Letterkenny artist Lou Rowland, aka mokusla, is set to release a new EP of ethereal sounds inspired by the ebb and flow of friendships.

lovely people here, but it’s just not the same is a record of four dream-pop tracks that have already gained airplay on BBC Radio 6 New Music Fix, BBC Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Ulster.

Lou, from Letterkenny, now based in Glasgow, produced both haunting and uplifting songs for this, her second EP, out on 23rd October.

“It came from a time of feeling lost, craving old connections and deep nostalgia,” says mokusla.

“Long distance friendships can be hard; I don’t always feel very good at keeping up with people, and at times don’t feel like a great friend. I’m naturally very private. I suppose these songs are my way of expressing love and gratitude for the people in my life.”

A nostalgic journey of sorts, lovely people here, but it’s just not the same has a mix of 21st century interrogations of friendships in a world of flux but it also retains a magic that’s buried deep in the earth of the places we call home.

The cover of the mokusla EP ‘lovely people here, but it’s just not the same’ by oe Sheehy

Opening track “enjoy tomorrow” describes a fleeting moment of intense happiness, mokusla recalling singing in a car with two friends, during a difficult period. A gently rolling track, it then flows into “ghost” a song in two parts which is an ode to the strength of friends. “the metal man” is a dreamlike trance named after the rock marker in the waters off Ards Friary, recalling the haunting moments of Julia Holter and Caroline Polachek and the EP ends in a crescendo with final track “dolls”.

The EP was written, performed and produced by mokusla (her name was inspired by the Gaelic phrase Mo Chuisle, meaning my darling). It was recorded at Green Door Studio, Glasgow, mixed by Ronan Fay and mastered by Samuel J. Smith. “the metal man” features additional Bodhrán by John Rowland and “enjoy tomorrow” has violin by Lisa Meech.

To pre-save the EP to your streaming service, visit: https://mokusla.ffm.to/lovelypeopleherebutitsjustnotthesame