After boasting recent supporting slots for the likes of Fontaines D.C., Wunderhorse, and Irish folk-punk juggernauts The Pogues, Cardinals have duly taken the musical world by storm. 

Infusing grand melodies with intimate lyrics, the Cork-hailing five-piece are poised for further acclaim following the announcement of their hotly anticipated debut album, ‘Masquerade’. 

Set for release on February 13th via So Young Records, ‘Masquerade’ is set to be a bold and poetic affair, with the band’s adoration for their hometown and country at its core. 

A summer with producer Shrink at London’s RAK studios has led to Cardinals crafting an intimate, ten-song menagerie that flickers between folk, new wave, goth rock, and indie. Whilst ‘Masquerade’ accents a clear distinction between its two halves, with a vivid, lighter A-side, contrasting with the darker, more glowering B-side, the entirety of the album’s contents is similarly steeped in emotion and saturated with melody. 

‘Masquerade’s tracklist features ‘Big Empty Heart’, the towering yet elegantly cinematic single that debuted earlier this year, alongside the recent release of the album’s title track. As a single, ‘Masquerade’ features lyrics that are as caressing as they are brooding, all whilst sitting upon a homely bed of lilting accordion and gentle percussion. 

Much like their previous releases, ‘Masquerade’ demonstrates Cardinals’ almost innate and commendable ability to conjure up audible incarnations of Ireland’s cultural fabric. The quintet’s discography brims with a distinct reverence for their home and their history, with ‘Masquerade’ only exemplifying this feat further. 

Alongside Mên An Tol and Pebbledash, Cardinals are embarking on a headline run of UK dates on the So Young Tour, tickets for which can be found here. In addition, the band has also shared details of a headline tour across Europe in November,  which rounds up a monumental year for Cork’s favourite sons.