DOSES

Singer-songwriter-musician Dylan Ireland turns a corner – and turns the page – with his latest project.

Ireland has been an evolving presence in the Peterborough-area music scene, embracing folk and roots first as a teenager along with his brother, then as “Express and Company” a decade or so ago, before taking on a more folk-pop edge as a solo artist in 2017.

Now it’s time to draw a line under all that – “I don’t want to talk about where I’ve been, I’m looking straight ahead now,” Ireland says as he talks about his new direction, both musically and personally.

He has teamed up with composer-producer-“magic maker” Colin Kennedy (Paradise Garage) and the duo are forging a path into pop music as “DOSES”.

“It (pop music) has been it for me the whole time. Nobody knew I was the 12-year-old kid sitting in my room listening to Matchbox 20,” Ireland says with grin. “The genre is very creatively freeing.”

Ireland and Kennedy met a few years ago, and eventually got together collaboratively. During COVID Kennedy began sending music tracks to Ireland, who would write lyrics and send the files back. “Once we were able to get together things started flowing,” Kennedy explained.

Ireland has overcome struggles with addiction but he is in a different place now – ten months sober – and has a new perspective and a new focus.

After creating some of the music, Ireland and Kennedy knew they were missing something – and they brought on long-time friend and collaborator Rob Foreman, bass player.

Music heals, and DOSES are releasing their first project in doses – one song a month, with video, beginning with the debut release, “Break”, a song which talks about drawing that line under the past. The entire creative and production process happens at Paradise Garage Studio, where Ireland says “the magic happens”.

When asked how many songs will comprise DOSES’ first album, Ireland replied enigmatically “we will keep releasing songs until we decide the project is finished.” Grinning, he added “There ‘will’ be an album in 2022.”

The biggest challenge to taking on a new music genre is finding new people, new audiences. “We know they will love it, but we have to get it into their ears. DOSES wants you to listen.”

DOSES’ debut show takes place in the Captain’s Courtyard at Spanky’s – 201 Hunter St. in Peterborough – on September 25, by which time the second song, Diamond Ring, will have dropped.

Tap into their various online platforms through their Linktree link – https://linktr.ee/DOSESmusic – and get ready for your first dose of DOSES.

Photo credit: Bryan Reid