See the end of the post for the Weekly Playlist featuring all the tracks I loved this week.
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Ahmed, With Love., Kibo, Lil Skag
Bedroom Bullies
Ahmed, With Love. is set to release his second EP of collaborations called Ahmed, With Friends! Vol.2, to follow up his recent Comma, FullStop. mixtape album.
It continues Ahmed’s gift for dropping bright and breezy sampling rap tunes, which he calls “Sillywave”.
The EP was made along with London-based artists including Owin, Pozer and David Armada.
“My aim for this series is to literally just hang out with people I like and seeing what we can make in the moment, and it highlights a super important belief I have that the best things happen when you’re having fun and being yourself (and not overthinking things).’
Look out fot Clash At The Quays 2 later in the year.
Talos, Ólafur Arnalds, Sandrayati
Bedrock
The collaborative album between Talos and Ólafur Arnalds, A Dawning was written by the pair before Talos’ Eoin French passed away, and finished by Arnalds after his passing.
We’ve heard ‘Signs’, the group-offering of ‘‘We Didn’t Know We Were Ready’ prior to this, and ‘Bedrock’ is a fine release of ambient pop piano songwriting, with the essence of Talos’ core intimate epicness, augmented with Arnalds’ touch and the closing vocal of Sandrayati.
A Dawning is released on July 11th via OPIA / Mercury KX.
A Remembering Talos show happens at Cork Opera House in September as part of Sounds From A Safe Harbour.
The song was written in west Cork, while Arnalds was staying with French: “We would drive around a little bit – he showed me the ruins of a ceremonial circle,” he recalls. Arnalds felt an instant connection with his friend’s home, knowing the history of Irish monks who came to Ireland and of the Vikings who established the town that would later become known as Dublin.
“There’s a defiance in both countries, an island mentality, which I think is often a result of us fighting to keep what is uniquely ours – there’s a certain energy that comes from that,” he says.
“It’s incredible how music has the ability to transcend time and physical laws.. singing with Eoin always felt like that, and now even more so. This song is carved into me now.” Sandrayati says.
Annahstasia, Obongjayar
Slow
Los Angeles alt-folk singer-songwriter Annahstasia pens intimate songs full of soul and shade, and arrives at this debut album Tether, released last week, on the drink sum wtr label having thoroughly road-tested these songs to audiences, friends and family.
The album was recorded as live in Valentine Studios in LA and Obongjayar, who features on my current favourite from the record – ‘Slow’ which has a celestially cosmic yearning at the heart of its theme.
Annahstasia was on Jools last week too.
April
TV Show
The Kildare alt-pop artist April Lawlor aka April is the latest artist after EFE to sign to the Fader Label for releases.
‘TV Show’ signals an EP to be released An Axe To Grind (which also features the song ‘Puppy’) finds Lawlor processing a whirlwind love experience and its aftermath. It really takes off in the bridge of the song, as it builds to an alt-pop crescendo before sinking back down again, reflecting the turbulent dynamics of such a relationship.
“‘TV show’ ended up feeling like a dream. It’s about this feeling I tend to experience, this kind of blurring between reality and fantasy — especially when it comes to love. I fell in love and when it was over I wondered if it was even real. It felt like I had left my body and just come back to reality. Sonically this song really expresses that for me, it feels kind of seasick. It’s vulnerable and a real piece of myself.”
Iona Zajac
Bang
The Dublin-based Scottish singer-songwriter Iona Zajac previously collaborated with Lankum’s Daragh Lynch, supporting Alison Moyet on tour and is performing with The Pogues on their 40th Anniversary concert series.
Zajac here follows up recent single ‘Summer’ with the more indie-rock leaning ‘Bang’ advocating for sex as an antidote to the crush of modern living and learned internal shame around sexual enjoyment.
“A good bang at the end of a boring day won’t fix your life, but it might help,” says Zajac. “I wrote bang when I realised sex could be good. While that feels like something that should be taken for granted, it wasn’t for me as a young woman growing up. I think that’s the case for a lot of people. Confusing clashing bodies, often shadowed by the evil teenage world of slut shaming. I hated my body and I couldn’t figure out how to enjoy it. Then suddenly it was bliss, the shame was gone and I wanted to shout about it.”
“So I wrote Bang. For the video, we wanted to keep it simple, it’s a celebration of female pleasure and presents a day in the life of a bored woman who loves to bang!”
Iona Zajac tour dates
July 4th – Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire w/ Lisa O’Neill
July 5th – Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire w/ Lisa O’Neill
July 6th – Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire w/ Lisa O’Neill
July 12th – Kew Gardens w/ Alison Moyet
August 1st – Belladrum Festival, Invernes
Sept 5th – Lincoln Centre, Washington (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 7th – Seasun Festival, Boston (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 8th – Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 10th – History, Toronto (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 12th – Mtelus, Montreal (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 13th – CityFolk Festival, Ottowa (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 16th – Terminal 5, New York (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 17th – Terminal 5, New York (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 19th – Riot Fest, Chicago (As part of The Pogues)
Songs I also loved this week:
Also added to this week’s playlist:
- Jacob Alon – Of Amber
- Morgana – Party Killer
- They Are Gutting a Body of Water – AMERICAN FOOD
- David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra – Everybody Laughs
- Empress Of – Little Secret (From “The Buccaneers S2” Soundtrack)
- The Itch; Gabe Gurnsey – The Influencer (Gabe Gurnsey Remix)
- Kim Gordon – BYE BYE 25!
Nialler9 Weekly Playlist
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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.
