The Dublin rapper Nealo has announced a hometown show on the night of his new album release.
Nealo announced his new album November Medicine is to be released on Friday November 17th, and released a new song featuring Susan O’Neill called ‘Only Human’.
The same night, Mealo plays a first headline show Whelan’s to celebrate the release of the record.
Tickets go on sale 10am this Friday 20th October from Whelan’s. Nice poster too:
About Nealo – November Medicine.
Nealo’s writing draws from his experience growing up in Dublin 15, and comments on wider social issues in contemporary Ireland. His intensely personal lyrics are contrasted with a magpie collection of instrumentals, informed by 70’s soul, 90’s Boombap and folk. The eclectic November Medicine spans a rich variety of genres.
This is the record that pulled him out of the basement. It was hard won, dragged out of himself during a particularly difficult period in his life. While his debut album was a celebration of learning to love and contribute to the neglected city he was born into, his sophomore LP taught him how to love himself, how to celebrate himself. Across nine songs and four voice notes, Nealo lays everything out. With a voice that’s smoked a million cigarettes and screamed through a hundred hardcore shows he offers up himself, the end of his ten year relationship, his depression and his determination to heal. His honesty is severe and his tone is warm.
Collaboration is at the heart of this record, and feels like a guiding philosophy for the Nealo project. We hear his spirit repair as friends lend a voice, a word and a shoulder. Morgana enters first in “Forest”, counting steps to get through the winter. Jehnova’s bars on “Tears You Cry” sound like a soothing friend, tired from picking up the pieces but ever reliable “Everything connected on a level based on frequency”. Rebel Phoenix’s raw and reassuring tones promise new seasons beginning in “What Colour Would Our Friendship Be?”, until a burst of joy in the form of “Cereal”, the song which wears itself the lightest, feels as though the gang’s back together, “looking for a miracle”.
November Medicine, which begins in the basement, ends in the urban expanse of Blanchardstown. Only Human, the final track, is the weather vane on the top of the highest house in the suburbs. It promises love in all forms; for oneself, for family, for the graves and for the children. This is more than a record, it is a reckoning with what it means to be a father, a son, a friend, an ex husband and a good person. What is always there, beneath the shouts and intricate wordplay is a desire to rebuild, to grow further towards the sun. There seems to be a promise; that Nealo will continue to take his November Medicine.
With an admirable track record since the release of his debut album All The Leaves Are Falling in 2020, highlights include a spot in the ‘Irish Times Top 10 Artists’, an RTE Choice Prize nomination, sold out headline shows across Ireland and opening for YG, Saba and Dizzee Rascal. His reputation for ambitious live shows combined with his sharp lyrical narrative and charmingly candid approach to storytelling has earned him a wide and loyal fanbase. Nealo’s impact on Irish music can be felt in the scene that he is building through his recorded collaborations and in venues across the country. His standout performance at Other Voices can be watched here. Cold Summit, which boasts an impressive lineup of Ireland’s leading hip hop sensations, is yet another example of Nealo’s commitment to musical excellence and community. In every arena he is providing honest, soul-touching and vulnerable music to a generation in need. Addressing society and the myriad of problems ingrained in Irish culture, Nealo’s voice is unique, uncompromisingly true and important in understanding contemporary Ireland.
Pre-Save/Order November Medicine here
Tracklist:
1. Love Ya
2. Absent Hearted
3. Spirit Totem
4. Forest Feat. Morgana
5. On Blanch Interlude
6. Tears You Cry Feat. Jehnova
7. I Know Feat. Shiv
8. What Colour Would Our Friendship Be? Feat. Rebel Phoenix
9. Bucko, Wilbur, Frankie & The Acid (interlude)
10. Cereal Feat. Morgana, Rach & Uly
11. Rosemary
12. Tiny Birds Interlude
13. Only Human
