Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
Chi-Chi and Strangelove make up the Dundalk duo Negro Impacto who are one of our favourite new bands out of Ireland, making vibey R&B pop music.
They take five tunes each on this list:
CHI-CHI
Paramore
Thick Skull
I love love love the newest Paramore Album This is Why. It was released on my birthday, and was a present indeed. It’s a lot more mellow to the majority of Paramore albums. I feel this really allowed the lyrics to shine from the first round listening.
‘Thick Skull’ is the last song on the album. This song in particular has a very mellow grungy feel, accompanied with very honest and metaphorical lyricism. It feels like the instrumentation is dancing around Haley’s voice, they both blend together really well.
The song is about the human condition. It explains the toxic cycle of making bad decisions and never learning from the outcome. Basically feeling like some sort of Groundhog Day, repeating patterns doomed to ending in self hurt.
Noname
Potentially The Interlude
My next pick is from Noname’s newest album Sundial yet another great album of 2023.
‘Potentially the interlude’ has a very Drum and Bass leading instrumental which I love. Noname’s lyricism in this song cuts like a double edged sword. I love this song because it is so TRUE. It’s a short song by Noname but has a long lasting effect.
The song explains human’s tendencies to love people based on their potential to be better and not the person’s current/true nature. It wasn’t just relatable but also a personal conviction. Definitely a song that sparks personal evaluations when you can’t fall asleep at night.
Cable Boy
W.I.W.Y (When I’m With You)
This single makes me feel like I’m walking through a very pretty garden on a Sunday afternoon. The instrumentation sets a dreamlike tone from the onset. The lyrics are a sweet confession of how it feels to be in love. It explores the raw and vulnerable nature of falling for someone but the meaning, motivation and encouragement love adds to life.
Quantic
Stand Up
This is from the very recently released Quantic album Dancing While Falling. The album does exactly what the title alludes to. It makes you want to dance before, during and after falling.
This is a song to DANCE to, it has the classic 70s funk/dance elements. The instrumentation is serious, accompanied by soulful vocals. The lyrics are simple and uplifting, the vocals are encouraging people to not give up on their dreams despite the hardships that come from chasing their ambitions.
Bricknasty
Fashion ft. KhakiKid
Released firstly as a single and subsequently released as part of Bricknasty’s highly anticipated debut album Ina Crueler. I must say this project was immaculately crafted, it’s both musically and lyrically beautiful by Ireland’s finest.
Accompanied with guitar, and alien-sounding synth sounds, the vocals set a mellow yet unsettling soulful vibe from the beginning of the song. The groovy baseline kicks in right before the chorus kicks in that bass neck jerk instantly. KhakiKid brings fun and dynamic energy to the song in his verse. The lyrics explain the grip that popular clothing has on individuals in society. It explains how fashionable items can serve as a mask that distract individuals from things that truly matter.
STRANGELOVE:
Citrus Fresh
Wrastling Feat. Curtisy & Rory Sweeney
There are so many Irish artists that truly deserve the world and that sentiment rings true whenever I think of these three lads respectively. It can feel like what’s being presented as “the best new music” is from people who are pushing to be the coolest and hottest thing right now. Which isn’t to say there is a right or wrong way of doing anything – but it isn’t easy to deceive people nowadays with your intentions. With that being said, Wrastlin’ to me showcases Citrus, Curtisy and Rory’s talents in a way that sounds natural, fun and undeniable. Citrus and Curtisy trading verses sprinkled with witty and thoughtful bars over multi-faceted wizard Rory Sweeney’s hazy, soulful and lowkey sinister instrumental was always gonna be a winner. Special shoutout to Ahmed, With Love who properly fancies Curtisy but said he doesn’t want anyone to know teehee!
Elaine Malone
Sin Eater
I don’t remember exactly how I came across Elaine’s Pyrrhic album (Which came out with super awesome and super cool Dundalk independent label Pizza Pizza Records) but it was a simple equation of “I’m a simple man. I see Limerick legend who makes music? I listen”. Hauntingly beautiful vocals over a bed of sound that transitions through ephemeral moods – sometimes chaotic and heavy, sometimes serene and light but is somehow always comforting and sure of itself. I don’t really know what people would generally call Elaine’s style of music but I think its deadly and will call it that cuz fuck genres, ammiright kids!?!?
Hotgirl
The Cat
Despite being from the Shelbyville of Louth (Drogheda for those who don’t know), it’s been beautiful to see Ashley’s Hotgirl project blossom into one of the most exciting bands this side of the country at the moment. I’d been lucky to hear some of Hotgirl’s demos many moons ago when asked to stand in as bassist for one gig and had been dying to hear more since then but giving time to develop songs and ideas is imperative to the process, which I’m glad Ashley and Co. have done with this alongside their string of releases this year. Ashley’s vocals are raw and soulful and the instrumental encompasses. If you can see them live, I implore you to do so post haste.
Sampha
Suspended
I wanted to keep my selections Irish but had to mention the return of the messiah that is Sampha. I don’t make the rules but unfortunately If you hate Sampha, you hate yourself. It’s that simple. Too many to name off of his latest album Lahai (‘Spirit 2.0’, ‘Jonathan L.Seagull’, ‘Evidence’) but ‘Suspended’ is one that I constantly come back to. He explores every element of spirituality on Lahai but this one quite literally makes you feel like you’re floating with euphoria slowly fluttering through every inch of your body. The constant building of vocals with pensive lyricism over a constantly tense and beautiful running of piano lines towards eventually feeling ‘suspended’ among the clouds is a feeling worth replaying this song as well as the album for.
Moondiver
When U Land
The first time we heard Moondiver was actually the summer of 2022 at Another Love Story, which I think was the summer they first started gigging as Moondiver?
Since then we’ve been fortunate to share the stage with them at their sold-out Sugar Club gig, with a performance that proved to be a powerful statement from some of the most talented and down to Earth guys you’ll ever meet. All the songs they performed at that point (Besides ‘Gretchen’ and ‘Dominoes’, which we were celebrating the release of at their Sugar Club gig) were unreleased and ‘When U Land’ was one of them. They’re one of the most impressive live bands I’ve ever seen come out of Ireland and a band everyone needs to get on to QWIKKLEEE!
Meshing jazz with electronica, ‘When U Land’ is such an excitable and massive tune, you can’t help but pull the stank face – like properly crinkled nose that’ll leave wrinkles for days type stank face. Precise and swinging drums, driving and groovy baseline all accompanied by powerful and woozy synths and keys, there is simply nothing like them around. Here’s hoping they release the rest of the songs they’re holding captive next year!
See all Guestlist of 2023 choices
Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
