hold

hold is a primary alias for the prolific Irish musician Liam McCay, who is a central figure in the contemporary 'Duster-core' or slowcore revival of the 2020s. Operating out of a bedroom-studio context, McCay's work as hold is characterized by extremely down-tempo arrangements, repetitive melodic motifs, and a high-degree of sonic saturation.

The project's sound identity is built on the tension between cold, mechanical drum machines and warm, vulnerable guitar work. Historically, hold represents the democratization of the slowcore genre, moving it from the 90s studio-bound era of bands like Low or Codeine into a modern, internet-native lo-fi context. Critical consensus highlights McCay's ability to evoke profound isolation through very few musical elements. The project has gained a massive following on platforms like TikTok and SoundCloud, where its aesthetic of 'sad-girl/sad-boy' bedroom pop intersects with the heavier, more atmospheric elements of gothic rock and post-rock. It sits at the heart of a new wave of Irish independent music that prioritizes mood and texture over traditional song structure.