Curfew navigate tension and release on retro rock cut “Flaketown”

A sound that is both rich in emotion and musically poised, textured guitar riffs tangle with deep, crystalline vocals, set against a rhythmic drum foundation. “Flaketown” is the third track on their debut album Black Doll’s Eyes, a record of melodic assertiveness and lyrical vulnerability. “Recording it felt like we were courageously capturing a part of our lives. We wanted every detail, from the atmosphere to the dynamics, to feel authentic to who we are as a band,” guitarist Gavin Dunne explains.

Curfew’s lineup consists of Jj Smilez on vocals; Dunne on guitar; and Michael Caffrey on drums. The project is rooted in the friendship between Dunne and Caffrey, who grew up on the same road, but the lineup was only completed when they met Smilez backstage at a gig in Whelan’s. “Her voice and presence unlocked something in the music that we’d been chasing for years. Once she joined, the sound finally felt whole,” Dunne shares.

Together, Curfew fuse fuzz-laden retro riffs with a contemporary rock sound. 60s and 70s nostalgia seeps into jangly guitar lines, lending a tactile warmth to the track. Their influences range from shoegaze to stoner rock and folk. “We like blending the calm with the chaos, gritty textures with something more dreamy or melodic. That push-and-pull is a big part of our sound,” Dunne says. On “Flaketown”, the three-piece embrace this tension as tremolo notes quiver over grounding percussion.

The bridge of “Flaketown” introduces a softer, folky texture that contrasts with the track’s rock foundation. Dunne explains: “The bridge is the moment where the noise washes away, and you actually hear the emotion underneath. We wanted to create a raw breath like an exhale, where the song slows down and steps outside its groove to show a different side of the story.” The noise recedes like a withdrawing tide, revealing a raw honesty at the core of the track.

Lyrically, “Flaketown” is a sharp reflection on connection, distraction, and the negative space between people. “The narrative comes from deeper observations from my personal life, but as a whole concept, the song developed from a collection of experiences,” Dunne shares. “I find it absolutely fascinating to see how our relationships are evolving with people alongside technology, and I think it’s a theme worth exploring and diving into.”

With “Flaketown”, Curfew stake their claim in Dublin’s scene, delivering a track as intricate as it is immediate. As the band marks their place, Dunne reflects: “There’s an incredible pool of talent here. Bands like Scustin, Really Good Time, Yard, Fizzy Orange, and Big Sleep are all creating work that’s bold, interesting, and totally their own, and being surrounded by that kind of creativity pushes you to keep evolving.”