Grouse is the work of Dublin native Ronan Carroll. It is an outlet for his electronic, dub and ambient influenced productions.
Since the release of Grouse’s critically aclaimed debut album, “We Want To Be Loved” in 2005 Carroll has been a busy man. Touring the US with a high energy celtic-rock band while promoting a downtempo album is just one example of how Carroll likes to do things a little unconventionally.
While it’s true to say that his release, under the moniker Grouse, is not what you would call celtic, nor rock, not to mention a combination of the two, Carroll’s eclectic tastes have always been evident in the music in which he is involved.
Becoming obsessed with dub inspired downtempo and trip hop while taking guitar lessons from a thrash metal legend in San Francisco is indicitive of his story. Over the years he has tried his hand at boy's choir-singing (refusing to go after 2 sessions, he still has cred), piano lessons, folk-rock, cover bands, wedding bands, the works. Joining his first band at 15, by 17 he was playing professionally with an outfit that combined Beatles tunes with traditional Irish ballads!
Of course, the 12 years spent in San Francisco were massively important and this is where Grouse began. Trying his luck “for a year”, Ronan still found himself in the city by the bay 12 years later. The city is full of music and any genre can be indulged seven nights a week. It suited Ronan to a tee.
He built up a studio with gig money and soon found himself spending most of his spare time there. Working on his own composing beats, adding guitars, vocals and percussion and later the work of some guest musicians, the result was the self-released full length album which has been described as “sublime musical excellence” by Beats Digital.
The music is full of contradictions: dark and soothing, electronic and organic, mellow and driving.
Tracks from the album have been featured in a documentary shown on Irish network television as well as appearing on the nationally broadcast US radio show "Echoes", with John Diliberto, and web radio like Groovera, Jazzy Lounge, Deep Intense, Smooth Lounge, BeOS and various radio stations around the world.
In 2007 Carroll moved back to his hometown of Dublin, Ireland and has been busy with various musical projects. Grouse is still his main concern though and new tracks are coming together. “There will be more guitars on the next album but I’m always attracted to the spacey electronic sounds and beats”.
Watch this space for release dates, news and other musical projects.