Nialler9’s favourite songs of the past month, all in one place.
1.
CMAT
I Don’t Really Care For You
Earworm and lyric queen CMAT does it again. Delve into the song’s lyrics here.
2.
GavinDaVinci
Superman
Two of Ireland’s finest collectives PX Music and Soft Boy Records collaborating? Absolutely yes please. Kean Kavanagh produces this Gavindavinci jam which slaps very hard like the best kind of Slowthai track. People who know me know I love a good flute loop and ‘Superman’ delivers.
3.
Ghetts
Crud (feat. Giggs)
Ghett’s new album Conflict Of Interest may have Ed Sheeran on it but it also has low-end grimey bangers like this on it.
4.
Cobra Man
Heatwave
LOS ANGELES POWER DISCO!
Cobra Man is Andy Harry and Sarah Rayne and ‘Heatwave’ is a smushy sweat-droplet-inducing jam. “Grind it out for the heatwave,” is very relevant to our lives.
5.
Cadence Weapon
SENNA
Cadence Weapon has announced a new album Parallel World on April 30th, and for the first track from it, he has hooked up with fellow Canadian artist Jacques Greene for this high-octane banger that purposely channels the spirit of early UK grime.
6.
Black Bones
ABTS
A reverby low-end percussive dance ripper from Belfast’s Black Bones from their new EP on Touch Sensitive.
7.
Alfa Mist
Run Outs
A beautiful jazz instrumental from Alfa Mist as heard on Benji B’s radio show.
8.
Ragz Originale
Send 4 U
Ragz Originale’s distinctive vocal style first came to my attention through his collabs with Oscar #Worldpeace (though he has worked with Skepta, Georgia, Denai Moore and Benjiflow too), and this track comes from his recent WOAH mixtape.
9.
Eomac
What Does Your Heart Tell You?
One half of Lakker, Ian McDonnell returns with a new release on Planet Mu from his Eomac solo project. ‘What Does Your Heart Tell You?’ leads off the release of the Cracks EP in April with textured and roughed up techno that is quite wistful in tone.
10.
For Those I Love
Birthday / The Pain
The For Those I Love album is finally out on March 26th, and I personally can’t wait for the entire rest of the world to be able to hear it. Those who paid attention to Dave Balfe’s project when it was on Bandcamp will have heard it since the summer of 2019, and it hasn’t lost its impact.
11.
NewDad
Slowly
One of my 40 best new Irish bands of last year, Galway four-piece NewDad are one of the most exciting new prospects in guitar music, not just in Ireland, but generally of late.
In November, they released their fourth single ‘I Don’t Recognise You’, and their first release of 2021 is the evocative dreamy indie (pretty much the modus operandi they have established in a short time) of ‘Slowly’, released on their own label Fair Youth Records from their debut EP Waves due out on March 26th.
‘Slowly’ was once again produced by Chris Ryan of Robocobra Quartet, and takes a throwback indie style and brings a twist of a 21st century pop melody to proceedings.
12.
Bobbi Arlo
Feel it
The 22 year-old Dublin artist Bobbi Arlo has quickly established her vibe with impressive tracks like ‘Signs’ and ‘Berries’.
It’s been enough of a buzz to be chosen as one of 2FM”s Rising Acts for 2021, and ‘Feel It’ is the track that cements the newcomer’s status as an exciting prospect.
‘Feel It’ is rooted in an R&B sound, yet has a sheen of gleaming disco-funk and spacious production that really gives it a lift into the stratosphere. It’s a bit like SZA jamming with SG Lewis on a floaty vibe.
13.
Alfie Templeman
Everybody’s Gotta To Love Somebody
A classic taut glittery guitar pop song from the 18 year old Alfie Templeman from his mini-album Forever Isn’t Long Enough out on May 7th via Chess Club Records. It sounds like a tune you’d find on an unknown 7 inch.
14.
El Michels Affair
Murkit Gem
After their recent Bollywood psychedelic jam, El Michels Affair return with an off-kilter Mumbai soul funk track to be featured on the upcoming Yeti Season album.
15.
SG Lewis
Time (feat. Rhye)
SG Lewis’s debut album Times is a fine electronic album of light dance proportions with Nile Rodgers on it and the Robyn-featuring ‘Impact’. Rhye makes the first track on the album soar.
16.
Brent Faiyaz
Gravity (feat. Tyler, The Creator)
Brent Faiyaz hooks up with DJ Dahi and Tyler on a gorgeous track I keep coming back to. “Don’t act like I’m average….” is the hook.
17.
Noname
Rainforest
A new Noname track is always welcome, and I’m also pleased that she has announced a new album Factory Baby. No release date yet.
18.
Benin City
Freaking You Out
Bouncy electro pop vibes from the London trio Benin City that was likened to “doomscrolling disco” and I am here for it.
19.
Jimi Tenor
Forgotten Planet Awakens
From a new release on Studio Barnhaus that comes with a Ricardo Villalobos remix. Spacey vibes.
20.
Dawn Richard
Bussifame
A workout dance-infused R&B from the New Orleans artist, inspired by her hometown, which will feature on her upcoming album Second Line, out in April on Merge.
21.
Octa Octa
Find Your Way Home
The New Hampshire producer channels early ’90s pop breaks on this absolute stonker of a house track.
22.
Clark
Lambent Rag
Clark’s forthcoming new album Playground In A Lak (March 26th) is a new challenge for the English producer who is delving into new-classical sounds in his own unique way. ‘Lambent Rag’ is certainly that.
23.
Black Country, New Road
Opus
Seven-piece post-rock jazz punk indie band Black Country, New Road’s six-track LP Ninja Tune features this standout. ‘Opus’, with its twisting rhythms, styles and Isaac Woods doing his best Jarvis impression makes for a repeater of a song.
24.
Aby Coulibaly
Long Nights
Rising Irish R&B artist Aby Coulibaly is only on song three of her public works but there’s a confidence and vibe that is coming through here that is worth noting.
25.
Theo
Jealous
THEO is a London-based Irish artist with a classic soulful connection in her voice. ‘Jealous’ is her third single. It originally featured on Irish tracks.
