Here’s a selection of Irish music picked for its greatness, for their ability to excite and sooth, songs from Irish artists that deserve to be heard more, to be championed, to be loved and supported. If you like what you hear, support the artist by going to a gig or buying a release direct from them. Share the love.
I limited this to my 6 favourite tracks of the last month but there’s plenty more to discover.
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1.
Daithí – ‘Falling For You’ feat. Sinead White
Galway electronic pop producer Daithí‘s music has been getting better and better with each release. His newest collaboration with Sinead White ( after ‘Love’s On Top’ and ‘April’) is another repeater, a song featuring deft dance production utilising the sounds of Inch Beach and a wind chime in Achill. A new EP Holiday Home is coming soon.
More from Daithí.
2.
Toofools – ‘Touch’
If you dig the falsetto soul pop of UK band Jungle, you’ll love this Dublin band’s new single. Toofools, lead by Lorcan O’Dwyer, Steven McCann have delivered a funked-up slice of disco-soul. The band play a headline show on November 24th in Button Factory and an EP is forthcoming.
3.
Saint Sister – Tin Man
Morgan MacIntyre and Gemma Doherty’s Saint Sister marries folk textures with Celtic harp and a dusky shade of atmosphere. Their newest released on English label Communion gives us the gently compelling Tin Man.
More from Saint Sister.
Buy their music / See their gigs.
4.
AE MAK – ‘Sing Hey Love’
Dublin duo Aoife McCann and Ellie McMahon make upbeat tribal African-influenced pop music in the vein of Merrill Garbus’ Tune-Yards.
From their debut EP released on Monday, ‘Sing Hey Love’ is positive pop that takes its lifeforce from the two singers’ alchemic tones and its simple construction of bassline and percussion. Æ MAK’s music can be a bright light in a world that feels increasingly dark.
https://soundcloud.com/aemakoffical/sing-hey-love
Buy on iTunes.
5.
Bantum – ‘Voodoo Sweat’
A recent highlight from Ruairi Lynch’s album Move, ‘Voodoo Sweat’ is pure funk pop with vocals by CC Brez and Louise O’Carroll.
Buy Move on Bandcamp.
6.
Proper Micro NV – ‘Flaws’
The Limerick electronic producer Rory Hall aka Proper Micro NV has impressed me with occasional singles and releases. With a second EP It’s Always Raining coming out via Plasmapool records, Hall has shared ‘Flaws’, a sporadically arranged song built on soulful mantric vocals and minimal textures to support it, that is more than the sum of its parts.
The EP is out on December 7th.
Spotify playlist – New Irish Music
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
