This is only a selection of new music – dig into more or follow the Spotify playlists.
1.
Maija Sofia – Flowers
Galway singer-songwriter Maija Sofia’s new track bears a more joyous and poppy tone to her previous releases, despite dealing with issues such as trauma and violence. This is also the first track that hears her being joined by a full band.
“The lyrics of Flowers came to me on a four hour train journey through Wales after reading Angela Carter’s ‘The Bloody Chamber’. I wanted to disguise the darkness of the lyrics under a sort of Phil Spector girl-group style wall of sound, it was engineered and mastered by the brilliant Joseph Reddin.”
Waterford musician and songwriter Deaf Joe’s returns with a preview from his third album Stuck which gets a release on Valentine’s Day. The song’s are interlocking and hypnotic piano and drum beats is nicely augmented by Joe’s voice and gives it a Radiohead-esque feel.
3.
All the Luck in the World – Landmarks
All the Luck in the World’s latest release is nostalgic in ambience sticking to the sound on their previous releases, soothing and comforting with an underlining sense reflection. Their album A Blind Arcade is out on February 23rd.
4.
Happyalone – Colours
Cork electronic trio Happyalone’s debut track is a layered and atmospheric largely instrumental build-up of emotion, ‘pondering on topics of life, death and the in-betweens of the journey.’
5.
Arms That Fit Like Legs – You Will Go On My First Whistle
Dublin-based instrumental rock band Arms That Fit Like Legs’ new track from their forthcoming album Legwork is fused with a soothing and synthesized energy throughout.
6.
Conor Furlong – “Alien”
Dublin native Conor Furlong has a voice that nourishes the soul. The video for ‘Alien’ showing drone footage of snowy streets is also very appealing to the eye.
7.
Sal Dulu – Tyko
Dublin producer and instrumentalist Sal Dulu has created 5 minutes and 41 seconds of pure bliss with this track. The collective mix of calming vocals, electronic flavours, Japanese samples and brass is truly satisfying.
8.
Gareth Quinn Redmond – Laistigh den Ghleo
23-year-old Dublin-based composer and musician Gareth Quinn Redmond conceptually derived his album Laistigh den Ghleo from the work of composter Satoshi Ashikawa, focusing on compositions that engage, enrich and reflect the surrounding environment of the listener.
He plays in The Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin on February 14th and 15th as part of the Scene and Heard Festival.
