12/04/2025
As the sun rises, Dundalk’s music community is in shock.
Ranier and IMBAU first stepped into the rehearsal space three years ago. The moment I saw them, I knew there was something different—something special. Unique. Authentic. Honestly, there aren’t enough words to fully capture it. And that was before Imbau had even plugged in an instrument.
While the lads rehearsed, I was probably tucked away in the back office doing something wildly uncool—like a VAT return. But even from there, I couldn’t figure out what I was listening to. It didn’t sound like anything else. It was raw, it was real, and it was theirs.
We had a showcase event in the Spirit Store on July 7th, 2023. I put Imbau on the bill. They hadn’t been around long, but it didn’t take long for them—and Ranier in particular—to leave a mark. If it wasn’t their distinct sound, it was simply who they were. Just genuinely lovely young people, trying to find their way.
As a parent of five kids myself, I can only begin to imagine the grief that Robert, Lea, Riordan, Rian, the bandmates, and all those close to Ranier are feeling right now. The whole music scene in Dundalk is mourning alongside them.
We’ve lost someone truly special.
Rest in peace, Ranier.
