The 9 best new songs out today

1.

Ikonika

Bubble Up

Sara Chen’s electronic productions always pop and fizz, but a new EP Bubble EP out today on Hyperdub, brings an Amapiano and deep house influence, and as heard on this title track, her own vocals for the first time.

Get in on Bandcamp.

2.

SOMOH

I Know You Care

I featured a track from London singer-songwriter Sophia Mohan aka SOMOH last month in ‘Anything’. That song was in the vein of Soccer Mommy, Phoebe Bridgers and Snail Mail

The followup is a gentler, sweet vibe with Mohan saying of the track:

“This song is about how people’s intentions don’t always reflect well in how they act towards you. I tend to just walk away from situations that hurt me, without holding the person accountable because I’m not the best at confrontation. At least I can get my anger out in writing songs!”

A debut EP is coming in 2023.

4.

Gaptoof, Mushkilla

Stay Up

Soft Boy London-based Irish producer Gaptoof is back on the collab trail after recent EP with illiterate.

‘Stay Up’ finds him teaming up with Bristol MC Mushkilla over a silky beat. The pair connected over Instagram and this choppy soul sample track is the audio result.

“I was a fan of MushKilla for a long time before I finally reached out to him and was always impressed with his variety as an artist, I really wanted to give him something hip hop mid tempo, the space I usually occupy, and see what he could do. My favourite rap is always the clever one liners and cheeky punchlines and I feel like Mushkilla is the best doing that in the UK right now.”

Gaptoof.

Gaptoof’s Looks Like Rain 2020 release was a Nialler9 fav.

5.

Meltybrains?

Space Ghetto

Meltybrains tease the third song from their new album You, which will be released on January 25th. After the the psychedelic kraut-rock of ‘A Journey To/From The Meltyworld’ and big flourishing orchestral of ‘Worth’, ‘Space Ghetto’ is more of a whisper, taking inspiration fro mthe stylings of James Blak, Bon Iver and UK bass music.

It features additional vocals from Sophia Malaika, and the band say the track is “an attempt to get in touch with something other worldly, something bigger than your own consciousness. It speaks about the mess we’ve made of our world, and the associated feelings of hopelessness, which lead us to hypothetically and symbolically flee, for pastures and planets anew.. However, there is also a glimmer of hope in the song, and some evidence that the beauty of this world is something that we frequently forgot to look at. It’s about knowing so much, yet having an awareness that all of that knowledge amounts to knowing nothing, and the general absurdity of that.

Meltybrains play The Button Factory in Dublin on December 17th.

6.

Willzee

Eclipse

The Limerick rapper and spoken word artist from the Irish Traveller community Willzee recounts in stark fashion, his personal story of being taken into the foster care.

“Throughout my life, my heart has been broken multiple times from the loss of both my parents to siblings and friends”

“The story is from the perspective of Willzee reaching out and reconnecting to his past self, a small vulnerable child taken away from his biological parents along with his sister by social services.”

The Eclipse of uncertainty and fear in Willzee’s young life comes to an end by the shining loving light of his new foster parents “two angels”, who welcome him with open arms, providing him with a safe place and a new home.

The track is the opening one from Willzee’s 2022 record Kuti Gris.

7.

Felispeaks

Tough Meat

Those familiar with Felispeaks‘ gripping poet performances will already know what a gripping performer the artist is (as seen most recently on stage at Thisispopbaby’s Wake show).

What is a surprise with ‘Tough Meat’ is that it pairs that prose with grungey guitars and percussive grit. The track comes with an excellent video directed by Bobby Zithelo, and Feli shared a statement along with the video and track:

TOUGH MEAT …is a window into the mind of the daughter that has observed hierarchical dynamics, patriarchal social norms, domination, submission and disorder within the family unit. It is a reality many women (African & Irish, & dare I say, globally) understand in traditional familial systems. 

Following the realisation of destructive order and sympathy for the First feminine, the Mother role; as observed in my Leaving Cert poem FOR OUR MOTHERS; TOUGH MEAT continues the narrative with the nature of resistance, rebellion and non-conformity. 

The observer/performer is distinctively a woman, or female presenting; the metaphors and imagery of food, blood & service are also representing the consumption of the feminine; both body & psyche. 

The observer/performer is expected to continue as tradition demands, even further, to celebrate them. Her role is now one that refuses to be consumed, even further she is willing to expose how women have been consumed thus far, she is willing to fight to free herself and lastly she is willing to consume whatever wants to consume her. 

The piece highlights what happens when a captured being that was born free escapes into the wild, they may have no limits. They may dare to happen however they want or imagine. This is hinted to be destructive – a familiar warning served to every fighting feminine that fails to conform. 

TOUGH MEAT encourages the feminine to …dare and see what happens… 

Felispeaks previously collaborated with 1000 Beasts.

9.

D*mp

Meath Street

Dublin producer Ryan Dwyer’s latest finds him in a pensive mood and in a particular place in Dublin 8 (“there’s something Parisian about Meath Street, in the evening time”) with an expansive electronic production that leads to a break-filled outro.

D*mp previously featured here with ‘At The End (feat. Saoirse Miller, Téga)’