Featuring: DUG, Really Good Time, single men in Their Twenties, Onion Boys, The Expert, Jillelli, Elaphi, Long Island Sound, Ria Rua, Arveene, Alex Gough.
A lot of music from Ireland and Northern Ireland comes our way and every week, we listen through it all, sift the list down to a manageable list and share the best new tracks from emerging artists and some more established acts that deserve to be heard by you.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section for individual track features.
DUG
Jubilee
DUG is a new Dublin-based band who only started a few months ago, who have already sold out a show upstairs in Whelan’s last week.
The mix of Irish folk and American old time music, is the brainchild of songwriter Lorkin O’Reilly and California native Jonny Pickett. ‘Jubilee’ is a fine intro to the vibe.
Really Good Time
Retreat To The Cubicle
Dublin indie alt-rock band Really Good Time’s first single and video from their forthcoming EP Beware, The Wish (out March 28th) is giving necessary summer vibes with the bright video by Eilis Doherty intended as a “a play on early 2000s videos” with the bronzed band raising money for a world tour with a sexy car wash.
‘Retreat to the Cubicle’ was born in a moment of divine inspiration, while lead singer Diol was locked in a bathroom at a party, teetering on the edge of illness and hallucination after eating too much candy-floss. Lying on the bathroom floor with the sound of music and laughter muted and faraway through the tiled walls, a guitar riff suddenly appeared and stuck in his mind. Days later, that riff was still there, turning around and around. As it mingled with the loose shame of having locked himself in that house party’s sole bathroom for several hours, a song began to solidify around it.
In a way, this is a song about throwing a tantrum. It is about the moment when one suddenly wishes to be locked away from the world with all of its responsibilities, disappointments and joys, even if that means confining yourself to a grime infested toilet cubicle, forever.
Escape from the Mountain of Spit is the band’s most recent EP.
More from Really Good Time.
single men in their twenties
don’t be asking me
JJ Lee and Cónal Murphy are behind the new Cork project single men in their twenties, with the debut EP The Sunday Scaries.
‘Don’t Be Asking Me’ is a stream-of-consciousness of wry choices and chit-chat shot through with a Cork accent, that builds to an outburst batting away the impending social ineptitude.
“We’ve been threatening to do a project together for an incredibly long time, and we’ve finally gotten around to it after about 6 years or so. As two gorgeous single men in our twenties, we’re delighted to share our debut EP with the world. We feel exactly what the world needed at this moment in time was two single, white men in their twenties moaning about absolutely nothing of importance, we’re just so happy to supply.”
Alex Gough
Way2
Waterford artist Alex Gough is playing between the lines of different sounds, from his established hip-hop-influenced discography to a textured more introspective mood.
“Way2”, produced by Alex, is a hungover reflection of a night where things got out of hand. The lyrics sway between a conversation with someone and a more personal inner monologue. Tying into the overall theme of reflection and acceptance on the EP, the track acts somewhat as a confessional to the events both of the night and the past in general.
Alex Gough has a new EP To Some Degree, out March 1st.
Onion Boys
Wine Melody
Dublin band Onion Boys switch up the mood and dial down the BPM from their more energetic punk stuff, with this softer 50s-inspired lover boys rock song.
Onion Boys are Johnny Dublin and Leadpipe Dan, Sharky Steamers, Al Always Want Moore, Bad Bernie B, Rig Marolé, Brendan the Bricks, and Cillian Me Softly. Sure, why not?
NAHreally & The Expert
Breaking Down In Real Time (ft. Open Mike Eagle)
There’s not many Irish beat producers engaging and collaborating with the best of the American alternative rap pack, but The Expert has a long-track record of sample-flipping productions that would catch any a decent rapper’s ear.
Open Mike Eagle is the latest name to jump on The Expert’s album with rapper NAHReally (the album also features Hemlock Ernst -Future Islands’ Samuel T. Herring in rap mode, Dillon and Jesse The Tree) on the song
See also: ‘Smarter Than I Am’
More on the album, Blip, out on March 29th.
Jillelli
You’re Too Sweet
Clanbrassil Street cocktail curio karaoke bar Lisa’s Yummy is the setting for the music video for the sugar-sweet fifth single from Dublin pop artist Jillelli – “a delicious refute to cheap chat up lines and overly bearing romantic advances.”
It was produced alongside Kevin Brennan and Jessica Richardson (Whenthebeatisbad). The video was directed by Kristian Mantalvanos.
Ria Rua
Asking For It (Arveene remix)
Arveene brings some ravey blips and bloops to the original track from Irish alt-pop artist and producer Ria Rua, released as part of a remix/live package.
“Asking For It is a high energy anthem for anyone who’s ever felt frustrated by fear or loss of agency; a song about empowerment. In other words, whether it be in a club, or a taxi, or a dark city street, everyone should feel safe and free to be themselves.”
About meeting Ria Rua and the track, Arveene says:
“Met her at the back of a club in the early hours – funny how a giggle on the dance floor can lead to great music! It’s a pleasure to bring my sound to her’s – see them live they’re fantastic!”
Long Island Sound
Flare
Dublin electronic duo Long Island Sound have a new EP coming on February 23rd, and the shimmering production of ‘Flare’ is drawn from it. Definitely a track for those who dig those Bicep boys.
Elaphi
All I Ask
Another fine melodic indie rock track after ‘Diamond Walls’ from the Dublin band Elaphi.
Elaphi are Dublin based four-piece band founded in 2021 by songwriter and guitarist Sara Barberio, along with Jacopo Stofler (guitar), Federico Camici (bass), and Grim Nordahl (drums).
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.
