The New Irish Music Playlist is updated every week.
Featuring Gurriers, Big Love, Elaine Malone, Echo Northstar, Henry Earnest.
The best emerging tracks we’ve selected from artists from the island of Ireland this week, with more playlist additions below the main list.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section for individual track features.
Echo Northstar
creatures
Ex of HappyAlone, Paddy Hennessy has been making some fine solo music under the name Echo Northstar, as recently as January.
‘creatures’ has an earwormy bassline and whispery gossamer vocals and gentle but dominant drums that add up to an insistent shoegazey pop track.
Elaine Malone, Roy Montgomery
Electric Turbulence
Cork artist Elaine Malone here collaborates with New Zealand experimental guitarist Roy Montgomery on a wall of a drifting ambient noise reverberations, complete with space rock drums.
It was recorded in 2021 during lockdown times remotely.
Gurriers
Come And See
An intricate guitar intro kicks off the title track of Gurryers debut album, which is the closing song on the record.
In tone and effect, frontman Dan Hoff and the guitars remind me of Perry Farrell on early Jane’s Addiction records.
Gurriers Irish dates
14/11/24 – Kasbah Social Club, Limerick, IRE
21/11/24 – Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, Northern IRE
22/11/24 – Mike the Pies, Listowel, Co. Kerry, IRE
26/11/24 – Whelans, Dublin, IRE
28/11/24 – Roisin Dubh, Galway, IRE
28/11/24 – Coughlans Bar, Cork, IRE – SOLD OUT
21/12/24 – SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern IRE (supporting Kneecap)
Henry Earnest
Country
The Irish alternative producer’s debut album Big Blue was quietly released last month, and ‘Country’ is an emo-acoustic track about liminal geographic.
Other than the treated vocals, the song could have been released any era in the last 30, a surprising bright and light tune from Earnest.
The song and record was no doubt inspired by its making – “written on the open road and recorded between Phisborough and inis oírr,” including on the 32 counties All Ireland tour last year.
Big Blue features contributions from Ev Carm, Passersby, Róisín berkeley, Isaac Jones, Banríon and more.
Big Love
Never Enough
Dublin six-piece band Big Love have demonstrated a penchant for earnest and ruminating heart-on-sleeve songcraft, and their latest fits that bill nicely.
‘Never Enough’ also comes with a cinematic video (another thing the band have done really well),
“The song is about being saved. When a light comes into life to take you from the dark—something so beautiful, so true—that you feel unworthy. Love is medicine, and in writing this song, I wanted to express how fortunate I feel to be in receipt of the light that shone in for me.”
Cian Ó’Maonlaí
BIG LOVE are Cian Ó’Maonlaí (lead vocals), Jack Cody (guitar/vocals), Megan Nic Ruairí (vocals, keys/synth), Dan Aherne (bass), Anton Shovlin (drums), and Adam Curtis (lead guitar).
Live gigs:
The Harbour Bar, Bray 19/09/24
Ireland Music Week, Dublin – 04/10/24
The Complex, Dublin 17/10/24
The Purty Kitchen, Dun Laoighaire 27/10/24
Old Blue Last, London – 19/11/24
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.
New Playlist additions:
- Junior Brother – Take Guilt
- Tamara Hall; Proper Micro NV – Feels Like
- Syano – Blind Side
- Bedrooms – sunday
- find-joy – Colour Again
- piglet – white knuckles
- Travy – Forgive Me
- Kynsy – Body
- Ria Rua – Don’t Kill My Vibe
- Laurie Shaw – Buoyancy Aid
- Lord Jane – Tulips
- Laytha – Autumn’s Haze
- jarjarjr; Chris Wong – North Face Duffle Bag
- DUMB POSH HIPPIES – Dude Almighty!
