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 for individual track features.
1.
Felix Maya
Sad Tales of Suburbia
Felix Maya is a new Irish bedroom pop musician making dreamy hook-laden pop music, if debut single ‘Sad Tales of Suburbia’ is anything to go by.
The project is the work of Joey Kenny, who was formerly in the band New Sunset Hotel and the new moniker comes from an interesting source – after Joey was rescued from a storm in a mountain range outside Cartagena, Spain, by a couple called Felix and Maya. Kenny was walking 1600km of the coast of Spain with just an acoustic guitar and a tent at the time.
Follow on Instagram | Spotify | Facebook
2.
Arms That Fit Like Legs
What it is is
Dublin instrumental three-piece Arms That Fit Like Legs follow up last year’s Legwork album, with this post-rock lilt of a jam. The band are inspired by the likes of The Redneck Manifesto, El Ten Eleven, Battles, Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. To date the band have released 2 EPs, and released their album ‘Legwork’ in 2019. A new album is forthcoming.
Carron x Kobina
Even Sad Birds Sing
Dublin duo Carron have been enlisting remixes from Irish producers of late and this one by Amsterdam-based Irish producer Kobina twists the original’s folk pop into a Passion Pit-esque electronic ditty.
The video, directed by Irish filmmaker Conor McCormick and starring John McMahon, echoes the daily repetition and isolation felt by most throughout the pandemic.
4.
SENU
Jetlag 2
Sam Killeen recently challenged himself to write and record an album in one day and he only went and did it. We’ve heard a couple of tracks from SENU from 2020 so far – ‘Thought I Saw You’ featuring Wyvern Lingo’s Caoi De Barra, ‘Jetlag 4’ and ‘Jetlag 7’.
‘Jetlag 2’ (presumably all the Jetlag ones are from the one-day album) is a groovy jazzy-hip-hop funk tune.
SENU: Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
5.
Demigosh
LMDF
We filled you in on Demigosh, the Afro-Irish artist of audio visual ambition and member of Blackfish Collective last time out.
‘LDMF’ which stands for Less Drugs More Funk is an atmospheric song that recalls the music of Ghostpoet in its languid intro before it levels up into an electro tune. You never know what you’re getting with Demigosh.
Says the presser:
Less Drugs More Funk (LDMF) is also an ODE to a transitioning time for Demigosh. It captures a point in time where he decided to stop using hallucinogens to facilitate his spiritual journeys and instead turned to music, finding revelation, comfort and power in the composition of funk and rhythm.
6.
Rikshaw
Roomkey
Dublin hip-hop artist Rikshaw does his crooning thing on a production by LHK on his new track ‘Roomkey’.
7.
George Feely
Stanley’s Disco
Dublin disco-house DJ George Feely released ‘Stanley’s Disco’ on New York label Nervous Records last week (they have released tunes from Armand Van Helden, Masters At Work, Kerri Chandler and Josh Wink in the past) and it’s a piano-driven house buzzer of a track.
8.
Sun Collective
Starve It
Caimin Gilmore’s Sun Collective project released the MOVE \ R E M O V E EP today, on his 32nd birthday. I featured ‘Swallow’, a gorgeous track from it already in this column, and the EP’s second track is just as moreish in its mix of chamber pop and electronic textures.
Says Gilmore:
“This release is a release in the physical and mental sense of the word. Writing music, for me, has always been a cathartic experience. Performing it feels like the most honest way of communicating and being understood.
I am releasing MOVE \ R E M O V E on the day of a new year for me, my 32nd birthday, and in a sense trying to renew myself and reconcile with the past after a year of long reflection.”
9.
Jealous of the Birds
Something Holy
Naomi Hamilton continues to mature her Jealous Of The Birds sound with a new single drawn from a forthcoming album Peninsula, out 18th September through Canvasback/Atlantic.
Naomi Hamilton
‘Something Holy’ was written on a trip I took to Lisbon, Portugal after a burnout. My perception of things had become pretty stale, so the song articulates grappling with one’s artistic practice and trying to see the innate sanctity of simple images in all their concreteness. The particularity of things and the sheer marvel that they even exist is very grounding to me. Being present and paying attention to all of that brought me back around.”
‘Young Neanderthal‘ was the first track from it.
Other recent Irish highlights:
Wyvern Lingo release song ‘Brutal Lottery’ in aid of missing children charity
Handpicked new tunes: Alex Gough, Bitch Falcon, ROE, FOZSA & more
Lucy McWilliams releases a confident summery solo debut on single ‘Runaway’ (premiere)
James Vincent McMorrow drops new song co-produced by Kenny Beats & announces 2021 Irish tour
Cork multi-talented artist Blakkheart yearns to join in on ‘Honey Boy’
