The Kanyu Tree

ARTIST INFO

The Kanyu Tree

There are any number of things that stand out about Irish trio The Kanyu Tree. The songs. The name. The harmonies. The fact the three members - guitarist Daniel, singer Shane and bassist Oisin Cluskey - are siblings. But above all, it comes down to one thing. The sound. Listen to their two singles to date - ‘Radio’ and ‘Shelf Life’ - and you’ll hear it. Ask them to define it, and they simply say: “Pop. Classic pop.”

Musically, The Kanyu Tree sound both surprisingly familiar and like little else around today. Ask the band what music they like, what they listen to, they always end up in a particular place: that loose category that will always have a home on the FM dial. They are a band in pursuit of the perfect pop song.

“It started with us listening to our parents’ record collections,” says Oisin. “And a lot of it came from when Daniel started to learn guitar, playing songs from Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, The Bee Gees, The Police, The Eagles and Simon and Garfunkel. Bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young came later, alongside Prince and Tears For Fears.”

Landmark records litter the band’s memories of growing up. Shane’s first album remains a huge influence on him. “Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. That was my first record, and I’ve been a fan since then. Vocally, and his presence on stage….” Today, the reference points have expanded substantially, to include bands like Passion Pit, My Morning Jacket, Jape and Beach House... Read More