Cork’s Cardinals start 2026 with a real sense of anticipation brewing around their debut album “Masquerade”. Ahead of its release via So Young Records on February 13th the band today share a final single, “I Like You”, a romantic, accordion-led track that has already become a live favourite in their recent sets.
Frontman Euan Manning had to say the following about their latest release:
“This is the first song we wrote with the album in mind. After a very long period of not working on anything we started and finished this some bright morning last February in our practice studio. It felt cathartic, a completely grounding moment after feeling slightly lost for months.
The first lyric is stripped/paraphrased from the tune ‘My Funny Valentine’. I don’t think it was written by Chet Baker but that’s the version we know.”
These are emotionally expansive songs, some simmering with an undercurrent of violence, cynicism or fervent discontent (Anhedonia, The Burning of Cork, Barbed Wire) and others gleaming with a bright-eyed vulnerability. A vivid first half contrasts a darker second and crafts a record with a clear A-side and B-side. A nod to the band’s collective love of vinyl, that tonal shift takes its cue from a variety of expected and unexpected influences – from the brittle honesty of folk to the theatrical melodrama of goth-rock.
A band forged through both family and friendship – brothers Euan and Finn Manning, their cousin Darragh and their former schoolmates Oskar Gudinovic and Aaron Hurley – the five-piece have already positioned themselves at the vanguard of the Irish independent rock scene. And with “Masquerade”, they have flung off any shackles to craft something entirely their own.
“Masquerade” will be released on all physical formats including a Rough Trade exclusive Galaxy vinyl, Retail and Artist store variants as well as CD and cassette (exclusively via the band’s store). Those in Australia will also be able to order an exclusive edition via Impressed.
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