Liri Dais – “Counting Hours”

Liri Dais, a singer-songwriter from Sevenoaks, England, released “Counting Hours” in April and it has the kind of history that makes you listen a little closer. “Counting Hours” started life in 2001, when Dais was playing with the student band Landslide, and you can sense that older song still living inside the newer version. It does not come across like a random old idea being polished up for no reason. It sounds like something that mattered enough to keep around, even when the only proof of it was a rough recording from years ago.

I really like that Liri Dais kept the heart of it simple: vocals, guitar, and a song that already had its own shape before the studio version existed. The London recording gives it a fuller sound, but the appeal is still in the feeling of someone revisiting a piece of their younger self with more time, more skill, and probably a different view of the world. There is also something cool about hearing a song from student band days get a second life now. A lot of artists leave those early songs behind, but “Counting Hours” makes a good case for why some ideas are worth picking up again.

It is a thoughtful and personal release from Liri Dais, and anyone who connects with honest singer-songwriter music should give it a listen. Follow Liri Dais on social media to stay updated on new releases this year.