Cardinals – Big Empty Heart

Cork’s Cardinals prove that some melodies are worth the wait with ‘Big Empty Heart’, a track built around a synth line that guitarist Oskar Gudinovic wrote when he was twelve.

Working with producer Shrink at RAK Studios, the five-piece has crafted what frontman Euan Manning calls “a love song written from beyond the grave” – which sounds appropriately dramatic for a waltz that manages to feel both gothic and romantic. The song weaves accordion motifs through post-punk atmospherics, creating something that nods to traditional Celtic sounds while keeping one foot firmly planted in contemporary indie territory.

There’s something beautifully circular about taking a melody from adolescence and turning it into a meditation on love and loss. The production allows the track to breathe, letting the accordion textures sit alongside guitar lines that strain against their restraints. It’s moody without being overwrought, introspective without disappearing into itself.

The timing couldn’t be better for Cardinals, who’ve been steadily building momentum since their debut EP. With Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten publicly declaring them “one of my favourite new bands” and a support slot at Finsbury Park lined up, they’re striking the right chord with the right people. Their upcoming tour schedule reads like a band on the rise – from Dublin shows with Wunderhorse to US dates supporting The Pogues.

‘Big Empty Heart’ suggests a band comfortable taking their time to get things right. In an industry obsessed with constant content, something is refreshing about a group that lets ideas marinate for over a decade before bringing them to life.