Úna Keane is a composer, producer & performer from Dublin. She blends piano, electronics, movement & film. Since the release of piano solo LP ‘As I Wake, Still I Dream’ in 2017, she’s been steadily building a following on the ambient, neoclassical scene. A life-long musician, she approaches her artistic practice from 3 perspectives: theoretical, experimental & improvisational. Her use of cyclical patterns and looped motifs produces music that mines deep whilst conjuring cinematic landscape; recurring themes in her work link music, nature & science.
Lauren Murphy, reviewing sophomore LP ‘In the Deep’ (2019) for The Irish Times drew comparisons to the work of Ólafur Arnalds and Max Richter, citing her use of looped tracks and field recordings, while RTE 2FM's Dan Hegarty heralded it as a "stunning piece of work that will have you floating from tears to joy". Of her work over the past few years, Tony Clayton-Lea has named her "probably one of the best exponents of instrumental music that comes from a quiet, calm place”.
The Dubliner released critically-acclaimed Live Album 'Collaborations’ at the end of 2020 (“one of the few artists in the world to release a live album recorded in 2020” – Nialler 9). Recorded live at The Pepper Canister Church a week before the first lockdown, it features Stephen Shannon, Liam Ó'Maonlaí, Lōwli, Gareth Quinn Redmond & Ronán Conroy. Named Irish Album of the Year by Broadsheet.ie ("unforgettable...improvisation of the highest calibre"), it garnered a glowing 8.5/10 review from Hot Press Magazine and 4 stars from The Irish Times. The concert was recorded, mixed and mastered by Adam KJ, and Úna & Adam co-produced. Following the warm reception to the record, a limited edition vinyl pressing of the album was released on her UKM imprint label in 2021.
Her work has received regular airplay on RTE Radio 1, RTE 2FM, RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta, Newstalk, RTE Lyric FM, BBC Across the Line and on Martin Bridgeman's KCLR FM show Ceol Anocht. In addition to composing & releasing her own music, she’s also been building a portfolio of film scoring commissions: “La Petite Mort” (2019) written & directed by Michael Smiley (Kill List, The Lobster) was short-listed at Galway Film Fleadh and Film Festa Roma. In 2020 she was invited to score the music for Dance Film ‘Silvaticus’ – a 3-way collaboration between Contemporary Dancer / Choreographer Jana Castillo (AUS) & Film-maker Sinéad McDevitt (IRE). The film was subsequently premiered by Hot Press on 21.01.21. In 2021 Úna was commissioned by the Gallery of Photography to take part in a collaborative NFT project called 'Galleries With[out] Walls', in association with RCC Letterkenny & the Museum of CryptoArt NYC (MoCA). She’s currently working on a new Arts Council-funded project called TIDAL, which explores the passage / flow of tidal energy generated in a lunar cycle: through music, electronics, light installation, spoken word an field recordings.
Hania Rani // Eden
For me Hania Rani is the most extraordinary pianist / composer out there at present. I think she's phenomenal. And this piece is pure magic. The way she builds melody and harmonies. She's a virtuoso but without any of the stuffiness often attached with that tag. I love "Eden". If I'm ever feeling tired or overwhelmed I listen to it and somehow everything feels right again. Thanks Hania x
Beethoven // Moonlight Sonata - First movement (where do you start really.. )
I started learning piano age 5 and a half. It was around 8 that I started my mild obsession with Ludwig Van Beethoven. I couldn't quite understand how someone so talented and prolific could have produced all the extraordinary work he produced while practically deaf from such a relatively young age. It just fascinated me. It'll take a life-time to understand and digest even a small part of his work. Such a complicated and troubled person, and yet his music was just sublime.
Mike Oldfield // Tubular Bells - Pt. I
My brother Míchéal played this record non-stop for about 2 years when we were growing up and I suppose it filtered through to me via osmosis or something.. I just love how he used all the instruments in unusual ways. The layering, the musicianship. The way it was recorded, the warmth. It still stands up. Iconic.
Kate Bush // This Woman's Work
Like everyone else growing up in the 1980's, I just loved her. Still love her. Her artistry, her vast talent. She's a genius. Hard to narrow it down to one track, but I'd go with "This Woman's Work". It's so moving, so beautiful. Love how the story's told from the male perspective. The love, the respect.
Ólafur Arnalds // Particals - Island Songs VI (with Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdóttir)
Her voice, his music and the stunning music video shot on an open-plan stairwell - there's something so peaceful, so calm and so beautiful about this piece. I love it. Listen to it almost every day.
Niklas Paschburg // Tuur mang Welten
Another super-talented contemporary classical composer who I find really inspiring. Love how he works electronics into his pieces, in such a gentle but powerful way. This is one of my favs of his, but I love pretty much all his work.
Yann Tiernen // Comptine d'une autre été
From the movie Amélie, it was just so beautiful. I love all of Tiersen's film catalogue, but there's something really special about this soundtrack and this piece in particular. The movement in the bass line especially - I love it. There's real beauty and joy wrapped up in this piece.
Debussy // La fille aux Cheveux de Lin
I learned this piece for one of my piano exams back in the day and loved it, though it took me some time to understand it. It's just stunning. So beautiful on so many levels and it continues to teach me so much.
Philip Glass // Opening from Glassworks
The syncopation, the flow - pure magic. I remember hearing this the first time and being just wowed that you could write music like this. It was in fact one of those moments for me as a budding composer age 10 that inspired me to break away (quietly) from the discipline of purely classical study / technique. Glassworks as an album emboldened me to explore rhythm and texture that I had never explored before
Bach // Goldberg Variations
What can I say. Bach was a legend. Contrapuntal brain food. Harmony central. Love this work. Always brings me on a journey. It's like the Magic Roundabout :)