Youth MassIreland has been doing a pretty good job at churning out solid indie rock outfits lately. Hailing form Trim, Youth Mass seem to be another success story coming off that particular conveyor belt. The test of the band though is ‘Morning Run, Evening Sun’; the album that the band have spent the best part of a year working on.

Their dedication to the craft has paid off. After four years on the road, the band sound comfortable and confident in their sound. No where is this more obvious than on opening track Morning Run. Putting the ‘youth’ in Youth Mass, the track sans vocals is gloriously energetic, with an M83-esque build-up meeting a wall of sound.

On A Wave showcases Darren Mullarkey’s vocal prowess – softer and sweet sounding against the aggressive, frantic guitar sound.

Dream On is undoubtedly the star of the show. The drum beats are relentless and the melodies are utterly gorgeous, and should make this song a staple on summer playlists. The lyrics are not likely to be described anywhere as ground-breaking – “I dream on empty to find the source” – but when a song’s this catchy, does it really matter?

Old Enough To Know Better is the song to establish them as a good old fashioned rock band. Again, they do not allow the Morse code sounding guitars and synths to overwhelm the vocals. Similarly, on Close To Tears, the syncopated vocals correspond with the dramatic, ominous guitars throughout.

Youth Mass display trademark indie band vulnerability on In Slow Motion, that is not seen elsewhere on ‘Morning Run, Evening Sun’. The instrumentation is drawn out and serene sounding, and almost cinematic.

The varying tempo throughout – from the furious 1995, to the subtle A Holiday For Your Head, mirrors the transition from morning to evening. Making a concept album is a difficult task to master, especially as a debut album, but Youth Mass have managed to take a simple idea and execute it effectively through the music.

“You’re not another face in the crowd,” Mullarkey sings on On A Wave. Judging by ‘Morning Run, Evening Sun’, neither are Youth Mass.