A remarkable comeback from the Irish artist...
07 · 08 · 2025
When For Those I Love, whose real name is David Balfe, released his heartfelt debut album, it served not only as a record but also as a memorial. This spoken-word masterpiece stands as a profound tribute to his indelible connection with the late Paul Curran, his best friend and lifelong music partner. Self-produced and rooted in sorrow, that project wove together personal voice recordings, nostalgic samples, and rave-infused electronica into a sonic ritual. However, despite its strength, revisiting those feelings didn’t inspire a follow-up, and the idea of re-traumatizing himself was never a consideration.
From this inner turmoil arose ‘Carving The Stone,’ an ambitious album that expands on his message and narrows his musical focus. It examines the loss of a generation’s future, a culture’s vitality, and a city’s essence. Starting from his Dublin apartment and unable to step outside without facing constant negativity, Balfe documented his thoughts in his notes app, which eventually morphed into verses. Through his introspective existence, as he immersed himself further in his home studio, Balfe channeled themes of working-class life, familial love, and poetic memory into rhythmic expressions shaped by carefully chosen lyrics and captivating melodies.
The new sound is bolder, propelled by sweeping strings, rugged guitar riffs, piercing synths, and infectious drum patterns. Throughout it all, his voice remains central, addressing the nuances of gentrification in contemporary life and the relentless passage of time. ‘Carving The Stone’ opens in a state of acute panic, as Balfe whispers on the first track: “Forced awake at night to mourn this loss of time” while shimmering synths make their entrance. This sets the stage for a recurring theme of the gradual demise of youthful freedom and existential dread that permeates the album.
On the title track, one of the highlights of the album, Balfe showcases his most striking storytelling yet. The production complements its intensity, fusing trip-hop basslines with an atmosphere of unease, as Balfe’s voice glides over the beat, sometimes interrupted by foreboding drones. Moving on to ‘No Scheme,’ the mood shifts to anger, as Balfe contrasts teenage revelry with the burdens of adult responsibilities, remarking: “We’ve all got real jobs and we’re bored.” Yet, ‘Carving the Stone’ isn’t solely about despair; it also features moments of beauty and tenderness. In ‘Civic,’ sparkling piano melodies and shimmering cymbals evoke memories of past happiness, as the artist illustrates how creating art enables him to slow down time. Balfe reflects: “In the process of doing, I feel connected with myself and the process of living.”
Exploring further into the album, ‘The Ox / The Afters’ narrates the journey of an aspiring boxer laboring at the docks, a “stocky Dublin Rocky who shadow boxed the air.” The militant drumbeat imbues the track with a sense of hope, though the tone darkens as it delves into intrusive suicidal thoughts, a recurring theme in the album’s examination of male mental health. Then, there’s ‘Mirror,’ where the synths take on a more sinister tone, and the vocal delivery becomes haunting as the artist contemplates anxiety, online alienation, and self-medication.
The album concludes with a powerful line: “I came back to see the stone had moved.” This statement is rich with meaning, reflecting grief that has evolved, changes that have taken place, and a past that cannot be revisited, even upon returning. ‘Carving The Stone’ presents a raw, poetic, and politically charged portrayal of modern life in Dublin. Balfe finds significance in contradiction, occasionally discovering hope within sorrow, beauty in the mundane, and art in the ambiguous spaces between memory and loss. With time at its core, ‘Carving The Stone’ appears poised to endure.
8/10
Words: Ben Broyd
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When For Those I Love, whose real name is David Balfe, launched his poignant debut album, it was more than just a musical release; it served as a tribute. A remarkable piece of spoken-word art,