A lot music from Ireland and Northern Ireland comes Nialler9’s way and every week, we listen through it all and select the tracks from emerging artists (and some 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.
Lyra
Losing My Mind
Lyra’s stock of anthemic pop goes from strength to strength with new song ‘Lose My Mind’ in Rubyworks, which has a slightly darker vibe this time around. Lyra performed the song on The Late Late last week.
The song was written by Lyra and co-produced by Dane Etteridge (former Ordinary Boys guitarist).
2.
Enola Gay
Scrappers
Belfast band Enola Gay turn their ire towards bouncers.
Ah, nature is healing.
3.
SSMMÜTT
Thee Earth Witch and Max_s Visit
Rob Mirolo (whose design work featured here earlier this year) is also a maker of metallic psychedelic synth kraut music under the name SSMMÜTT. An album Black Pools – Red Dot was just released on Kilkenny label Moot Tapes and I picked out the previously unreleased 8-minute track ‘Thee Earth Witch and Max_s Visit’ as a way in.
4.
Maverick Sabre
Walk The Days
Maverick Sabre’s fourth album Don’t Forget To Look Up is coming on January 28th, and finds Mav reflecting on love and the relationships he’s experienced. It’ll feature Nile Rodgers and Sasha Keable.
‘Walk The Days’ is a bright cut from the album.
Shows in Dublin and Cork are on the cards in February.
5.
Stevie Appleby
Mother Of Pearl
The former Little Green Cars frontman Stevie Appleby released a solo EP which I nearly missed last month. ‘Mother Of Pearl’ is an introspective song typical of the EP’s stripped back sound.
6.
Cooks But We’re Chefs
Kodama
The eight-piece jazz/funk/rap Dublin band Cooks But We’re Chefs pay tribute to their elders with all three vocalists Methembe, Siofra and Jess taking the mic for this one.
7.
Owls
They Kill
Hypnotic brooding electronica from a Longford producer Emee Owls aka OWLS, who is also in the duo LUNA. The song is from an EP out Friday called the They Kill EP which are all lyrically dark “songs for the night.”
8.
Jar Jar Jr
Honey Caturra
Cork producer Jar Jar Jr is always worth a check-in for some sweet beats.
9.
Travi The Native
Shambles
Belfast artist Travi The Native drops a memorable soulful alt-pop tune.
‘Shambles is a delirious love song about the excitement that comes at the very start of a new relationship. The infatuation and the urgency. It plays on the fact that when you’re in that scenario, everything else seems to cease to exist and that person is all that’s on your mind, whilst you try your hardest to play it cool and not let your rapidly growing feelings be
your downfall.’
10.
riawaavy
Butterflies
Riawaavy is a new Dublin artist who featured here in September, and the artist’s new song ‘Butterflies’ is a queer loving EDM-pop anthem.
For more extensive Irish and new music coverage, follow our Spotify playlist or hit up the Irish section for individual track features.
