Launched only in June 2017, Buí (Gaelic translation for ‘yellow’), is the nom de plume of Belfast-based alternative musician Josh Healy, formerly of Josh the Human. ‘People Don’t Think’ is Buí’s debut single, with a full album anticipated for release in early 2018.
When first listening to ‘People Don’t Think’, you can instantly connect the dots as to who Buí’s key influencers have been. You can hear the thinly veiled inspirations from a mixture of artists like Bon Iver, Luke Kelly, The Microphones, Sparklehorse and even a little bit of old-school Blink-182.
But it’s the originality and authenticity that makes this song special. From the music video to the song lyrics – you can see that Buí has immersed himself in every element of the production journey, and you can appreciate his excitement and dedication to get his sound out there under his new stage name. ‘People Don’t Think’ is a very easy-to-listen-to, honest and relatable song, and its chant-worthy chorus is enough to get stuck in your head in a way that you really won’t mind.
B-side ‘Ode to You’ initially sounds like the intro of ‘Run’ by Snow Patrol, giving you that nostalgic feeling of a song you used to love, allowing you to fall in love with this one even quicker. It takes an interesting and refreshing turn as the vocals are delicate, raw, and sung with true sincerity. The points where Buí gently lulls “I still want to be your fairy-tale” before exploding into heavy drums and heartrending vocal cries is particularly impactful and emotive, making this song personally the better of the two tracks.
‘People Don’t Think’ and its B-side ‘Ode to You’ feature Colonel Chocolate and the Justic Triangle members Jason Jackson and Adam Sloan, as well as former Josh the Human guitar/bass player Rónán McQuillan. In this spirit of collaboration, Buí’s full-length album is also set to feature guest appearances from a range of different musicians from the local rock, folk and traditional scenes, as well as those from further afield – something to definitely look forward to in the coming months!
