snow Patrol, Katy Perry):

“Damien is a gifted and super talented singer/songwriter with the potential for great success! Up there with the best!”

Damien recorded professional tracks with Zero Hour Studios which lead to gigs around the UK and earned him radio time on BBC Radio 6 and Amazing Radio. Damien was invited to play live at London’s Bedford in August.

Damien’s EP Shine was released September 14. Connect with Damien on Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud. Damien J Brennan‘s songs can be found on Itunes.