In Athens release their debut EP 'Mirrorism'
- Richard Blowes
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Galway's In Athens have released their debut EP Mirrorism on streaming services and vinyl, and announced an Irish tour
EP: Mirrorism
Band: In Athens
Released: October 24 2025
Further to two trailing singles, Or Anything and Tides, Galway four piece In Athens have released their debut EP Mirrorism on streaming services and 12" black vinyl. Everything about this EP reflects contrast and the liminal space the band inhabit between the land, the sea and the sky, chaos and control, fury and calm.
Opener Or Anything sets the tone of this EP perfectly - confident yet contained, not showy; every aspect defined by Dan Doherty's brilliant production - fuzzy bass, snappy drums, restrained but heavy guitar and over all this glide the dreamy vocals of Gráinne Bleasdale. As we noted in a previous review "a colossal musical collage which is simultaneously hazy yet punchy and razor sharp".
Everything about this EP reflects contrast and the liminal space the band inhabit between the land, the sea and the sky, chaos and control, fury and calm.
Next up is the first of two previously unheard tracks Days Into Days which indicates that the two singles were first among equals - there is no filler on this EP. Without any let up in the intensity and songwriting chops, their sound immerses you in the finest elements of post-punk and shoegaze. Mosey Byrne's and Brian Ruane's jerky drum rhythm and lock stepped bass provide a tension-building foundation for the piercingly clear vocals (and subtle, satisfying, keyboards) of Gráinne Bleasdale and some stellar guitar work from Manolis Pates.
Aligned with their theme of contrast and reflecting their edge of Europe home, Tides captures the ebb and flow of emotional disconnect, vividly portraying unmatched relationships which are out of sync, one person reaching out while the other pulls back, a familiar back-and-forth that will strike a chord with anyone who has experienced it.
Bleasdale's vocals enveloping you in their closeness dissolve into a huge crashing guitar wave as her vocals move into the background, as if she is being carried out by the enormity of the sound.
Guided by infectious, shuffling drums, Tides draws you in with a captivating guitar riff and a sweet piano trill which brings Abba's Dancing Queen to mind. Yes really. The juxtaposed male and female vocals build to a gratifying chorus which rises and falls like the very tides the song is named for.
On the final track Expiration Marks you can feel the band really lean into their darker, shoegaze character. The sparse verses with Bleasdale's vocals enveloping you in their closeness, dissolve into a huge crashing guitar wave as her vocals move into the background, as if she is being carried out by the enormity of the sound. The final movement of the track, and this stunning EP, has the echoing, bass heavy and spidery guitar sound of Joy Division. A fitting climax.
Join In Athens, dive in and be transported by their post-punk energy, referencing the past to make a new futuristic soundscape which reflects the majestic beauty, raw power and shimmering tranquillity of their surroundings.
In Athens live dates
November 7 Cork - Dali
November 13 Limerick - Record Room
November 14 Dublin - Sin É
November 23 Galway - Róisín Dubh
November 28 Donegal - Harbour Bar, Killybegs
The single sided 12" black vinyl version is available here:
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