Featuring Léa Sen, Mac DeMarco, Killer Mike, Blawan, Yenkee, Kara Jackson, SBTRKT, Sampha, George Riley, Le Boom, Jena Keating, S P A C E, Braxe & Falcon, Paul Woolford.
Today is New Music Friday, which means there’s loads of new songs in the world.
Here are the 10 single songs released this week I loved the most.
See the New Music section for all the of tracks and albums featured this week, and the end of the post for the Spotify playlist featuring much more than 10 tracks released this week.
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1.
Léa Sen
Again
23 -year-old London-based French artist guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer and mixer Léa Sen has featured here with some standout songs lately.
Today, the You Of Now Pt.2 EP is out today on Partisan Records, and ‘Again’ and its accompanying single shot video is pretty mesmerising.
“I want people to feel like they’re not crazy,” she says. “We’re all going through it, and it doesn’t mean that you’re not worthy or you’re inadequate. And also maybe a reminder to myself.”
Léa Sen has just announced to play Deers Head, Belfast (May 13th) and Button Factory Dublin (May 14th) supporting Billie Marten.
2.
Mac DeMarco
Proud True Toyota
Yes, Mac Demarco released an 199-track album today called One Wayne G which features chronological songs Mac worked on from 2018 to 2023, and follows the instrumental album Five Easy Hot Dogs in January. While it’s 9 and a half hours of music, there are ones with vocals, like ‘Proud True Toyota’, which is a thoroughly pleasant and very Mac DeMarco song.
3.
Yenkee
If Looks Could Kill
Graham Cooney aka Yenkee is back and bringing some alt-rock fuzz to his normally breezy pop tunes on ‘If Looks Could Kill’, a song is “written from the perspective of an angsty, self-obsessed teenager”
It’s from a forthcoming album, and there are two other versions of the song on Bandcamp – acoustic and easy listening versions.
4.
Kara Jackson
Dickhead Blues
Chicago poet singer-songwriter Kara Jackson’s debut album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is one of the most impressive new albums I’ve heard in a while.
‘Dickhead Blues’ encapsulates the appeal of the album, as it flits with convention, and avoids the expected song structure in favour of an expansive outlook, that in tone and sensibility, reminds me of Joanna Newsom’s work, except made with guitars and folk music rather than harp (though there is some Harp on the album)
Jackson’s Dublin debut gig is happening in September at The Workman’s Cellar. I wouldn’t miss it.
5.
Jena Keating, S P A C E
Objectification
You know we’re fans of Cork artist Jena Keating around here, and a six-track EP entitled 9 released in title collaboration with the El-Paso/Cork producer S P A C E, was released today, with the title inspired by the warehouse in London where they live together with 14 others.
The EP explores Borderline personality, sexuality, mental health, and ‘Objectification’ among other things ‘ on the song of the same name, which like much of the EP is sonically busier and a touch clubbier, making for a fresh release from the pair.
They previously released ‘Nostalgia’ together.
6.
Blawan
Toast
Blawan has dipped his sound into wonky electronic atmospherics of late away from techno dancefloors, creating tracks that sound like no one else, as heard on the Woke Up Right Handed EP on XL in 2021.
Dismantled Into Juice is another five-tracker on the label (out May 17th) from Jamie Roberts and ‘Toast’ continues those forays into discombobulating sound designed-jams.
7.
Braxe & Falcon
Elevation (Paul Woolford remix)
The original from the French producers with Sunni Colon on vocals, was of a gentler persuasion so trust Paul Woolford to give ‘Elevation’ a hefty dancefloor exoskeleton.
8.
Killer Mike
Don’t Let The Devil (feat. El-P, thankugoodsir)
Killer Mike is on his solo buzz for the first time since 2012’s R.A.P. Music, but he’s giving us a soft landing by bringing his Run The Jewels’ partner El-P in for a verse alongside thankugoodsir on this new soulful one, produced by No I.D., EL-P, & Little Shalimar.
It’s a return to a softer sound because anything after RTJ is a softer sound.
“RTJ is the X-Men, this is my Logan,” said Mike.
An album Michael is out in June.
9.
SBTRKT, Sampha, George Riley
L.F.O.
Ahead of the release of the SBTRKT album The Rat Road on May 5th, the UK producer has released collaborations with Toro y Moi and Teezo Touchdown.
‘LFO’ is all synth clouds and the dual vocals of two fine UK voices, and was six years in the making.
10.
Le Boom
The Only One feat. Amy MC
Le Boom’s trademark electro-bounce is present on new song ‘The Only One’ but the vocals by Amy MC bring it closer to the hyperpop style of PinkPantheress.
Watch the Le Boom dance video for ‘Chiqueness in Paris’ which also features the Cork vocalist.
Le Boom are a now a 3-piece lead by Christy Leech withPeter Fleming (Cynema) and Finn Mac Anna (Kojaque, Five to Two).
Nialler9 Weekly Playlist
Nialler9 New Music Playlist
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, hit up the Irish section for individual track features
For this and more Irish songs, follow the Nialler9 New Irish Spotify playlist.
