The best new Irish songs this week feature emerging tracks we’ve selected from artists from the island of Ireland, with more recommendations below.
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cosign
2 B U
Belfast artist and producer Martha Greer, aka cosign dropped from her second EP This Is What It Feels Like last week. Co-produced with Chris W. Ryan, the bubbling choral electronic song started life as something much slower.
“2 B U is all about capturing euphoria,” she says. “It was the last song finished for the second EP, originally a slow burning demo before I decided to flip it completely on its head.”
cosign plays Other Voices in Dingle later this month.
CABL
Dog Collar
Dublin/Drogheda four-piece CABL’s second EP Dog Collar was also out last week produced by guitarist Luke White and mixed by Gilla Band’s Dan Fox, with the new release adding some dream pop texture.
The closing title track is its heaviest moment in subject matter, a look at the Irish church’s history of abuse and cover-ups, from the Magdalene laundries to decades of child abuse cases. Written in 2022, it’s been a fan favourite at their shows for a while. “The main point of the project was to narrate the rapid destruction of innocence in our young people today,” says vocalist Ava Durran.
CABL play free in-stores at Spindizzy Records, Dublin (November 19th) and Bigmoon Records, Drogheda (November 20th), and head to Other Voices in Dingle as part of the Jameson Music Trail.
Oceanna & Q.BANA
Skaggy Rollies
Oceanna links up with Q.BANA, formerly known as Qbanaa, on the bright and meandering minimal jazz-soul collaboration of ‘Skaggy Rollies’. The track comes with an animated music video by visual artist Fortune (@tokyoisonline), which gives a new take on some of Dublin’s iconic landscapes.
namakau
do i look good?
Irish and Zambian singer, songwriter and producer namakau makes her debut with ‘do i look good?’, an alt R&B and indie song about the need for validation and what it costs your sense of self.
The production is aiming for the feel of a nostalgic coming-of-age movie soundtrack, and that simple chorus is a bit of an earworm.
Martian Subculture
CREST
‘CREST’ is the first single from a new era for Limerick artist Martian Subculture, ahead of a second album ty4beingthere, due in December.
The record explores the shame embedded in Irish people and how it plays into pride and trauma, something the artist says he feels doubly as a socially awkward, broke artist.
The Kyd G & $ONA BLU€
Twist N Turn
Blanchardstown artist and producer The Kyd G links up with $ONA BLU€ on ‘Twist N Turn’, produced by GNS and DuckyProd, a track that blends propulsive R&B and melodic rap.
It’s about getting tired of the same excuses from someone, with an invitation to dance it out instead. It’ll feature on his EP From G to U, due early next year, and The Kyd G headlines Whelan’s Upstairs on November 30th.
Hotgirl
Going Around
Dublin four-piece Hotgirl return with ‘Going Around’, a track that features production from member Local Boy that takes the band’s alt-rock into ’90s alt-breakbeat-indie territory. I like it.
The band are among the Irish acts heading to Eurosonic 2027 in January, where Ireland is the focus country.
Daire Heffernan
Hunter, Archer
Dublin-born, Belfast-based Daire Heffernan started a new era with ‘Hunter, Archer’, a track that pairs glitching electronic soundscapes with layered vocal harmonies, produced by Darragh McDonnell and Tailtiu. It’s a taste of her debut album Sundeath, out this Friday, November 13th.
Written in the dead of winter in a remote cabin in Donegal, the song is about the mythical recreation that happens when a person dies, in this case her father. “Sometimes sainthood is bestowed upon the people that leave us, because it feels like the right way to honour them,” she says. “However, grief is much more complicated than that, and sometimes all is not forgiven.”
Fynch
WHAT’S AFTER HAPPENING?
Drimnagh rapper Fynch returns after more than two years away with ‘WHAT’S AFTER HAPPENING?’, his first release since his debut album Youngfella. Produced by Luke White, with additional production, mixing and mastering by his Burner Records co-founder Local Boy.
It’s about turning thirty, being gone for a while and feeling old as a new generation takes hold. “I was writing solely from a place of enjoyment, trying to have fun with things,” he says.
Marcus Woods
Angel
Dublin producer and Burner Records co-founder Marcus Woods returns after a long hiatus with ‘Angel’, the lead single from his EP I Fear What I Do Not Understand, due out on December 10th. It’s his first release since his debut album Self-Portrait in 2020.
It’s a fast-paced ambient reintro with sub bass and shimmering synth arps and is inspired by the early 2010s work of Four Tet. Before this he spent about four years releasing jungle and breakbeats under the alias XXXX In Stereo.
The 16-minute EP features long-time collaborator Silent Ghost on ‘Nash Street’ and closes with ‘Leaked Heaven Footage’.
Julianne Quirke
Nectarine
West Cork singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and cellist Julianne Quirke shares ‘Nectarine’, her first release under her own name after earlier work as Julia-Maria. It’s a warm, hazy track between indie folk and dream-pop, written while she was split between London and home.
Quirke is a touring cellist and backing vocalist, a full-time member of The Fynches and How I Became a Wave, and is working on her debut album.
Slowburn
How To Land A Plane
Dublin alternative rock trio Slowburn released their debut single ‘How To Land A Plane’. They cite Gurriers, Mustard, Duster and Wunderhorse as influences, and recorded it at JeJune Studios with producer Daniel De Burca on their first day recording as a band.
It’s an experiment in restraint, with shifting dynamics and an unresolved ending. Frontman Daniel Keville says it was the quickest song they’ve written, coming together in about 30 minutes in rehearsal. It has become a staple of their live shows, including their sets at Whelan’s Ones to Watch and All Together Now. Listen here.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, check into the Irish section for individual track features…
We are prioritising Youtube / Bandcamp embeds where possible.
More New Irish music additions:
- Netcrush – Lowfen
- Kadillac – Cáca Milis
- Mali Mae – Making Me Cry
- Morgana – Make It Hot Make It Cool
- deathtoricky – all year
- Chalk, Phantogram, cosign – Heaven
- donny., Niall Tarmey – dontwakeup.
- Sadhbh Keane – Hot Seat
- Martian Subculture – Crest
- Mon Frère – Margerie
- Malaki – When The Fun Stops
- Kessoncoda, Biig Piig – Blindsided
- Forg.ie – Cool I
- Still Searching – MICHELLE
- Bring Your Own Hammer, Linda Buckley, Brigid Mae Power – I Swear To You
- Alan Mckee – RAGE
- The Cope – Low
- Anna Mullarkey – La Loba
- Unique Freaks – 4 Billion Revolutions
- GNS, The Kyd G, DuckyProd – call me
- Sloucho – Angel (Need You)
- Kynsy – eleanor
- HABI – HOW DO YOU?
- CABL – Annie Moore
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. Niall is the chost of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and host of monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
