Dystopian Novels – Roll Your Eyes (2026)
Earning his stripes as a veteran musician, singer-songwriter Kieran Ring is the creative force and voice of Irish group Neon Atlas; however, it is his solo project, Dystopian Novels, that draws our fancy. Hailing from Cork, Ring slowed the pace heard in Neon Atlas with his 2025 debut single, ‘Ignored’ – at least, according to streaming platforms. The year progressed, and two more songs appeared, ‘Within Without’ and ’10 Years Later’, both falling to the softer side of indie-rock. Today, however, we join Dystopian Novels stepping into 2026 with his new track, ‘Roll Your Eyes’.
Self-recorded and produced, ‘Roll Your Eyes’ leans strongly toward indie-rock, but snippets of folk seem to peep from the background even now and then; sneaky and soft, but evident, adding a little lightness to an ambient soundscape – at least that’s my thought. It might be the pairing of dreamy synths and stripped-back percussion that defines this warble of folk in a rock sphere. Ring shares, “’Roll Your Eyes’ grew from a chord progression I’d been sitting on for years but could never quite unlock. Once we paired it with a stripped-back percussion setup – an empty guitar case and a set of keys – the song stopped resisting and fell into place.”
Melodically, ‘Roll Your Eyes’ is smooth, mellifluous, and easy-on-the-ear harmony of notes caressing you with a refreshing, cool breath of air. Chilled-out and calm, you feel lighter after only a single listen – the best thing to clear away those Monday blues. Ring’s vocals contribute to the tenderness of ‘Roll Your Eyes’ with its wistful yet rich tone. One aspect I enjoy about ‘Roll Your Eyes’ is not the weave of instruments and vocals, but the absolute end with the music coming to an abrupt halt. It’s like Ring saying: “all right, we’ve had our fun, but it’s time to stand up and face the world with a smile on your face.”
Sincere, honest and heart-warming, Dystopian Novels has impressed with ‘Roll Your Eyes’. I am eager to hear what else Kieran Ring has in store.
Find out more about Dystopian Novels on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Jawdropper Music.
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