Nialler9’s favourite songs of the past month, all in one place.
1.
PinkPantheress
I Must Apologise
2.
Self Esteem
Fucking Wizardry
Self Esteem’s Prioritise Pleasure is one of the finest albums released in October. Certainly, a fine alt-pop album with Rebecca Taylor emerging as a shining songwriter and magnetic lyricist.
These are quietly radical songs bursting with honesty and pop smarts, as is the case on ‘Fucking Wizardry’. The choral chorus (“My hunger times my impatience / Makes me feel reckless/ So I let ya / Let you be selfish / And careless with my head”) is a style that’s employed throughout the album on many of its highlights.
3.
MuRli, Gemma Dunleavy
odyssey
MuRli’s new single on the burgeoning independent Irish label Narolane Records, ‘Odyssey’, is a collaboration with Gemma Dunleavy with production by Ian Ring aka Boku, and is a sweet mix of MuRli’s booming rap style and Gemma’s garage and R&B vibe.
It’s a track from the upcoming EP The Sky Has Windows EP out in November.
4.
Yenkee
Dolly
Corkman Graham Cooney aka Yenkee is a reliable maker of fine music, and that’s why Yenkee’s bright and breezy guitar pop tunes are a Nialler9 favourite.
After the recent single ‘Drive’, Yenkee’s ‘Dolly’ offers a rollicking hazy time of a tune and a fun video to (cowboy) boot starring Cooney, Ruth Hodder who produced and did creative direction and Kojaque, who directs.
5.
Caleb Kunle
Could Be Good
This is really superior slice of soul from the Irish Nigerian artist Caleb Kunle, which reminds me of Moses Sumney.
6.
Anz, George Riley
You Could Be
This tune slaps in a Night Slugs meets pop in 2012 way. It’s from Anz’ new EP All Hours out Ninja Tune. Anz plays Dublin this weekend as it happens.
7.
Negro Impacto
Mini Excursion
I’m loving the tunes from Dundalk duo Negro Impacto aka StrangeLove and Chi Chi as featured here. ‘Mini Excursion’ is a vibey R&B pop tune from their five-track debut titular EP.
8.
Silverbacks
Archive Material
The title track from Silverbacks’ forthcoming album sees Daniel O’Kelly take the vocal spotlight for a charming tune that is the sound of a band bringing their interlocking and interweaving instruments into a space that feels a bit groovy and individually Silverbacks.
9.
CMAT
No More Virgos
CMAT has announced her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead to be released on 25th February 2022 via AWAL Recordings.
The 12-track album “is about the double edged sword of comedy” and this new song ‘No More Virgos’, a song that is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson’s attempt and bringing together her love of Italo disco with her hatred of Virgos.
10.
Wet Leg
Wet Dream
While not as divisive as ‘Chaise Longue’, Wet Leg’s ‘Wet Dream’ is brimming with humorous indie-rock and the lines like “baby would you like to come home with me? / i’ve got Buffalo 66 on DVD?” Short, sharp and not overthought.
11.
Headie One
Cry
That bassline makes this tune from North London rapper Headie One’s latest mixtape Too Loyal For My Own Good stand out.
12.
Yaeji, Ohhyuk
29
‘Year To Year’ is the second track.
13.
Luthorist, sivv
In The City
Nuxsense’s Luthorist and Sivv dropped their Time On Earth mixtape last month. Just another 10 tracks of hazy under-the-radar rap productions. Bandcamp.
14.
Jessy Lanza, Loraine Janes
Seven 55
Jessy Lanza has a DJ Kicks coming out on November 19th and this collab with Loraine James features. It’s a track typical of Lanza’s ice-cold electronic minimalism.
15.
Elaine Mai, Loah
Waiting To Breathe
Elaine Mai’s long-awaited debut album Home was finally released last month, and among its guests are the effervescent multi-hyphenate Loah on ‘Waiting To Breathe’.
The song is built on twinkling bells and synths with Loah’s gentle vocals filling that spaciousness between, with the song growing in stature and imprint. It’s a gorgeous three-minute song.
16.
Aonair, Caoi De Barra
Think Twice
I was very impressed with Aonair’s Ireland Music Week performance last month.
Brendan McGlynn’s music is a catchy mix indebted to ’80s pop and radio hits, and I like that he’s really leaning into a slightly cheesy sound and making it work.
On his latest single ‘Think Twice’, he enlists Wyvern Lingo’s Caoi De Barra for an anthemic song that leans into the bombastic choruses, retrowave and both a sax and guitar solo. I love the excess.
17.
Real Lies
Since I
Real Lies have always been capable of tapping into a particular kind of baggy euphoria and they’re doing it again here, as they did on ‘Boss Trick’. It’s from the band’s forthcoming album Lad Ash. They play Workman’s Club on December 4th.
18.
M(h)aol
No One Ever Talks To Us
Irish band M(h)aol’s Gender Studies EP doesn’t shy away from big pertinent topics like gender, female experience in music, Magdalene laundries and cover ‘Oró Sé do Bheatha Bhaile. ‘No One Ever Talks To Us’ is a sludgy F-you to unsound peers.
19.
Wiki, Earl Sweatshirt
All I Need
20.
Aby Coulibaly
Chamomile Tea
Along with Monjola, Aby Coulibaly is at the forefront for Dublin label Chamomile Records, marking a new era for Irish R&B musicians, and a performance at Flourish in Button Factory earlier this week confirmed that.
‘Chamomile Tea’ is the artist’s latest, a confident step out once again, on a track which bumps a hip-hop instrumental and a liminal lyrical concern.
Every week, the Nialler9 Spotify Weekly Playlist is updated with new music, and in this corner, we share the playlist and highlight some some select songs from the list below.
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See the homepage for all Spotify playlists: New Music | Irish | Monthly
