Featuring Laurie Shaw, Sloucho, Fizzy Orange, Zoid, Inni-K, The Expert, Enola Gay, A92, hikii, Curtisy, Graham, Spider, Skripteh, Whenyoung, Headsgone.
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.
1.
Laurie Shaw
Satellite Towns
This is gorgeous stuff from the Kenmare-based Frankby/Wirral artist Laurie Shaw. A nine-minute song that closes the upcoming record Dove From Above, takes it time in sharing reflections of what it’s like to living in a satellite town and feel like you come from two places, of feeling like an outsider, with pop culture references to the theme song from TFI Friday, the Wonky donkey segment on SM:TV Live, and Gerri from the Spice Girls being the first to leave.
It’s an enjoyable sojourn that whisks you away to the commuter belt.
2.
Sloucho
Memory Walk
The third release from Irish producer Sloucho is very much in the techno-spun UK Garage 2-step vibe, a bass-snapping production with ragga-style vocals that shimmer above the frequencies.
3.
Fizzy Orange
Surf
Marking the tenth single from Dublin six-piece band Fizzy Orange, ‘Surf’ as the name suggests is a surf-rock-inspired song with a wistful mood and saxophone backing giving it a vintage feel.
It was recorded with Dan Fox of Gilla Band, and mixed and mastered by Karl Barnes (Loom Sound Studios).
4.
ZOID, Inni-K
Timelapse
Irish electronic producer ZOID’s third full-length album Eternal Space Element “fulfills a lifelong dream to combine electronic beats with a lush string quartet,” performed by Cora Venus-Lunny, Aoife Durnin, and Ailbhe Mc Donagh.
‘Timelapse’ is a song I chose as a standout with the string section and electronics bubbling under Inni-K’s vocals.
5.
The Expert, Stik Figa, Blu
Uknowhut?
After last year’s collaborative album with Jermiside, Irish rap beat producer The Expert is back with a new album with like-minded Kansas MC Stik Figa on the upcoming album Ritual (released in June).
‘Uknowhut?’ has Stik Figa and guest MC Blu rhyming over a jazzy 60s-era psychedelic beat by The Expert.
The album also features Solemn Brigham (of Marlowe), Defcee, Sleep Sinatra, and Tanya Morgan.
6.
Enola Gay
PTS.DUP
Enola Gay address the Nothern Irish political party the DUP directly on this clanking energetic rock single, produced by Johnny Hostile (Savages/Jehnny Beth) and recorded with Rian Tench and Scan (Phillip Glass/Panikatax).
“Following a band member being brutalised in a sectarian attack that left him with a fractured skull, we felt a lot of raw hatred and some shame. After processing this, we reflected on the tribalism that fuelled the attack and our anger that followed. The attackers themselves are victims of jingoistic rhetoric that is insidiously normalised in the north of Ireland. In a country still suffering remnants of The Troubles, young people left in the middle of the road turn to alt-right political parties masquerading as conservatism such as the DUP, searching for a sense of belonging. With talks of a united Ireland looming we should consider how and why Unionists feel and fear that they will be left with nowhere to call home when they shouldn’t have to.”
The band were among the most booked acts at Eurosonic in 2022, and have signed to the Modern Sky UK label.
7.
A92, DBOFundz, Ksav, Kebz, BT
One Take
A92 don’t miss when they bring together members DBO Fundz, Ksav, Kebz and BT on a hard bass-heavy drill beat.
8.
hikii, Graham, Curtisy
Back And Forth
A three-way rap collaboration between hikii (pronounced Hickey), Graham, Curtisy
Hikii and Graham recently featured here with ‘Irish Gold’ and Curtisy is no stranger to these parts, most recently with TXPE_EATER on ‘Italia 90’.
9.
Spider
Growing Into It
London-based Tallaght artist Spider follows up ‘America’s Next Top Model’ with a melodic new-wave alt-pop single called ‘Growing Into It’.
The song is based “loosely around the concept of men using women as social capital to make themselves look cooler, smarter, better than they actually are.”
An EP called Hell Or High Water is forthcoming and Spider plays The Road To The Great Escape Festival in Dublin on May 8th, and has now been confirmed for The Great Escape in Brighton May 10th-13th.
More from Spider.
10.
Skripteh
Mag’s House
South East All-star Skripteh is out here consistently offering his own take on drill music out of Wexford.
More from Skripteh.
11.
whenyoung
Gan Ainm
The closing track from the second album Paragon Songs, from the London-based Limerick band whenyoung is a lushly realised highlight that encapsulates the band’s transformation from alternative indie band into a widescreen pop sound with electronic elements.
Aoife Power looks back on her younger self, on the song with the title that translates to “without name,” or untitled.
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.
