The big bad world of indie rock can be a tough place to find your way through and even more difficult to find your place in. Luckily for The North Sea, it’s evident from the first track of ‘Anniversary’ that they aren’t going to struggle.

‘Anniversary’ is the Dublin quintet’s highly anticipated debut album and it truly is something special. From the second Eoin Kenny’s distinctive vocals kick into opening track I Promise, every ounce of your being wants to enjoy it. The first thirty seconds build into a cacophony of sound that serves to entice the listener. “You come here with silence in tow” is a lyric that seems to leap out of the song on every listen. As far as opening songs go, I Promise is exactly what you want as you’ll willingly strap yourself in for the journey you’re going to be taken on. Drinking Alone is a beautifully written track that will have you contemplating life while the melancholy In Love will tug on your heartstrings.

As the album goes on, you’ll realise that not only is it musically fantastic but the stories told through the well written lyrics will ensnare you. You’ll find your eyes opened by The North Sea’s heart-on-sleeve approach to music as well as pressing repeat on certain tracks. Songs are chocked full of glistening guitars and thundering rhythm sections while the vocal of Eoin Kenny cuts through the mix, begging to be listened to.

Current single Decay is a well penned track with the beautifully bleak opening line of “chemistry will be the ruin of me//boiling all of my pain down”. The backing vocals elevate the song to the next level while intensity of the lead vocal increases as the song progresses.

At times The North Sea sound like a strange Editors/Embrace hybrid but with something that just makes them stand out a little bit. A debut album is a difficult thing to get right and due to this, so many slip below the radar. The North Sea are a band that thoroughly deserve all manners of praise for what is a genuinely great album. The infectious melodies and catchy hooks will draw you in, but you’ll keep returning for the emotions felt through the stories that are so carefully told.

The North Sea launch their debut album ‘Anniversary’ at The Grand Social on Friday the 26th of June.