Here’s a rundown of new albums and releases, including new albums and EPs on DSPs and physical releases in record shops this week.
Nialler9 keeps a rolling list of Irish album releases for 2025.
New Albums and Releases
New Albums
M(h)aol – Something Soft
The Irish post-punk band based in Dublin, Belfast, and London release their second album on Merge Records.
The title naturally belies the now-trio’s (Constance Keane (she/her), Jamie Hyland (she/her), and Sean Nolan (he/him) are joined by Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra’s Sarah Deegan on bass) spiky noise-rock, that thematically is comes to the stage with songs informed by intersectional feminism, animal welfare, consumerism and a societal lack of empathy.
The press release sums it up nicely. “What M(h)aol offers is catharsis, in two forms: the kind you get from being open with others, and the kind you get from righteously smashing some shit up.”
Something Soft was recorded by Jamie Hyland and features previously released songs ‘Pursuit’ ,‘DM;AM’ and ‘Snare’ and the band Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (Se/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him)are joined by Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra’s Sarah Deegan on bass.
The band are on tour in June with Cola and Junk Drawer and play the following
Mhaol Live
28 May – The Black Box, Belfast
29 May – Sandinos, Derry
30 May – The Roisin Dubh, Galway
31 May – Kasbah Social Club, Limerick
1 & 2 June – Coughlans, Cork
3 June – Luca Records and Decks, Waterford
4 June – Whelan’s, Dublin
Tune-Yards – Better Dreaming
Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner’s sixth studio album as Tune-Yards purports to be “their most effortlessly groove-filled” album.
Proudly waving an anti-fascist, liberation, freak flag, Better Dreaming contains some of Tune-Yards smoothest, funkiest, and most direct pop music to date, and yes, you can dance to it. And when you do dance to it, be prepared to sweat out something that’s been long stuck inside, and pretty deep down.
The songs of Better Dreaming came to Garbus and Brenner with unusual ease. They asked themselves what would happen if they simply let the songs come out, following any trail they wished – first thought, best thought style. There was a strong desire to move, to make music that would enter the ear and immediately loosen up the joints, get the whole body wiggling. After covid-isolation, and time away from touring and live shows, the desire to be moved by music was undeniable. The insane experience of growing an actual human being influenced this as well.
Billy Nomates – Metalhorse
Bristol-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Tor Maries’ third album focuses on blues, folk and piano arrangements over more spikey indie punk styles this time around.
Metalhorse is the first Billy Nomates album to be made in a studio and with a full band, recorded in Seville, shortly after the passing of Maries’ dad to Parkinson’s, and an an MS diagnosis for the writer.
The album’s chief concept revolves around a dilapidated funfair, representing the tumultuousness of life – risk and pleasure, danger and exhilaration.
“To me, Metalhorse is this crumbling fairground where some rides are nice to get on and some rides aren’t,” Maries explains.
Shanti Celeste – Romance
The second album from Chilean UK-basedd DJ, producer, and vocalist Shanti Celeste on Peach Discs / Method 808, finds a more intimate ruminating sonic space to exist rather with beds of soft luminous house, garage and techno grooves. It’s an album concerned with love of many forms, with Celeste providing vocals.
Rob de Boer – Man to You
The Irish multi-instrumentalist and film-maker Rob de Boer explores relationships, identity and manhood on his debut album of smooth acoustic soul, R&B, blues and jazz inflections.
Confirmation Getup – Style Time
Paul Morrin (Spectac/FES) and Dunk Murphy (Sunken Foal) make a collaborative album drawing on fuzzed atmospherics, dubby bass-funk, ambient footwork, experimental squelch and wavey electro psychedelia.
Ezra Furman – Goodbye Small Head
10th studio album from Ezra Furman on Bella Union was “written during a maelstrom of overwhelm, the album title is a nuanced homage to the 1999 Sleater-Kinney single ‘Get Up’.”
Goodbye Small Head is the name of this record. Twelve songs, twelve variations on the experience of completely losing control, whether by weakness, illness, mysticism, BDSM, drugs, heartbreak or just living in a sick society with one’s eyes open. These songs are vivid with overwhelm. They’re not about someone going off the rails, they are inside that person’s heart. The songwriting here is a revision to William Wordsworth’s famous proclamation that “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” I can agree with that, except for the tranquillity part. This poetry, my poetry, arrived in the midst of the storm. It was written as I teetered toward the edge. (I did the edits once I was safe again.)
Brigid Mae Power – Silver Strand Tapes
A 4-track of cassette recordings made by the Sligo folk singer-songwriter between April 30th and May 1st.
YARD – YARD
Dublin electro noise rock band release a four-track EP whirls with anxiety and release, released the same week they play The Great Escape and have European and UK tour dates lined up for the summer.
Also released today
- Aminé – 13 Months of Sunshine
- Ben Frost – Under Certain Light and Atmospheric Conditions
- Chloe Qisha – Modern Romance EP
- Dan Mangan – Natural Light
- Ezra Furman – Goodbye Small Head
- Gruff Rhys – American Interior 2025 Remastered Bonus Edition
- Matt Maltese – Hers
- Miso Extra – Earcandy
- Orla Garland – Everybody Needs A Hero (Extended Edition)
- Peter Doherty – Felt Better Alive
- Rico Nasty – Lethal
- Surprise Chef – Superb
- Yuno – Blest
- 100%WET – 100%WET
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.
