JOHN BLEK
New Single ‘747’
Out October 1st
“Delicate but powerful album” - 9/10 Maverick Magazine
“John Blek’s voice has never sounded better; it’s unquestionably his finest work yet” KLOF
“A songwriter of rare power and insight and a deliverer of mesmerising and witty live shows” - RnR Magazine
'747,' released on October 1st, is the first single from John Blek's forthcoming studio album The Midnight Ache. Renowned as one of Ireland's most creative and independent artists, John Blek brings us this tender track about leaving and the collapse of long-lasting love.
"This is a song I wrote on an early morning flight to Europe to begin a tour back in late 2023. Those journeys can often be fruitful & creative times. The mind is half asleep, and the body is there, witnessing the tired beginnings of the day or the alien landscapes above the clouds. It's a chance to get outside of yourself."
The Midnight Ache is a beautifully intimate and well-crafted piece of alternative folk, a powerful 11-song follow-up to 2024's well-received album, Cheer Up, which saw support from national and regional radio, BBC 6 Cerys Matthews, BBC Ulster's Eve Blair and Ralph McClean, amongst others. This time around, John has taken his DIY spirit one step further, self-recording and producing the bulk of the album and building the recording studio by hand.
In April 2024 Blek finished building his new creative home, Bigger River Recording Co., and set about working on what would become The Midnight Ache. Echoes of Sea Change era Beck and Sparklehorse give this record a lo-fi intimacy, while the string arrangements balance the sound with an element of grandeur and sophistication. Home is very much at the heart of this new album; it features vocal performances by John's wife, and even the cover is adorned with pressed flowers from their garden. Additional production and mixing were done by regular collaborator Brian Casey at Wavefield Recordings.
John Blek is Cork City born and bred, currently residing in north Cork. His parents, both of whom were primary school teachers, had to bribe him to stay in school after his 16th birthday with the promise of a new guitar on the completion of his final exams. Blek has a love of music in the real sense; he creates to create. At 38, he has a catalogue of music that would represent a lifetime's work for many musicians.
The Midnight Ache will be released in early 2026 on John’s own label Bigger River Recording Co. Pre-save HERE.
Live Dates
29th Jan - Celtic Connections, Glasgow
19th Feb - Swiss Cottage, Winchester
20th Feb - The Grace, London
21th Feb - The Louisiana, Bristol
22nd Feb - Dead Sea Records, St. David’s