12 new Irish songs you should hear
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.
Uwmami
9254 Dreamers ft. Aaron Everything
DIY artist and producer Uwmami comes through with a superb new single in the form of ‘9254 Dreamers’. The track, which features Aaron Everything on vocals, treads the fine line between nu-R&B, hip-hop and electronic production aesthetics in crafting a dreamy half-time corker of a tune. The producer will be releasing a tack every Friday throughout the rest of summer, so be sure to keep an eye on her.
2.
Sunken Foal
For Cheppy
More new material from Sunken Foal (Countersunk Records), who has been very active through solo and 101BPM collective material as of late. Ribbon Works Vol.2 is a largely instrumental EP with strong synthesiser compositional elements. ‘For Cheppy’ is a bit of an exception, being largely carried on an acoustic piano sound. Superb attention to detail has been paid in fleshing out the arrangement, listen out for some fo the very eerie wandering synths in the background throughout. Haunting contemporary classical.
3.
Bland Orlando
Blue
Cork artist Bland Orlando comes through with some bittersweet mellow folk-rock on new single ‘Blue’. It’s a pretty lo-fi affair, production-wise, but there’s more than enough clever songwriting here to win the listener over. We especially the like the warbling backing vocals which kick off during the second verse.
4.
Woodpigeon
Mime
90 seconds of pure lo-fi deadliness from Cork artist Woodpigeon. Self-described as ‘bedroom bleep bloops’, ‘Mime’ has all the melodic fun of an Avalanches tune with the sort of kick drum that’d beat the damp out of your clothes.
5.
RikShaw
Feels Like Summer
Coolock MC RikShaw comes through with an instant earworm pop-trap tune. The MC’s vocals are drenched in autotune, alternating and varying a melodic motif. The vocal delivery is smooth, the verses packed with catchy flows and, as anyone with decent headphones when listening will know, the low end is tight and well mixed. It’s nice to hear the MC make such a strong return to form.
6.
Archmotors
Lemming
Brand new duo Archmotors make a strong impression their very rustic indie debut single ‘Lemming’. The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming album called The Swimsuit Edition. There’s a faint Grizzly Bear vibe to this one, resonating out through the very pronounced drum rhythms and percussion sounds. A very well put together debut, we’re eager to hear what else they’ve got to offer.
7.
Pat Lagoon
See You Out
The Waterford MC comes through with his best new material since the Recess EP. Lagoon sounds more vocally self-assured with every release, heard clearest through the deadpan hook on ‘See You Out’. A sweet bassline, vibrating to the pulse, helps give the track some much-needed melody and energy. Not the most unique beat we’ve ever heard, a little more effort placed into the drum programming and overall mix would help ‘See You Out’ go the extra few yards.
8.
Branwen
Horses
Clare native Branwen Kavanagh (performing under a moniker of just her first name) recently released a debut solo LP entitled Hunted & Haunted Kavanagh, who was one member of Twin Headed Wolf, has taken to a very traditional folk sound on her solo material. We’ve chosen to highlight ‘Horses’ from the record, an ideal introduction into the musical and poetic makeup of the record as a whole.
9.
Hazey Haze
Bottle Fever
Lifted off The Drug EP, ‘Bottle Fever’ is a romp courtesy of Limerick MC (1/3 of Same D4ence) Hazey Haze. I love the very ominous and off-kilter synth shots, though it’s the sort of thing that might make for a very typical trap tune were it not for Hazey’s very animated and catchy flow throughout. The virtue of sobriety clashes hard with the draw of hedonism. Class.
10.
KhakiKid
Uppercut
Fierce trap from Irish MC KhakiKid on ‘Uppercut’. Coming in just short of 3 minutes, the track (taken from his Pug Ugly EP) is relentless. All triplet flows and 808s.
11.
Solkatt
Spectrum
Electronic music duo Solkatt come through with some very summery house on ‘Spectrum’. If the opening chopped vocal sample alludes to a nostalgia-heavy blander house affair, the much more progressive pianos and synths that kick in around the two minute mark prove that the quality of ‘Spectrum’ is no cheap trick. This track continues to surprise as it evolves.
12.
Luunah
Heart On The Left
We wanted to finish on an upbeat note. Here’s Cork electro-pop group Luunah’s new single ‘Heart On The Left’. A neatly produced, sugary-sweet pop tune from top to bottom.
