HEADGEAR

Flight Cases Martha Digs

Dubliner Darragh Duke wants to

get cape, wear cape and fly; more specifically, he'd like to walk a tightrope from the Spire to Nelson's Pillar, soaring above the Dublin skyline and spanning the city's history. But since this would violate all laws of space and time - and pose an insurance problem for the Corpo - Dukes has to remain earthbound and let his musical imagination soar. His second album is inspired by Frenchman Philippe Petit, who walked a tightrope between New York's twin towers in 1974. Songs such as Harry Truman (a stubborn 83-year-old who defied the volcano at Mount St Helens), Emergency Position (fear of flying) and Icarus Girl take to the skies for their lyrical themes, and Dukes's cloudy voice - gliding between Nick Kelly and Gary Lightbody - and spacious arrangements steer the tunes towards the heavens. www.marthadigs.com

KEVIN COURTNEY

Download tracks: Airborne, Mr Petit, A Singsong in the Sky