Featuring Man Alive, Tomike, Trá Pháidín, DaRoy, Zeztra, Zissou, EMBY, TraviS, Elzzz, Problem Patterns, Hi Vista, IB Rebel, Loners, Anice O, Telebox.
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.
Man Alive
Be Someone
Mark Prendergast of Kodaline has done it all, but here he is with a new solo project called Man Alive. The impressive debut single ‘Be Someone’ has some anthemic reach in its song structure, a gentle folk-leaning pop song that sounds like early Bon Iver.
“‘Be Someone’ is about a long-distance relationship falling apart, and how when you’re with somebody, they make you feel like a certain type of person, but then when you end the relationship and you’re by yourself, you always become a completely different person.”
Prendergast started the project during lockdown, and was encouraged by his friend the comedian Aisling Bea who also told him his original name Blood Type was “shit and doesn’t match your music.”
Mark put on a house party in his home last week launch Man Alive with a six-piece band including Josh McClorey, where James Vincent McMorrow and Gavin James also performed, with Bea as MC for the night.
2.
Tomike
High Grade
London-based Irish artist Tomike comes through with summer banger on ‘High Grade’, channeling the house pop of early Disclosure.
It follows recent single ‘Some Fries’.
3.
Trá Pháidín
cé mo dhuine siúl sa hi-vis
Cork via Connemara 9-piece band Trá Pháidín are back at it again, quietly releasing expansive mostly instrumental missives on Bandcamp.
I referenced The Jimmy Cake and Black Country, New Road in relation to the band before, and there’s something to it here too; a jazzy post-rock arrangement that has a lovely clop to it.
A new album is on the way called 424.
Trá Pháidín are:
Aoife De Bláca – Cruit
Ruairí De Búrca – Drumaí
Séamus Mac Chriosta – Drumaí
Pól Ó Lionaird – Cnaguirlisí
Sara Leaslaoi – Dord
Peadar-Tom Mercier – Giotár
Niamh Dhaltúin – Sacsafóin
Conal Ó hAinmhuighe – Trumpéid
Ultan Ó Labhradha – Clairinéad
Previously: ‘m’anam go b’ea’
4.
DaRoy
Matrix Talks
This debut song from Dublin-based Irish/Spanish artist and producer DaRoy sets itself apart with its stream-of-consciousness spoken word/rap vocals over a dark Afrobeat style.
5.
Zeztra
Dancing Freely
A bright upbeat pop song from Dublin sister duo Zeztra which arrives in time for Pride this month.
‘Dancing Freely’ is a message of self-acceptance, and a personal story about how coming out for sisters Avril and Lorna Meade lead to a greater happiness. The track has been produced by David Prendergast with additional production by John Reynolds (Damien Dempsey, Sinead O’Connor).
Fans of Overcoats will dig this one.
8.
Problem Patterns
Letter Of Resignation
“You can’t fire me I’m leavin’!”
Belfast-based feminist queer punks Problem Patterns are the sign you are looking for to quit your job today if you were leaning that way?
The song is actually about discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace or elsewhere.
“‘Letter of Resignation’ is for anyone who has left a job, space or situation because people there were judgemental of or discriminated against them or others for being different, and they stood up for who they believe in.”
“For me, I grew up hearing the phrase ‘hate the sin, love the sinner’ in churches (always in the same context, as if being gay was the ultimate sin) and it still feels like an attack when I hear the preachers in the street. Genuine love does not force us to become what we are not. Genuine love extends beyond those who look, act and think like yourself. Genuine love doesn’t inspire violence. Two thirds of queer people have experienced violence or abuse due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. More than half of Northern Irish queer youth say they are not fully accepted by their family.”“Mental health struggles including self-harm are far more prevalent in the LGBTQ+ community. Those perpetuating ‘traditional”’ views have a lot to answer for. And, after so many sexual abuse scandals in the church, it seems like they would be better off trying to keep themselves right.”
Guitarist Beverley Boal
Problem Patterns have recently been supporting Le Tigre and have a debut album later this year called Blouse Club out on Alcopop! Records.
9.
Hi Vista
Thinking About You
Hi Vista are Julianne Murray (Rumi) and Kevin Gubbins (Kubb_), who have teamed up for a new indie-house project.
‘Thinking About You’ is giving me Le Boom electro-pop vibes and a summer yearning.
The name Hi Vista, was inspired by the district in California and the building which features in the Talking Heads ‘Road To Nowhere’ video and the infamous Kill Bill church scene.
Hear also ‘Take Me Away’
10.
IB Rebel
Words
An impressive debut single from Dublin rapper IB REBEL on ‘Words’.
“The track is about seeing everything in your life unfold in front of you but feeling like you don’t have control of it and realising once you put your mind to something anything can be accomplished.”
11.
Loners, Anice O
Never Offend Me
‘Never Offend Me’ is a song with bright pop tones along with experimental electronic textures informed by trance, garage and producers like Oneohtrix Point Never.
The song is a duet with British-Iranian producer and songwriter Anice O, and builds to a soaring synth flutter quite beautifully.
Loners is Dublin-born, London-based songwriter and producer Cian O’Farrell who released a debut album Be Happy in 2018. ‘Never Offend Me’ is the first single of the followup – upcoming album Living Currency due to be released in December of this year [I always say don’t release your album in December folks].
12.
Telebox
Patricia
There’s never enough bands coming out of Galway, so pleased to hear Telebox make an impression with the melodic indie track ‘Patricia’.
It’s a single from the band’s What is the point? EP out on June 23rd.
“We wrote it as a nod to the peer pressure associated with alcohol in Ireland. It also reflects on our parents’ experiences as teenagers, with way more freedom.”
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.
