Mel Keane

*250 copies limited edition* "Pipeworx" is the new release from Irish musician Mel Keane, out April 24, 2026 on Deardogs. For the last two or so years, Mel Keane has been researching and making work in response to the pipe band (bagpipe and snare drum military adjacent marching bands) tradition, which is found mostly in countries that have been colonised by the UK, such as Ireland.

This new record came as the result of this research, exploring the instability and directness of the bagpipes, but leaving behind the triumphant and militant qualities of pipe band music. Instead, aiming for something more emotionally ambiguous, or even melancholic. "Pipeworx" consists of two tracks : "PW1", the first one, takes the form of a long drone track that gradually weaves together different bagpipe tones, incorporating elements of electronics and contemporary classical to create a strong emotional tension across 10 minutes, ending in a beautiful loop.

The same motifs can be found in the second track, "PW2", but with a different structure : the track is opened by an electronic loop, slowly joined by harpsichord, subs and snare drums cutting the piece in half before setting off again, and ending with the same bagpipe drone used in the first track, seamlessly bringing these two pieces together like the two sides of a single coin."