REVIEW: Rún - Rún

In the Irish language, Rún is a word with a multitude of meanings; secret, mystery, love. The scope and poetic nature of the word encompass the sound that new band Rún makes. Rún’s self-titled debut album is brought to you by three esteemed artists from Ireland. Vocalist Tara Baoth Mooney (also known as the Clumsy Giantess) has years of creative projects under her belt spanning visual art and textiles. Diarmuid MacDiarmada (Nurse With Wound collaborator, and brother to Cormac MacDiarmada of Lankum) is a multi-instrumentalist with over 30 years experience across many aspects of music scenes in Ireland. The drummer and sound designer, Rian Trench, is a well known producer amongst other things, with a particular presence in the electronic music scenes. The album was recorded in Trench’s studio The Meadow, on Ireland’s east coast.

Combined, the trio have created a seven track piece that layers stoner/sludge, cosmic jazz, and acid folk. The album is packed with experimental, all encompassing tracks, and if you were to describe it with one word, it would be layers. Aside from the instruments you would expect, you can hear layers upon layers of chattering and whispering, domestic clattering, and even flies buzzing. The intro track ‘Paidir Poball (Pupil)’ brings an eerie, almost psychedelic feeling from the get go, with stunning traditional Irish vocals. Some aspects feel distanced, whilst others feel right on top of you, with whispering and scraping sounds scattered across the track. They become uncomfortable at times, adding an element of other-worldliness. The welcome durge of the guitars burst in and create a chilling atmosphere that builds. The background scraping and grating can still be heard as the song reaches its peak. The deep choral throat singing soars through, familiar sounds are coming in and out of consciousness which then progress into a robotic vocal, a big contrast to the chanting earlier.

‘Your Death My Body’ begins with an addictive beat, the lyrics here are spoken, with emotional ruptures affecting the pitch and tempo of the piece. Notable influence from the likes of Portishead or Massive Attack can be picked up in this track, with the drum beat and the wavering background synths, the ending sounding like something being mixed in a mixing bowl, that then blends into a structured pattern. ‘Terror Moon’ was the first single, released back in May, and this track provided a great introduction to the group with a driving drum beat that crashes into a hypnotic, reverberating groove. The stoner buzz comes through here, whilst the standout point is the very crisp percussion that sharpens the edges of the blurry surroundings of guitar and vocals. The second single 'Strike It' that was released last month has the beloved stoner driving force, with more crisp drumlines and vocals that break out into wails and then break down even further into rumbling distortion.

Rún is a busy album, with lots of elements all happening at once. Each track stands on its own, even the shorter experimental interludes. Many of the sound effects produced throughout the album sound like everyday objects that have been repurposed to make new sounds that are immersive and surrealistic. The level of exploration and creativity in this album is exciting and frankly, enormously impressive. The triad will be playing a small string of shows in the UK in November that you will certainly not want to miss out on.

Score: 9/10

Rún will be released on August 22nd 2025 via Rocket Recordings.

Words: Danielle Henderson

Photos: Rún