Cathal Ryan’s favorite tracks of 2023
Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
Cathal is a journalist who writes about all things Limerick music for Nialler9. The riverside city-based reporter freelances around the place interviewing musicians and delivering details on new music. Once upon a time, he played drums in a few bands.
Here are his top 10 tunes of the year.
Sprints
Adore Adore Adore
Garage rockers Sprints are possibly one of the most incendiary live acts in the country at the moment. The four piece time and time again have put out hard punching hits capturing the energy of their shows, ‘Adore Adore Adore’ was no exception.
The three-minute track is aggressive, exhilarating, and packed full of frustration with lead singer Karla Chubb’s lyrics driving the single. Their debut album is due out at the start of 2024, I can’t wait.
Chalk
The Gate
Belfast’s Chalk, a trio melding post-punk noise and electro sounds, dropped their intense single ‘The Gate’ earlier in the year, an anxiety-inducing tune laden with fast guitars, pounding drums, and spirited lyrics. Nothing short of mental.
The track was the first after joining Nice Swan Records, who also boast Sprints.
Matthew Halsall
Triangles in the Sky
I often deviate to jazz and ambient albums in work to get in the writing groove and this year Manchunian trumpeter Matthew Halsall provided the goods. His album An Ever Changing View was released in August and it has been steadily streamed during the day to get me through.
The record is brimming with contemplative, well-crafted jazz with the track ‘Triangles in the Sky’, standing out. The spacious and airy track brings you right into the forest. Halsall’s specially designed triangles top off the sweet competition.
Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
The Hillbillies
Back in May, these two icons low-key dropped a surprise single alongside a music video shot on VHS camcorder with shots of the duo in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. It had been a hot minute since either had released a tune so this track was massively welcomed.
I was lucky enough to catch the two of them this year, outside of Ireland, mega sets by both artists but busting out ‘The Hillbillies’ would have made it perfect.
Citrus Fresh
Wrastling
This August, Limerick mainstay Citrus dropped one of the top albums of the year. The insanely personal record spans nearly 20 minutes with Fresh and his trustworthy producer 40 Hurtz exploring the grieving process.
While there are a lot of stand-out tracks, it is the hard-hitting ‘Wrastling’, with Dublin wordsmith Curtisy sharing mic duties with Rory Sweeney on production that has been staying on repeat.
Junior Brother
The Men Who Eat Ringforts
The Kerry alt-folk legend Junior Brother graced us with two tunes this year. Back in April, he dropped a nearly twenty-minute contemplative guitar track titled ‘Junior Brother’s Favourite’ encapsulating his sound – a strong contender for a spot on this list had he not shared another.
‘The Men Who Eat Ringforts’ is one of those tunes that hits from the first slap of drums and pucked guitars, with vocals almost akin to a rap in the verse, I am highly anticipating this record.
CMAT
Stay For Something
This pop star’s iconic album dropped to acclaim earlier this year, snapping up its fair share of accolades and landing many a spot on a list. CMAT is a star uniting generations, and ‘Stay For Something’ is the track that did it for me.
Mam and I would not often sit on a similar wavelength with music, she would spin Bros if put on the spot, but CMAT’s Crazy Mad, For Me had us both enamored. ‘Stay For Something’ is a powerful tune by a powerhouse of a star.
John Francis Flynn
Dirty Old Town
The first time I caught John Francis Flynn was at a tiny spot in London a few years back having never listened to a tune before, it was a spiritual experience.
Look Over the Wall, See the Sky joined with the likes of Lankum and The Mary Wallopers’ latest records among others as the cream of Irish folk releases in 2023. The album closes with a rendition of ‘Dirty Old Town’, often covered, rarely to such an ethereal degree. Hair stands on the back of my neck every time.
Depeche Mode
Ghosts Again
Iconic 80s electronic pioneers Depeche Mode released ‘Ghosts Again’ back in February, the first single off their fifteenth studio album and the first release since the death of co-founder and keyboardist Andy Fletcher last year.
While the synth-pop tune has some dark themes, reflecting on death and life, the track is still a trademark upbeat Depeche Mode bop. These guys still have it.
Blur
Barbaric
We waited so long for The Magic Whip to come, I honestly never thought we would get another Blur album so soon. Each single teasing The Ballad of Darren hyped up the die-hard fans more and more, when ‘St Charles Square’ dropped, it was certain this record was going to be immense.
‘Barbaric’ stands out above the rest, the gorgeous tune boats everything a perfect Blur tune holds, with steady beats provided by Dave, and a poppy melody with all the right sensibilities.
The killer chorus repeats: “We have lost the feeling that we thought we’d never lose” as Damon contemplates the end of a relationship. The shared genius of these four lads certainly isn’t lost.
See all Guestlist of 2023 choices
Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
