Adam O’Donovan, under his moniker M’ADAM, delivers a hauntingly beautiful meditation on loss and memory with his second album Before We Die. Echoing the lyrical intimacy of Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers, while rooting his sound firmly in an Irish sensibility, M’ADAM crafts songs that feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. From its opening notes, the record establishes itself as a journey through grief, remembrance, and the fragile beauty of life itself.

The album’s strength lies in its rich collaborative spirit. With contributions from SAL, Sarah Hickey, Dylan Howe, and more, each track feels layered with voices and textures that expand O’Donovan’s vision. Áine Delaney’s string arrangements add an aching orchestral depth, while the late poet Eoin Murray’s words drift in like spectral echoes, reinforcing the album’s concept of overlapping worlds. Produced by Kealan Kenny, the soundscape moves fluidly between indie-folk, folk rock, and chamber pop, never losing its emotional clarity.

The title Before We Die speaks to urgency and reflection, and the songs embody that duality—moments of quiet intimacy swell into sweeping, cathartic passages, reminding us that grief and hope often coexist. With this record, M’ADAM doesn’t just chronicle loss; he creates a space to sit with it, to find beauty within it, and to carry forward what remains. It’s a work of both vulnerability and vision, marking O’Donovan as one of Ireland’s most compelling contemporary songwriters.

On the release, M’ADAM shares, “This album grew out of grief but also out of love. It helped me understand how much the people we’ve lost still shape the lives we lead, how entangled they are with us, even in absence.”