Dylan John Thomas' latest tour of 2023 affirmed that the Scottish singer-songwriter is on the cusp of something special. He sold almost 9,000 tickets in Scotland in a few hours and sold out venues across England too, inspiring enthusiastic receptions: beers in the air, fans singing on each other's shoulders and the happy-go-lucky bounce of the mosh pit.
Now that Dylan looks set to accelerate his progress with the release of his debut album next month, he's sharing a new preview of what to expect in the form of 'What I Need'. While Dylan's songs cover a wide spectrum, 'What I Need' comes from a place we haven't heard from him before. It's a song that takes advantage of his love for the Beatles to bring sophisticated, psychedelic-tinged pop to their sound. But his handwriting and his delivery – a final plea for the person who “It made me feel like life was worth living.” – is full of Dylan's personality and his gift for affecting melancholy. The song has been a staple at Dylan's live shows and has received enthusiastic responses, and fans have eagerly awaited its release.
Rich Turvey (Blossoms, Courteeners) and Dylan produced 'What I Need' as well as the rest of their upcoming album. What's notable about listening to Dylan's debut album is how much life experience resonates throughout the collection. From the exhilarating bounce of fan-favorite opener 'Fever' to devastating autobiographical closer 'Wake Up Ma', he captures snapshots of the extraordinary story of his life.
Dylan's profile has flourished and grown in scale with the release of two acclaimed EPs, sold-out tours, where he can host several nights at the Glasgow Barrowland; festivals from Reading and Leeds to Glastonbury and TRNSMT, plus high-profile live dates with Liam Gallagher and Sam Fender. As well as being in the spotlight with support from Radio 1, BBC Introducing, 6 Music and Radio X, Dylan also won Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Scottish Music Awards in 2022.
Watch the video for 'What I Need' – BELOW:
Dylan will celebrate the release of the album by embarking on a series of intimate album release shows. Concerts in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Liverpool sold out quickly, but very few tickets remain available HERE for Aberdeen and Manchester. It could well be the last chance to see him in venues like this for a while – the next gig on the calendar is a main stage performance at this summer's TRNSMT. The dates are:
JANUARY
26 – Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree (with Assai)
27 – Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms (with Assai) – SOLD OUT
29 – Glasgow, SWG3 (with Assai) – SOLD OUT
31 – Manchester, Band on the Wall (with HMV)
FEBRUARY
1st – Liverpool, Jacaranda Baltic (with Jacaranda) – SOLD OUT
thanks to our partners at www.xsnoize.com
