The best new Irish songs this week feature emerging tracks we’ve selected from artists from the island of Ireland, with more recommendations below.
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For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, read the Irish section for individual track features.
Lankum, Grian Chatten
Hunting The Wren
A match made in Irish music zeitgeist heaven with trad drone merchants Lankum collaborating with Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten on a new version of an old Lakum song from 2019’s The Livelong Day album, but here from the Peaky Blinders soundtrack – Radie and Grian’s voices together really fit well – and the song’s thudding beats and wistful orchestral arrangements suggests a closing chapter in a story – what do I know, I’ve never watched a second of Peaky Blinders in my life but this soundtrack is epic.
The soundtrack itself features 36 tracks in total with five originals. Along with Grian Chatten singing ‘Puppet’ covering Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’ and Nick Cave’s ‘Red Right Hand’ there are songs from Amy Taylor from Amyl & the Sniffers, Nick Cave, McLusky and another cover of Massive Attack by Girl In The Year Above.
Fontaines D.C’s Carlos O’Connell and Tom Coll also contribute.
Sloucho
Love Is Fear
Enigmatic Irish electronic producer and world-builder Sloucho dropped a new single ‘Love Is Fear’ from an upcoming singles EP Broken Spirit, rolled out monthly.
The single is markedly less banging than previous Sloucho releases in its vibe – it’s starry-eyed vibe is only punctured towards the end by skittering beats that change up the song’s mid-2010s Gold Panda-esque production. The video is by Ellius Grace.
“Love is Fear is the closest I’ve ever come to translating my sensibilities into a piece of music. I want people to feel about this song the way they feel about a Coen Brothers or David Lynch film; if you get it, you get it. Ultimately, the song is about acceptance and seeks only to explore, not resolve.”
The single also comes with the announcement of Sloucho’s debut self-made video game and the OUCH store selling NFC cards for the game and EP release with 15 unreleased demos.
“There existed a Broken Spirit demo project of like 30 songs that was produced in an intense period of no holds barred production. I just looked around and saw everything trending towards faster and faster tempos, and when I see things like that my gut reaction is to do the opposite, to channel my inner Howard Moon and find that oaky timbre. The Broken Spirit project that exists now rose from the ashes of that period, and after I brought these new sounds to my collaborators, we just pieced it all together. I always know when ideas are worth pursuing when they form a piece of a bigger vision; in this case, all of my dreams came true.”
Plus One
Chips
High quality bass rollers are the order of the day on Matt Finnegan’s new Plus One EP 2014.
‘Chips’ is the acid-tinged opener from the EP, but all four are flyers.
Sugaboo, Lil Skag
Skagaboo
The five-track joint EP from two of Ireland’s premiere serious-but-messing rappers Sugaboo and Lil Skag is a trip – Enniscorthy and Kimmage together on a fine collection of Owin-produced breezy cultural-referencing rap tunes with guest turns from Curtisy and Beddyminaj.
It’s all good stuff but the opener’s triple beat switch sets up the release nicely.
Pippa Molony, Rory Sweeney
The Foggy Dew
I get sent a lot of timely patriotic slop around St. Patrick’s Day – but if there’s one thing that can sustain beyond the national holiday – you can’t bate a really well-constructed cover of a respected classic – like Pippy Molony and Rory Sweeney’s bold and dark version of ‘The Foggy Dew’.
SYGH
Angel
‘Angel’ is a fine melodic alternative rock song from SYGH, a Dublin-based rock trio originally formed around singer-songwriter Symone Ashley Bowes.
They released the album Reverence last summer, but it’s their latest EP of the same name Angel, that caught my attention, showcasing a memorable rock songwriting – drawing on grunge and pop-punk.
iNNUENDO
Sizing Up
Dublin based art-pop band iNNUENDO bring squelching synth and a playing confidence to new single ‘Sizing Up’, drawing on a classic rock sheen.
The band say: “Sizing Up” came together quickly, sparked by the feeling of being constantly judged and boxed in by other people’s expectations. We built the track around that tense, late-night mood – like sitting alone in a dim bedroom while something unsettled lingers just beyond the door – and once the rhythmic synth sequence was locked in, the song found its momentum and you feel a sense of release by the time the chorus hits.
Lyrically, it captures the turning point where outside pressure stops defining you. It’s about recognising what holds you back, letting it go, and stepping forward with clarity and intent.
We produced the track in a single day with Janksy, and that immediacy is baked into the recording – raw, focused, and charged with purpose. It also became our go-to show opener, setting the tone from the first note and pulling the crowd into the right headspace for everything that follows.
KiiKO
KiiKO Forever
KiiKO is the new electronic pop project from Dublin-based DJ Emmy Shigeta and producer friend John McDowell and a debut album is on the way this June 5th.
‘KiiKO Forever’ is the title track from the record, a bright blend of Japanese vocals, neon glitching sounds and dreamy city pop music style.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, check into the Irish section for individual track features…
We are prioritising Youtube / Bandcamp embeds where possible.
Other Playlist additions this week:
- Silk – Clementine
- WineMom – Grand Affair
- ØXN, Sorza – Farmer In The City – Sorza Remix
- mischa and the bear – Abair
- Lil Skag, Sugabooo – problemz
- Reggie, David Keenan – El Paso (365)
- Kojaque – Antihistamine
- New Jackson, Simon Vuarambon – The Night Mail (Simon Vuarambon Remix)
- SHEE, A-Trak, Mighty Dub Katz – The Groove
- SPRINTS – Trickle Down
- Dose – Chump Change
- DJ Time of the Month – Hot Wife Era
- donny. – hatefulspeech.
- Really Good Time – Bob Dylan Was On Pawn Stars in 2010
- NO PHOTOS – I Lost Myself Today
- PIRACYISTHEFT – POWER BBY
- GNS – CR4CKS STILL SHOW
- Suzie Gunn – Jennifer
- The Ocelots – Motor Hotel
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, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
