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.
Sal Dulu
Xompulse
‘Xompulse’ is the latest musical offering from Irish producer Sal Dulu, following on from ‘Antasma’ and ‘Tyko’. The music is instrumental and soft with prevalent ambient soundscapes – they’re exactly the kind of sounds that you need to ease you into the morning. This new song is piano based and weaves a mix of classical, jazz and ambient influences through it to create a deftly unique and original piece.
2.
NERVES
It’s This Place
NERVES are Kyle Thornton, Charlie McCarthy and Adam Nealon all hailing from the west of Ireland but now based in Dublin. It’s hard to pinpoint these guys to one genre, their first single ‘Faces’ is a high octane bob that blends sure rock influences with post-pop and punk undercurrents and yet the heavy distorted sections are contrasted by shimmering guitar tones that conjure images of The 1975. The music video is out today and it sees the trio take to all of their favourite parts of Dublin (you might recognise some of them).
3.
Heresie
It’s This Place
Heresie is the moniker of Brian Rice and his debut album Sisters of the Bare Goddess just saw release this week. The record was inspired by Powell & Pressburger’s 1947 film Black Narcissus and sonically, it does follow the narrative of the movie both in tone and mood but it gives the story line a modern make over with some of the instrumentation. This is evident most in ‘It’s This Place’, which is dark and brooding with electronic undertones reminiscent of the Stranger Things soundtrack.
4.
PyYmary Colours
House Of Love
PrYmary Colours are an electronic duo consisting of Cayisha on vocals & Daz on production. Their music is a fusion of electronic beats with soulful vocals and their latest single ‘House of Love’ showcases exactly what they do best. The music pulsates at an energetic level, combining sonic club elements with pop-bop ingredients. The track is taken from their EP HHL 001 which saw release last Friday.
5.
Pearse McGloughlin & Nocturnes
Ag Ól, Ag Ól ag an Garbhóg
Nocturnes are a revolving cast of musicians that pedal ambient folk noir with songs that are consistently evocative of nature and the world around us. ‘Ag Ól, Ag Ól ag an Garbhóg’ is their latest single and sonically, it makes for a very interesting listen. They certainly utilised an eclectic mix of instrumentation; organs meet brooding electronic bass lines and soaring synth melodies underneath Pearse McGloughlin’s crooning vocal (singing as Gaeilge). Lyrically, The Garbhóg is a river that runs through Sligo Town before winding its way from Lough Gill to the Atlantic. Some of the imagery evokes ecological concerns “dath ór tine ar an uisce” (‘the colour of fire on the water’) references the spate of wildfires that we saw in 2018 all over the world.
6.
T UGNA
Heart Stone
T UGNA is an elusive artist from Roscommon, but that’s about as much as we know a. His debut single ‘Heart Stone’ is drenched in hip-hop influences with a prominent keyboard and bass line underneath rhymes that deal with change and growth and the people that you lose during those developments.
7.
Slyrydes
Mental Health
Slyrydes describe their new single ‘Mental Health’ as a “frank take on the shambolic Irish Health Service” and in it, they voice the kinds of frustrations that we all vent on the same subject. Wailing guitars meet thrashing drums with appropriate fervour and angst, with mentions of the HSE and budgets in between guitar riffs and bass lines. Listen to this when you’re really angry.
8.
The Henry Girls
Far Beyond The Stars
The Henry Girls are sisters Karen, Lorna and Joleen McLaughlin from Donegal who are making name for themselves with sublime harmonies and gentle lyrics. The video for their latest single ‘Far Beyond The Stars’ was shot by Charlie Joe Doherty and it has a very delicate kind of beauty to it. The song deals with grief and hope, and this is captured acutely in the footage.
