Featuring Cruel Sister, Niamh Bury, Kayleigh Noble, Scoth, Katie Phelan, Furry Trees, Dee Fitz, FIN., Bless, Rebitual, R3D, Powerful Creative Minds, Front Lawns.
A lot of music from Ireland and Northern Ireland comes our way and every week, we listen through it all, sift the list down to a manageable list and share the best new tracks from emerging artists and some more established acts that deserve to be heard by you.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section for individual track features.
1.
Cruel Sister
Lenny
Faith Nico aka Cruel Sister drops her second single from forthcoming Turgid EP (due September 29th) after ‘Hands’
‘Lenny’ is a fuzzy rock track, with dreampop textures and distant howls, that underscore’s the track’s themes.
“Lenny is a journey in noisy feminine rage, fuelled by fast drums and screeching distorted guitars. It is an exploration into the darker depths of the psyche, a parallel between a people pleaser who is scared of doing things wrong and ends up missing out on life, and her other inner, less desirable self, who has been hidden away.”
Cruel Sister plays a headline show at the Grand Social in Dublin on November 3rd.
2.
Furry Trees
Two Shapes
Furry Trees is a new trio featuring Ciaran Meister (aka Mangetout), Kieran “Sherry” Sheridan (aka Pink Letter) annd Sam Kay (aka SKPSM).
Furry Trees’ debut song ‘Two Shapes’ is out today from an EP called Two Shapes Shaded In Green Fields, out September 12th with a video also by the collective.
‘Two Shapes’ suggests a project of an ambient electronic pop nature, in the style of Morr music with vocoders and textured production within.
Each track on the ‘Two Shapes Shaded In Green Fields’ EP was built incrementally, with each member providing initial musical ideas (found sounds, guitar lines etc) and adding parts to the other’s ideas in isolation until each track was fully developed. Aside from a limit of 2 musical parts per artist per pass, and no samples, no creative restrictions were imposed. Any instrument, vocal, or production technique could be added based on the direction each artist wanted to take based on their interpretation of the other’s material.
More on Bandcamp.
3.
Scoth
Candyman
Clare cousins Evan Flaherty and Darragh Purcell’s folk project Scoth featured here with ‘Hopeless Visitor’ and ‘Candy Man’ makes it two for two with lilting whistle-featuring earworm of a track, that belies the song’s subject matter – a poignant tribute to a beloved mentor lost to Alzheimer’s.
“This single delves into the painful reality of witnessing a loved one’s gradual decline, struggling to recall the melodies they once played so masterfully. Born during a bittersweet car ride, en route to a final festival together, the song encapsulates the emotions of listening to familiar tales, feigning surprise despite having heard them countless times before.”
4.
Kayleigh Noble
Say Your Grace
Kayleigh Noble continues her run of fine singles, with the alt- R&B electronic vibe of the domineering ‘Say Your Grace’, which will feature on a debut album to come.
5.
Niamh Bury
Who Am I Tell Him?
Claddagh Records resurgence as a going concern began with Oxn, a Rónán Ó Snodaigh and Myles O’Reilly album, a book about the label’s founder and the introduction of new folk talent Niamh Bury.
‘Who Am I Tell Him?’ is the second single from the rising folk artist.
“‘Who Am I To Tell Him?’ is about not judging anyone by their outwardly-facing circumstances. We all ebb and flow through good and bad times, and things are not always as they seem from the outside. It’s about having empathy, especially when the other person’s perspective appears vastly different from your own.”
6.
FIN.
I Don’t Understand
‘I Don’t Understand’ is the third song from Finnian Hurley working under the electronic project name FIN.
It’s synth lines give off a neon glow as the track rolls mechanically on at a nice pace into softer dreamy passages with some spoken samples dotted throughout.
Fin. says it was inspired by Overmono and Daniel Avery.
7.
R3D
Need This
When not running the club night R3D’s House, or DJing for other artists, Dublin producer R3D has made some tentative forays into his solo productions.
‘Need This’ is the artist’s finest moment yet, a slinky late-night funk R&B love song cut.
8.
Front Lawns
Storkower Strasse
Celbridge producer Dylan Brereton aka Front Lawns comes through with infused electronic song that conjures up pastoral walks and sunny days. The track’s indecipherable vocal sample only adds to the gossamer mood, which gorws with a greater sonic footprint towards the end of the track’s 8-minute running time.
More on Linktree.
10.
Bless
Obsessed
Bless is an Irish rapper from Cavan whose new single ‘Obsessed’ takes influence from US trap music, as well as drill and UK rap.
With a true insight he says:
“It’s only started to dawn on me now that having seven girlfriends is not an easy lifestyle to maintain… so I just had to deliver these feelings in song form for the people to digest.”
11.
Katie Phelan
Board Games
Indie-folk artist Katie Phelan dispalys a casual conversational songwriting style on latest song ‘Board Games’, drawn from a real life situation.
“‘board games’ is genuinely based on a party I went to where I was playing Jenga. It’s about all the little funny moments of falling in love and hoping they don’t get boring or turn into something you look back on one day.”
12.
Rebitual, Powerful Creative Minds
Here & Now
Absolutely loving the old school rap vibes on this one from Reiki- master and rapper Rebitual with Crumlin rap group Powerful Creative .Minds.
Jazzy previously featured as a member of PCM before she came a massive pop chart-topper.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, hit up the Irish section for individual track features
For this and more Irish songs, follow the Nialler9 New Irish Spotify playlist.
