9 new Irish songs you should hear this week
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.
Citrus Fresh
Di Caprio/Antenna
Limerick MC and PX man Citrus Fresh puts some visuals to two of the tracks off his excellent Early Days/Late Nights EP. Both ‘Di Caprio’ and ‘Antenna’ remain two of the strongest Irish hip-hop releases of 2019. Fresh’s flow and bars seem like that of a flow state, of repeated motifs and endlessly recited mantras. Life spilling out onto the page. The man has got bars.
2.
Lankum
The Wild Rover
The gang are back, The Livelong Day is out on October 25th. ‘The Wild Rover’ is taken from that forthcoming release. A 5-minute gloomy ballad carried on a superb vocal delivery and some serene footage of the Irish landscape for some good measure. We’re ready.
3.
Join Me In The Pines
Jean Bean
David Geraghty aka Join Me In The Pines dropped an album this Friday gone. Monomania is a generally solid release, boasting all the same synth-pop driven fun and songcraft we’ve come to expect from the JMITP moniker thus far. We’ve picked out ‘Jean Bean’ as a highlight, an 80s heavy gem.
4.
Rebel Phoenix X Marcus Woods
Sun Gazing
Producer Marcus Woods and MC Rebel Phoenix team up for collaborative new single ‘Sun Gazing’. There’s an industriousness about Woods’ production, a near brutalist aesthetic in crafting what could loosely be described as a trap instrumental. Phoenix does a solid job on vocal delivery. The track is a standout feature or two away from being outstanding, but it does more than enough to earn it its place on this week’s list.
5.
Alana Henderson
On Board ft. Joshua Burnside
A sea-shanty love song shared between two rising Irish singer-songwriters. It might not seem like the most novel concept on paper but ‘On Board’ is a good idea executed excellently. Both Henderson and Burnside come through with compelling vocal deliveries and the lyrics show enough warmth and compassion to win over even the most steely of cynic’s hearts.
6.
Doubt
HD Tool
Doubt is the Cork producer operating off of the Flood collective. ‘HD Tool’ is hard reimaging of world music for a club setting. It’s the sort of stuff you could beat the damp out of your jumper with – we like it a lot.
7.
Paul Melia
The Chant
Some dark electro now from Irish artist Paul Melia. ‘The Chant’ is a dystopian outlook on the negative impacts technology has had on our lives, so don’t expect giggles. All the same, ‘The Chant’ boasts some detailed production and some interesting synth sounds, well worth your time and sadness.
8.
Sea High
Therapy
Dundalk MC Sea High comes through with one of his most laidback tunes in a long time. ‘Therapy’ is a straight-up hip-hop cut slung over some soulful guitar accompaniment. For his part, the MC comes through with a generally smooth flow and solid lyricism. Personal, introspective and empathetic.
9.
Paddy Mulcahy
How To Disappear
The producer and multi-instrumentalist Paddy Mulcahy’s latest track of electronic contemporary classical form came out of a trip to Montreal, where he visited a church and heard a choir rehearsing on the altar. Inspired by the voices, atmosphere created and architecture of the building, he set about capturing that feeling in this new track that uses a choir, analogue synths, an acoustic piano and drum machines. It’s the title track from his forthcoming album.
