A lot 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.
Royal Yellow
Until
Mark O’Brien’s electronic project Royal Yellow last year released a collaboration with Lisa Hannigan, but this new track ‘Until’ is all about the texture and swing – “a euphoric ode to longing”. The full version is a sprawling 12-minutes long too so you can go deeper.
2.
Cosha
Run The Track
The artist formerly known as Bonsai has announced a debut album Mt. Pleasant for her more recent moniker. It’s released on July 2nd, and we’ve had singles featuring Shygirl and Coby Sey so far.
While the artist is London-based and has been for a while, the title is named after the Dublin area where she grew up. The latest song ‘Run The Track’ was produced by none other than Rostam along with Vegyn and is a bit of a banger.
“It’s a rhythmic banger that will move you physically and emotionally. It deals with the often bizarre courtship stage in a new relationship/friendship where you’re still figuring that person out and getting to know their nuances, maybe questioning your interpretations of their actions. It’s that journey from the delicate beginning through to a stronger, more concrete terrain; not ending, because a real friendship doesn’t end it just keeps growing stronger the more love you put into it… and if you’re not trying to get too deep with it, that’s cool. It just bangs. Let it move you.”
3.
T. Cole
Sipping Not Tripping
Drogheda-raised artist Tunolase Margaret Cole aka T.Cole’s voice is the big draw on this pleasing Afro pop track.
4.
Cathal Murphy
Frame
With a vocal reminiscent to a younger Rhye, the Newry artist Cathal Murphy’s ‘Frame’ is bit of an earmworm of jazz, soul and pop persuasion. Murphy is also in the Irish folk group Cúig.
5.
Rushes
Wide Eyed
The alt-pop R&B artist Rushes spent lockdown in Skibbereen in Cork for the first time in five years and attributes it to a bit of a creative revival.
On ‘Wide Eyed’, the artist explores self-doubt and the concept of attachment to others with this smudged soul pop song, which he says:
“You linger and are constantly conflicted with whether or not you made the right decision. It’s aching and it feels like forever to see past the doubt that clouds over your decision”.
6.
Graham Sweeney
Gold
The Mayo musician is known for his guitar work which you can hear on ‘Gold’ but the trumpet, bass and keys elevate this song to one that sounds far away from his Achill Island roots, and it turns out it was recorded in San Francisco so it is well-travelled.
7.
Cian Ducrot, Cate
Know Me Again
Cian Ducrot is an Irish singer-songwriter and producer who has signed to Polydor/ Interscope so big things are expected. ‘Know Me Again’, a sweet song in collaboration with Cate (the pair were room-mates) is a sparkling pop ballad with big pop crescendoes.
8.
Sour Blood
Sleep Paralysis
Kevin Gleeson was formerly in a band called Ghosts and worked as a sound designer for theatre. His solo project as Sour Blood continues a spectral sonic path. ‘Sleep Paralysis’ explores the degradation of memory, which is one of the scariest things that can happen to a person, so yeah this song is unnerving.
A full-length album Good Nevers is out June 25th 2021.
It’s on Bandcamp.
9.
Local Boy
Horizon
Local Boy Helps Himself is the 8-track Spotify EP or a 12-track deluxe Bandcamp version which the Dublin-based slacker bedroom artist Jake Hurley released last week, and ‘Horizon’ from it is a standout , displaying the artist’s now-trademark cheekly melodic and lyrical style.
“If I was from New York I’d be sippin’ on a 40 son but that was not my fate so all this Prazsky got me goin’ dumb”
10.
Auxiliary Phoenix
Morning Light
Carlow-based producer, musician and DJ James Strain has been knocking out jazzy electronica fusion for a number of years now but only now does his wonky style of the genre fit in with the zeitgeisty types of Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote and their ilk.
His forthcoming album Petrichor (out May 28th) will amalgamate classic ’70s jazz fusion with modern day jazz with hip-hop production.
11.
Skripteh
Cradle To The Grave
The Wexford rapper Skripteh is on a roll since the Who;s Asking remix last year.
