30 of the best Irish songs of 2017 (so far)
20.
Kojaque – ‘Wificode’
Kojaque is a Dublin rapper who has been making music for several years via Youtube videos and Soundcloud posts. His style is downbeat, jazzy and suited to late-night lounging. ‘Wificode’ is a short single released recently that despite its short running time makes an impression with its urgency and its rhymes that twists Tame Impala references.
19.
Davy Kehoe – ‘Storm Desmond’
Dubliner Davy Kehoe’s music is less four/four and more exploratory, jazz and electronic excursions. ‘Storm Desmond’ is a ten minute meandering gem featuring Kehoe playing mbira, harmonica, MS-20, drum machine, vocals and whistles, acccompanied by Seán Mac Erlaine on bass clarinet and Brendan Jenkinson (Cloud Castle Lake) on guitar and bass.
18.
Cinema – ‘Floating’
Kildare producer Peter Fleming aka Cinema released an under the radar electronic album A Night Train To Budapest last year that was bright, Balearic and luminescent.
‘Floating’ is his first new song since all that activity and it’s a natural departure from the LP. Featuring vocals from Le Boom’s Christy Leech and production by Ruairi Bantum, ‘Floating’ has a focused electronic sound that sounds more contemporary but hasn’t lost that spacious disco chug that makes the music under the Cinema moniker swing.
https://soundcloud.com/cinemamusicireland/floating-feat-cl-leech/s-E0uiH
17.
Le Boom – ‘What We Do (Mix & Fairbanks remix)’
I’m a big fan of 12″ extended remixes – the kind that were prevalent in the eighties and that most of the great pop songs of the era have. Kildare duo Mix & Fairbanks have given Le Boom’s ‘What We Do’ the extended 10-minute remix treatment in that vein.
16.
Jafaris – ‘Love Dies’
Percy Chamburuka aka Jafaris is a rapper and singer with ambition, and is part of the burgeoning new generation of hip-hop artists in Ireland. His recent single ‘Love Dies’is a vocal-lead cut of hazy R&B that i keep coming back to.
15.
James Vincent McMorrow – ‘National’
“We’d spend our nights listening to The National / That was special / Even though your car was small / You said your favourite song / Was the one about death / I said every single one’s like that.”
An intimate standout from True Care.
14.
Le Galaxie – ‘Pleasure’
While we wait for a new album coming in September, the first single ‘Pleasure’ features production by Blende and additional vocals by May Kay who has joined the band full-time.
13.
Wino Wagon – ‘Paco’s Ode’
An insane beat and production from the Absolutely Wino compilation, brought to you by Wah Wah Wino, which includes Dublin lads Morgan Buckley, Olmo Devin, Dark Delight, Davy Kehoe and more. “Sound of the Rathmines industrial estate … weirdo wagon dance music,” as is says on Rush Hour. The whole comp reminds me of a early AFX and the oddball gang tunes on Rephlex Records. Pick the 2LP release up in All City in Dublin.
12.
Rejjie Snow – ‘Flexin’
Rejjie Snow’s first full length album Dear Annie is finally on the way later this year and he’s been dropping previews of it over the last while including ‘Crooked Cops’, ‘Pink Beetle’ and ‘Drugs’.’Flexin’ is the best one though – a low-end rap killer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsztTjVhBrE
11.
AE MAK – ‘I Walk’
Aoife McCann and Ellie McMahon’s avant-pop music has been developing with effervescence since 2011 but ‘I Walk’ marks an addition of maturity in their sonic playfulness.
