Episode 13
Staros
by Nina Hynes
“It was a pleasure to speak with podcaster and documentary maker Paul McDermott. He knew way more about my past than I did! Nice trips down memory lane. It will be 20 years in May since this album was released!”
Nina Hynes
Episode 13 - Preview
Staros (Reverb Records, 2002). Photograph by Paul McDermott.
Episode Notes
Episode thirteen of To Here Knows When - Great Irish Albums Revisited focuses on Staros by Nina Hynes.
“Adventurous Irish songstress delivers 21st century folk-tunes and dazzling electronic jewels.” - CMJ New Music Monthly
Staros celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and it is the youngest album I’ve featured on the podcast to date. It was the first full-length album from Hynes following her debut mini-album Creation in 1999. Hynes started busking on Grafton St in the mid 90s and like many of her singer-songwriter contemporaries she graduated to gigs at the International bar, the Da Club and Whelan’s. Hynes supported Stereolab in the Redbox on 15 May, 1999, it was my first time seeing her play with a full band and it was a brilliantly confident performance of songs from the Creation period. I couldn’t wait to see what she would do next.
The fantastic Staros was released a few years later to enthusiastic reviews. Billboard magazine wrote, “Standing apart from the current trend of folk-based singer/songwriters, Hynes prefers a quirkier approach. Her kooky lyrics are delivered in a sensual, breathy voice underpinned by sophisticated pop sensibility reminiscent of Bjork, and she mixes samples and beats with a more orthodox guitar sound.”
Nina grew up around music, she is the youngest of ten and her parents ran the famous O’Donoghue’s pub on Merrrion Row. O’Donoghue’s is synonymous with Irish trad and folk music and from an early age Nina was collecting glasses and helping out in the bar.
In this episode I chat to Nina about: her earliest memories of music; writing her first song at the age of 8; taking up piano and later the guitar; busking on Grafton St; being introduced to the French composer and producer Hector Zazou; recording with Zazou and touring throughout Europe with him and Harold Budd; writing and recording Creation and Staros and touring America with labelmates 10 Speed Racer. We even talk about that time back in 1994 when she sang onstage with Jeff Buckley at the Limelight in Belfast.
Artwork from the inlay card of Staros
After Staros Nina went on to release two albums as Nina Hynes & The Husbands: Really Really Do (2007) and Baby Dance (2008). She has released a number of mini-albums under her own name including: Sanctuary and Raging Fire (both 2017). She also releases music under the name Dancing Suns. Based in Berlin for nearly 15 years, Nina continues to write, produce and perform music. Details of ZAP!, her most recent album, are below.
Nina Hynes/Adrian Crowley - “Zhivago BLue”/”Fickle Light” (Road Relish #10, 2002). The tenth 7” in a series of 14 released by Road/Relish (record shop Road Records and promoters Alpha Relish) between 1999 and 2004. Each 7” was limited to 500 copies.
Images Paul McDermott.
Nina Hynes/Adrian Crowley - “Zhivago BLue”/”Fickle Light” (Road Relish #10, 2002) - 7” insert. Image by Paul McDermott
AC/NH labels - (Road Relish #10, 2002). Images Paul McDermott.
Stereolab
with guest Nina Hynes
Red Box
15 May 1999
Image by Paul McDermott
Terry Callier
with special guests
Nina Hynes & Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Ambassador Theatre
16 August 2002
Image by Paul McDermott
For Further Listening:
To Here Knows When column in The Goo on Staros…
by Paul McDermott
The Goo - Issue 10 (Mar-Apr 2023)
Staros can be heard below:
Nina co-wrote three songs on Hector Zazou’s 2003 album Strong Currents: “Mmmh” (Vocals by Melanie Gabriel); “Beauty” (Vocals by Jane Birkin) and “Under My Wing” (Vocals by Nina Hynes).
Strong Currents can be heard below.
Nina Hynes - ZAP! (2021). It’s available on Bandcamp.