The Ocelots
“country-folk contemplation”
The Ocelots are twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Watson from Wexford, Ireland.
Building on the folk-rock essence of their debut, the duo released their second album, Everything, When Said Slowly, in early 2025. This album unveiled a richer, more expansive sound, produced by long-time collaborators Cillian and Lorcan Byrne (Ailbhe Reddy, Susan O’Neill).
The narrative woven throughout the album explores themes of Irish migration, the perception of time, love, and the simple joys of cycling.
Blood harmonies are the centre of The Ocelots' sound - imperfections of a voice breaking or a tempo shifting. Recorded live in Orphan Recording Studios, by Gavin Glass (Lisa Hannigan, BellX1, David Keenan, John Grant, Villagers), the band’s performances help form a driven, energetic scrapbook, coloured by flutes, synths, harmonica and harmonium.
The twin brothers blend absurdity and sincerity in an array of literature-inspired musings. Open tunings and clawhammer banjo bring country-folk contemplation, but the imagery is very much urban, living outside of the romanticised glaze of wood cabins and cottage-core nostalgia.
“Rich in spellbinding harmonies”
Hot Press
“Steeped in classic singer-songwriter Americana, invoking everyone from vintage Neil Young to Sufjan Stevens”
UNCUT
