Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-08-23
Dubbed one of Ireland’s “most inventive and incisive songwriters,” alternative solo artist Whozyerman? has announced his sophomore album, Belly of the Beast, for release on Friday, October 23.
The announcement arrives after extensive praise for singles “Miles Away” and “Long Stretch,” which earned support across RTÉ Radio 1, Today FM, Newstalk, RTÉ 2FM, Red FM, Hot Press, The Thin Air and more.
Originally introduced to audiences as a member of the Waterford-via-Cork outfit O Emperor, Whozyerman? — AKA Paul Savage — first emerged as the frontman of one of Ireland’s most distinctive bands of the 2010s, releasing three critically lauded albums which culminated in an RTÉ Choice Music Prize win for their final LP, Jason, in 2018.
Under the Whozyerman? moniker, Savage ventured into new sonic territory as a solo artist with his 2022 debut album Blink, which embraced a more lo-fi electronic aesthetic and blended vibrant effluent textures around pulsing kosmishe beats.
His newly announced second LP, Belly of the Beast, transforms chance encounters and keen observation into a cast of unforgettable characters.
“For this album, I wanted to write from different character perspectives—drawing inspiration from people I often see in my area, or from fleeting encounters that stayed with me. Creating these character sketches gave me parameters to explore lyrics, themes, and moods outside my own personal experience.”
Moving between moments of doubt, hope, frustration and ambition, the album is strikingly raw - blending the banality of the ordinary with fantastical domains of thoughts, dreams and aspirations. Though marking a shift in his creative process from a songwriting perspective, Savage notes:
“By avoiding my own personal experience as inspiration, I found myself excavating something subconscious. I think all my lyrics contain some projection of myself—an uncovering of something hidden, forgotten, or surprising.”
Created in tandem with his journey of learning the piano, Belly of the Beast wholly reflects an evolution in Whozyerman?’s artistry, expanding his melodic vocabulary and reigniting the sense of discovery that first drew him to songwriting.
“Learning piano has been a game changer—an epiphany that dramatically shifted my songwriting. It felt like a new language sinking in, bringing a fresh sense of wonder back into expression.”
Shifting from the hazy introspection of debut LP Blink, Belly of the Beast is outward looking and clear eyed - a record that finds hope not in looking away from the world's uncertainty, but in embracing the humour, humanity, and creative instinct that persist within it.
“It's an album about falling in love again with your artform, seeing it with fresh eyes, and recalibrating with the optimism that's always there, even when strained by the world.”
Belly of the Beast is due for release on Friday, October 23, distributing to all major streaming services except Spotify.
