10 new Irish songs you should hear this week

A lot of Irish music comes Nialler9’s way and there’s little time to feature everything we think is worthy of a thumbs up or more ears. Every week, we collate the songs that pass our writers that deserve to be heard by you. For more extensive Irish coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section.

1.

Gráinne Fahy

Dead Meat

Mayo native and emerging pop artist Gráinne Fahy produces two minutes of compelling, polished pop music on her most recent single ‘Dead Meat’. The heavily autotuned vocals give the song an inhuman edge, a feeling which resonates with themes and vernacular of horror throughout.

2.

Numbertheory

Something Has Been Here

Numbertheory’s debut EP Horrible dropped late last year through Sesh FM. The Irish producer and vocalist successfully channels both industrial and alternative club on our track of choice ‘Something Has Been Here’. A mesh of pummeling percussive elements and washed out screamed vocals. Tune in and get real.

3.

Fozsa

The Blackout

Every single producer and composer Fozsa (Luke O’Brien to some) has put his name under has really impressed us. ‘The Blackout’ is the latest, neon pop through the lens of contemporary electronic production. That means moody synth bass pulses, pitched backing vocals and more 808s than you could shake a stick at. It works, all of the track’s individual elements come together under the one roof, raving.

4.

Lydia Ford

Lost My Mind

Sleek, synth propelled pop with an infectious sense of romanticism from Mayo native Lydia Ford.’Lost My Mind’ is taken from the pop artist’s recent Bad Things EP.

5.

Babylamb

Bodyright

Brand new Dublin pop three-piece Babylamb come through with sugary sweet debut single ‘Bodyright’. Electronically driven, pure anthemic pop joyousness straight from the heart.

6.

Planting

Flood Plains

Derry producer Planting returned in late 2019 with new single ‘Flood Plains’. The track is decidedly less composed of the ambient sound cluster. Instead, ‘Flood Plains’ develops intensity and weight from moment one. It’s a progressive electronic piece, with deft production craft ensuring the track’s repetitions and variants never fall flat or sound stale.

7.

Zali

That Girl

Dublin R&B/pop artist Zali dropped a message of female empowerment in late November with ‘That Girl’. Speaking on social media, the artist said: “All I want is for women all around the world to be unapologetic in their confidence.” The track features pitch-perfect vocals delivered ah la that classic R&B vibe accompanied with a light, breezy synth arrangement. Oozes with confidence.

8.

Caolian Sherlock

Don’t Let Me Forget About Her

Psych-pop from down Leeside way now courtesy of Caolian Sherlock’s most recent single ‘Don’t Let Me Forget About Her’. A song that embraces its tender moments with no fear. Lo-fi, vibrato-heavy arrangement gives the whole cut a skewed sense of motion and commotion. Very nicely done.

9.

Dhiaga

Proverbs

Armagh melodic house DJ Dhiaga impressed us with his most recent single release in ‘Proverbs’. Does exactly what it says on the tin in terms of melodic house – sharp, considered production throughout the cherry atop the cake.

10.

The Line

Weight

Meltybrains? man Brian Dillon came through with the first single from new solo project The Line and ensuing album in November 2019. ‘Weight’ is a dystopian, at times menacing avant-garde composition. Some of the sound design here, coupled with the mixing choices, can be very unnerving. It’s worth it though for such a compelling listen.