Alot of Irish and Northern 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 new songs from emerging artists that deserve to be heard by you.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section for individual track features.
1.
Banyah, Benjamyn
Black Fires
Brother-sister pop duo Aisling & Paul aka Banyah wrote this bop of an electronic pop song with Benjamyn during a songwriting camp made possible by the Music Stimulus Package with by BlueTide Music at The Beekeepers in the Burren, Co. Clare.
The duo previously featured here.
2.
Twin Diver
Sweet Sick
When life hands you a pandemic, make music. Twin Diver are an Irish duo who moved to London just before lockdown happened. Left with only a bass guitar and a midi controller, the band have fashioned a moody alt-rock post-punk track about trying to figure out what to do with your life while living in a pandemic.
“Sweet Sick is about boredom and existential dread. A lot of my friends who are also in their early twenties have talked about not knowing what they’re “supposed” to be doing with their lives. Trying to plan your life is a losing game at the best of times, but given the pandemic I think that feeling was exacerbated for many people, including us.”
3.
Kubb_
And I Looked Up To The Sky (Azure Mix)
Kevin Gubbins makes electronic music as Kubb_ and the Azure mix of the song from last year is looking forward to a time when we can all gather together again once more.
4.
Bedrooms
In yer pocket
Dublin four-piece’s Bedrooms forthcoming debut EP Afterglow was produced by Bill Ryder-Jones (The Coral) and the band have shared the second track from it, which takes inspiration from the Cocteau Twins and the slowcore sound.
5.
Ocean Tisdall
Broke Up With My Best Friend
19 year-old Wicklow artist Ocean Tisdall’s ‘Broke Up With My Best Friend’ addresses the rarely-explored fallout of losing a friend with this pop-centred R&B tune.
Everyone says that breakups are one of the hardest things to go through and when we think of breakups, we think of romantic relationships But I think we forget to talk about the experience and the feeling of “breaking up” with our best friends. The loss of a best friend/friends can be extremely painful to go through. I had to write this song to be able to let it go and I hope my experience aids someone else that may be going through the same thing.
6.
Pagan
Wash Away Our Fears
Dublin-based electronic producer Pagan has been going from strength to strength despite not being able to gig. ‘Wash Away Our Fears’ is a new track of foreboding club dynamics that will feature on Pagan’s debut EP of the same name being released by the label Lobster Theremin on their ‘1Ø Pills Mate’ imprint.
7.
Echtrae
Bonfire Lit
Echtrae is the solo project of Jack Ahern and I’m really impressed with the title track from his EP Ghost Season, which dropped on Friday. ‘Bonfire Lit’ has strands of neo-classical, electronic tones and pop melodies combining to create a very present mood piece.
The additional vocals and strings were contributed by players online.
The lyrics are inspired by Echtra Condla – an Old Irish echtra saga telling of the seduction of Conle, son of Conn of the Hundred Battles.
8.
NTF
Far Out
NTF (not to be confused with NFTs) are a three-piece group from Wicklow who featured here recently. Their newest single ‘Far Out’ is one that looks ahead to brighter days with an alt-pop bedroom sound that was by the sounds of it was made in bedrooms under lockdown restrictions with the trio sending parts to each other.
9.
Pretty Happy
Sea Sea Sea
Cork band Pretty Happy’s ‘Sea Sea Sea’ is the oddball at the party this week – a new wavey post-punk track which delights in its Cork-accented delivery and earworm melody. The song is about “queer identity and gender stereotyping”.
Pretty Happy are Abbey Blake (Guitar), Arann Blake (Vocals, Bass Guitar) and Andy Killian (Drums) have established themselves as one of the most exciting acts on the Irish music scene. Abbey is a founder of Angry Mom Collective, a movement set up to battle the gender divide in Irish arts.
