7 Irish songs you should hear this week

This is only a selection of new music – dig into more or follow the Spotify playlists.

This week Old Hannah released ‘Find You’, the second single from their forthcoming debut album. The track is a slow burning folk tune full of yearning. Singer Anthony Mannion half whispers the dreamy vocal melody over a refined instrumental. Operating independently, Old Hannah’s debut album look set to win over the heart of folksters all over the country.

Limerick-based post punk group Slow Riot’s new single ‘Betrayed’ was released this week. This broody track shifts between moments of pensive thought and super charged motion a la some excellent guitar work and thoughtful lyrical content. A punchy bass line keeps the track in motion in tandem with a sharp snare sound. The production gives the entire track a wall of sound feel. Fans of groups like Interpol will find much to enjoy here.

Ex Enemies band member Mark O’Brien came out with one of the stand out Irish releases this week. Performing under the brand new moniker Royal Yellow, ‘Hazeldene’ is a genre defying melancholic song. Listening to the opening lyrics, you’d be forgiven for thinking that ‘Hazeldene’ might be just another lo-fi indie number. Then the track lights up with a stuttered vocal sample and captures the imagination with it. It’s a heart-break tune with all the creativity and nuance of a modern art pop tune.

Caz9, having spent the past decade writing and performing under various guises, seems to have found her voice on new track ‘Want To Wake’. Combining elements of r&b with vaporwave style synths to produce a song full of lust and yearning. With an eye-catching video directed by AUTO • MAT, ‘Want To Wake’ is the perfect soundtrack to the neon-filled city cape by night.

Irish dance producer Brian Ring has teamed up with French label Les Yeux Orange to bring us the nu disco track ‘Big Town Boy Small City Dreams’. Currently based in Berlin, Ring has clearly taken much influence from the city’s renowned dance music scene. With a focus on gradually building sounds instead of instant drops, ‘Big Town Boy Small City Dreams’ is a superb nu-disco track with minimal techno sensibilities.

Donegal-based singer songwriter Rosie Carney blends aspects of folk, indie and ambient in her breathtaking new single ‘Bare’. The track’s first half is distinctly folky, with Carney’s hushed vocals over a lone acoustic guitar. However, the track gradually adds tracks of ambience. By its climax, much of the song has been washed away in a sea of reverb, leaving only Carney’s own vocal harmonies to cut through the mix. An emotive track that invites the listener to go on a journey with it.

Hailing from Co.Derry, CHERYM are a three piece pop punk outfit. ‘Take It Back’ is the single from their new EP MouthBreatherz. The track is three minutes of blistering guitar chords overlaid with the group’s vocal harmonies. Full of attitude and swagger, ‘Take It Back’ is a track that demands and earns your attention.