Every Friday, four new music picks culled from the music blog hive mind are published as part of my Day & Night section. The magazine is out in print free with every copy of the Irish Independent on Friday so pick it up (or read it in the shop when the cashier isn’t looking).. Follow Day & Night on Twitter or Facebook. Any one of these could be your new favourite band…
Chlöe Howl
This 17-year-old singer has been snapped up by Columbia Records and it’s easy to hear why. Her debut single ‘No Strings’ is an all-conquering sort: a bright and breezy pop Pumped Up Kicks-esque arrangement with Howl’s distinctive English drawl means this debut song has buckets of personality.
Natasha Haws
Tribal drum hits and atmospherically-enhanced vocals strike you straight away on this young North East English singer’s new single Stranger. Like her namesake, Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes, Haws’ music is a beguiling unique sort.
London Grammar
This trio are doing the “shrouded in mystery” thing in the last month of the year while everyone is looking back but they’ve still made many a blogger take notice. Stick Hey Now on your 2013 playlist as preparation regardless as its warm relaxed tones will will heat up the coldest bones come January.
Ango
2012 will certainly be looked back as a stellar year for R&B thanks to the likes of The Weeknd, Miguel and Frank Ocean. Canada’s Ango is lesser known but his output from working with electronic producers like Jacques Greene and on the free album Serpentine this year has an equal appeal.
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.
