All CDs are €10, with post and packaging free for people in Ireland, €2 for people in the EU (UK included) and €3 for the rest of the world [€10 is approx: $11 or £7 GBP]

And watch this space for further offerings as the month goes on. Stake a claim to your key choices from this lot, and then stay tuned.
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Currently on the promotional trail round the country, West Corck's LOWmountain have just released their sophomore album, DNA. The three-piece have spent the last two years working on the 11-tracker; a lovely collection of alt. country and folk.

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Connor & The Crookes is an infectious mix of music styles from pop and Americana to rockabilly. The uniqueness of each track showcases the broad spectrum of talented musicians that contributed. Grammy winner Brent Kolatalo, who mixed the album, says that, “Having worked on records from Kanye West and Lana Del Rey, nothing gets me more excited than when you’ve worked on an album that you can listen to from start to finish. It’s an actual body of work. This record is one of those rare ones”.

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It was when Fintan Brady took time out from a stressful period at work that he first discovered the energetic healing practice of ‘clearing’. This newfound discovery then developed into a new awareness of ‘the now’, leading his music to flow like never before. Under The Great Shady Tree is produced by Simon Semperski, and is ‘a reflection of Brady’s spiritual journey’.

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Hailing from Dundalk and Dublin, five-piece Heritage Centre play a mix of indie rock with pop sensibilities. The band – who are renowned for both their loud live shows and catchy choruses – recorded this debut in an old church with Canadian producer David Newfield. The 11 song set mixes big drums and melodic instrumentation, with a great emphasis placed on the character of the recordings.

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An array of Americana-tinged tunes Newbridge native Ciaran Dwyer penned while travelling across the States, this album deals with growing up, getting drunk, falling in and out of love and listening to great tunes. Initially planned as a solo project away from his Band On An Island day job, Dwyer ultimately recruited the help of his band mates, as well as The Mighty Stef and Humanzi’s Brian Gallagher. The 13-track record is a refreshingly honest slice of American country with an Irish twist.

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Released through 4-3-3 in January, Theme Tune Boy’s long overdue LP Return Of The Living Dead is the first album release by Niall Quinn since his old unit The Hitchers demobbed over a decade ago. The album, which has been picking up excellent reviews including a substantial thumbs up from team HP for “Quinn’s inimitable brand of fruitcake blues”, features a bumper crop of Quinn’s trademark singalong songwriting, not to mention rough ’n’ ready guitar and drum sprints.

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On At War With The Eskimos, Dying Embers' brand of roots-tinged alternative music is enriched by an unusual combination of instruments with pedal steel guitar, cello, violin, trumpet, trombone and harmonica added to the standard drums, bass guitar and keys setup. Produced by Stephen Shannon, who oversaw Adrian Crowley's Choice-nominated I See Three Birds Flying, the record has received very positive reviews to date – our own Edwin McFee called it "a musical tour de force calling to mind the Divine Comedy at their darkest and the Bunnymen at their most vital".

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Irish heavy metallers Sirocco are back with their third LP Lambay, a concept album on the 10th century Viking invasion of Ireland. Their style of classic heavy metal and Celtic mythology will bode well for fans of Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden or indeed anyone looking to relive the golden age of metal. The band have already made a name for themselves throughout Europe, supporting Megadeth, Exodus, W.A.S.P. and Napalm Death, and have received rave reviews from zines and publications all over the world. Lambay also features artwork by renowned pagan artist Kris Verwimp.

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Onetime Revs frontman Rory Gallagher releases his debut solo LP Auntie Depressant & Uncle Hope this month – a sunny collection of ‘60s-inspired tracks. Hardly surprising, considering the Donegal man currently resides in Lanzarote, and recorded the album in various spots around the Spanish island! Teaming psychedelic harmonies with dreamy melodic textures, Gallagher’s first solo outing is an accomplished collection of feelgood tunes.

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Taking in rhythm and blues, folk, rock and jazz, Robert Delaney’s Rising Tide is a swoon-worthy collection of songs featuring soul-searching lyrics and cleverly-crafted melodies. Self-described as “an album about life, about love, lost and found,” the Dubliner’s debut album is a highly romantic affair. Among the many highlights is the cinematic title track; a brooding, widescreen number that swells the heart and will likely be Delaney’s calling card for years to co

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Best known for their high-octane live show, Dublin glam rockers Eazy Tyger release their debut album Earn Your Strypes, a swagger-happy anthology of ‘80s-influenced, hook-infused tunes. Brandishing fast-paced riffs and sing-a-long choruses, the Dublin four-piece tear through 10 tracks of classic-sounding hard rock, replenished with a distinctly modern twist. ‘Round & Round’ is an immediate crowd-pleaser, thanks to its prowling bass, brash chorus and howling guitar.

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Dubbed “brilliant and addictive” by our very own Máire Rowland, who hastened to add “melancholic, tear-inducing and fascinating” to a rapidly growing list of compliments, The Secret Life Of Blue is the debut album from Róisín O’Reilly and her band of merry men and women. Under the guise of Róisín O, and with help from Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Odlum, O’Reilly and company have created an impressive collection of alt. folk gems.

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Energetic, soulful and rammed with catchy hooks, the debut album from Waterford foursome Solar Taxi conjures up a wide range of influences, from Goldfrapp and Fever Ray to Daft Punk to Nikka Costa. The folky Nick Drake-esque acoustic intro on ‘Saturday’s Children’, the Beatles-sounding ‘Within An Inch Of My Life’ and orchestral opus ‘Parcels’ showcase an ambitious, multi-faceted album, bursting with power and colour.

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Thanks to their clever blend of power-pop, punk, garage, grunge and ska, Drogheda trio Valentino Is Dead have already earned themselves comparisons to some of the biggest noisemakers in the business, namely The Clash, Rage Against The Machine and Muse. Aptly-named debut Misadventures In Punk Rock is a thoroughly rabble-rousing affair that comes loaded with punchy guitars, gritty vocals and catchy choruses.

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You never know what to expect from Devastating Ways, the new album from Donegal/Dublin foursome Kaplin, where sleazy chaotic monoliths like ‘Falling Down Your Stairs’ are followed up with heartbreaking balladry, most notably on the tear-jerking ‘Easy Lover’. Elsewhere, the Mariachi trumpet on ‘Frozen Sand’ gives it a Calexico feel, while fans of Gram Parsons will savour country-tinged number ‘Turnstile In The Road’.

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Having first appeared on the singer-songwriter scene at the age of 17, Ria Czerniak has thankfully shaken off the ‘one to watch’ tag and recorded her debut album. Souvenir showcases Ria’s talent for keenly-observed vignettes on life on the social and emotional frontline. Throughout the 12 tracks Czerniak weaves a pleasantly eccentric tapestry of folk and soul that’s as quirky as it is charming, and finds humour in even the most tragic of tales. Essential.

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For Dublin alt. folk fivesome Cocophone, the brainchild of songwriters Fin Divilly and Freya Monks, the spellbinding alloy that happens when boy meets girl is always the star of the show. Divilly and Monks have the kind of voices that simply melt into each other. Produced by Gavin Glass, their debut Reservoir echoes the experimental spirit of bands like The xx, Portishead and Fleetwood Mac. Swerving between subdued, unplugged folk and eerie, classically-tinged pop, it’s a highly romantic affair, but one that cleverly avoids cliché.

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Grouse is the vehicle for the work of Dubliner Ronan Carroll, who honed his style in San Francisco, where he spent over a decade working in various musical styles before becoming, in his own words, “obsessed with dub-inspired downtempo and trip hop.” Heads comes seven years after debut We Want To Be Loved and is another sublime collection of atmospheric creations. Spacey, hypnotic and chilled-out for the most part, Carroll utilises loops, samples and synths, along with traditional instruments to produce nine pieces of ambient, cinematic electronica.

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Cold City, the debut album from Dublin hip hop artist/producer Bitter Rocc, is one of the best homegrown hip-hop releases in aeons. The gritty 12-tracker comes from the heart of the working-class estates, and tackles everything from economic collapse to prostitution, poverty and drug abuse, against a tastefully assembled backdrop of smoky rhythms, cut-up samples and floating piano. The album also includes two bonus tracks and exclusive remixes by Dublin based producers MathMan and JackKnife J.

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You Kiss By The Book was formed by Simon Dowling in the hills of California in 2003, and the band released their debut album, Neanderthals Going North, on a limited CD run in the States. Back in Ireland, they recorded their second album, Bear Leader, live over the course of a weekend in 2009. This year has seen YKBTB take to the stage alongside acts like Eleanor Friedberger, Mumblin Deaf Ro, Hidden Highways, Howe Gelb and The Gandhis, as well as release their third album, Family Tree.

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Onetime Revs frontman Rory Gallagher releases his debut solo LP Auntie Depressant & Uncle Hope this month – a sunny collection of ‘60s-inspired tracks. Hardly surprising, considering the Donegal man currently resides in Lanzarote, and recorded the album in various spots around the Spanish island! Teaming psychedelic harmonies with dreamy melodic textures, Gallagher’s first solo outing is an accomplished collection of feelgood tunes.

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A lifetime of observing and absorbing has led to Kevin Doherty’s second album Seeing Things. Having performed in bands since the early ‘90s, ‘Seeing Things’ sees Doherty move beyond the temporal to a place where he has conversations with Jesus and John Henry, where he transforms himself into a bird in an act of defiance and frustration and where he observes Cleopatra’s arrival into Rome from a window in the Gresham Hotel.

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Using musical building blocks of piano, guitars and vocals, alternative folk outfit Red Sail combine electronic influences with a traditional songwriting style to make a sound that feels new and familiar all at once. With influences ranging from festival headliners Arcade Fire and The National to songwriters like Fionn Regan and Laura Marling, Red Sail are an impossible band to pin down, but an easy one to love.

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Known to festival-goers as the nation’s favourite swing-rock fivesome, The Roaring Forties have just released There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens, their first album to include original material. ‘What Will Be’ is a contemporary jazz ballad that wouldn’t be out of place on a Van Morrison album, ‘Oh Marie‘ features Jon Kenny of D’Unbelievables fame, while the soulful ‘Out Of Sight’ is another worthy tune that should attract a cover version of its own.

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It was only a matter of time before Liz Is Evil released a live album; the Dublin trio have been blowing minds and rattling bones with their relentless live shows since 2008, thrilling audiences at Hard Working Class Heroes, Knockanstockan and countless other homegrown rock extravaganzas. Promising a whole lot of “punk-riddled rock ‘n’ roll”, Baby Boom combines high energy raw riffage with twisted pop melodies to glorious effect.

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The debut E.P. from Galway alternative rock foursome Take The Stand has already drawn comparisons with the work of musical giants Foo Fighters and Q.O.T.S.A., thanks to a healthy dose of charging drums and radio- friendly guitar riffs, all tied together with thought- provoking lyrics. Including simmering live favourites ‘Wildcat’ and ‘You Only Think You Can Hide’, It’s Who You Know is an impressive introduction to a band boasting confidence beyond their years.

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It’s clear from listening to Zorilla that the members of cross-county punk fivesome Bamboo Party have somewhat diverging tastes in music.Tales of destroyed drumsticks, snapped guitar strings, annihilated reeds and pulled-out hair during recording back up this assumption, but for all the desperate energy flowing around in the Bamboo Party camp, they’ve delivered an exciting and innovative debut with a striking punk attitude.

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After 28 years of making music with his Keltic Posse, Johnny Quinn has returned to the Irish stage with reggae outfit J. Roots. Although we may not find it easy to imagine a combination of Irish and Caribbean, Quinn and his fellow band members have managed to make it work. Boasting seductive bass lines and stunning guest vocals from the smokey-toned Kitty B, Soapbox Fury is a triumph in all aspects.

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Dublin-based Irish/Malaysian brother/sister duo Madu release their genre-straddling new EP Rocksteady and it’s an aural feast for those who love multi-genred musical stews (peppering the pot are dub, ska, reggae and soul influences). The title track is the pick of the bunch, featuring some beautiful, silky vocals courtesy of Aminah Dastan, while the psychedelic horn-laden sounds of ‘Left-Handed’ give it a run for its money.

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Following on from his critically acclaimed debut Busy Whisper, Sligo-based singer-songwriter Pearse McGloughlin returns with his band of merry musicians. A record full of atmosphere and emotion, In Movement is an unmissable album; stand-out tracks ‘Morning Mist’ and ‘Bright Star’ project a tingling ambience of fragility through delicate acoustic arrangements and barely-there vocals.

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Since forming in 2009, Crow Black Chicken have earned back-pats aplenty for their charming Southern sound, most notably after their performance on the BBC Introductory Stage at Glastonbury in 2011. Their debut album Electric Soup typifies this positive energy with 13 tracks of tooth-rattling rhythms and bluesy rock’n roll vibes. Deep, raspy vocals and spine-tingling guitar riffs ensure you won’t forget this record in a hurry.

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Self-described as “a kick ass 3 piece rock band from Dublin”, The Velourias specialise in sharp-shooting, hip-shaking rock music in the vain of Idlewild, At The Drive-In, and the Pixies and are known for their raw, energetic live performances. Seeking adventure, the band gave up their day jobs in 2009 and relocated to Leeds to create their self-titled debut, which includes the acoustic-driven ‘IntoThe Flood’ and epic closer ‘Trapped In The Belly Of The Whale’.

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Hailing from Derry City, Paddy Nash And His Happy Enchiladas present their second album Times Of Transition, showcasing the unique blend of folk, punk, blues, country and rock (phew!) that has left audiences revelling in their rich lyrics and big melodies. Once described by our own Eamonn McCann as “the best band in Ireland“, they’ll be taking their new tunes

out on the road this Summer, including a date at Glasgowbury.

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Little Ripples is the debut album from Irish/Spanish multi-instrumentalist Eric McGrath, which has already gotten a ginormous thumbs up from quirk queen Julie Feeney and Edwin McFee of this parish. With instantly catchy harmonies and breezy arrangements (captured at various farmhouses, mountain lodges and studios all over Ireland), the self-penned, arranged, performed and produced album marks the start of an exciting new career.

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Belfast five-piece Runaway Go release their self-titled debut on April 6, spearheaded by their heart-breaking lead track ‘Electric’. Having graduated from rifling through the dressing rooms of bands they were supporting to full-on critical acclaim, the quintet armed themselves with the talents of producers Jonathan Shakhovskoy (Beady Eye, U2) and Geoff Pesche (Gorillaz, Basement Jaxx) for their debut EP.

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Born from the ashes of Dublin bands Sickboy and 8Ball, Ghost Estates’ wish to experiment with new sounds and song writing techniques has finally come to the fruition. A year on from their first live gig and following the success of singles ‘Paris’, ‘Forever Or Never’ and ‘October’, the band are ready to unleash their eponymous debut, which showcases band member Daniel Doherty’s triumphant move from drums to sampler, synth and vocals.

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Two years on from holing themselves up in a disused office space to write, art-rock quartet Funeral Suits have emerged with debut Lily Of The Valley, eager to hit the live circuit hard. Mixing influences from from the likes of Radiohead, The Knife and Animal Collective to make a sound all their own, the four-piece have produced a somewhat paradoxical record, featuring everything from haunting vocals to dreamy melodies to menacing guitars

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Portadown singer, pianist and guitarist Katharine Philippa has been performing since she was old enough to squawk out a tune, but the Queen’s University School of Music student only got around to releasing her debut EP last year, at the ripe old age of 20. Operating within a genre she’s dubbed ‘Reflectivism’, Philippa makes sensitive piano numbers, intense, looped ballads and soulful electronica, all of which can be heard on the EP in question, Fallen.

Specialising in powerful, in-your-face, riff-based tunes, Derry four-piece Half Shot employ melodic arrangements and snarling vocals to create a classic rock sound. Elements of blues, punk and metal can be felt on their freewheeling, 14-track debut album, High Walls And Free Falls, which includes fan favourites ‘Preachin’’ and ‘The Beggar’s Belief‘.

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Quintessential singer-songwriter Geary recalls early Simon And Garfunkel on Songs About Love, Songs About Leaving, with haunting melody and fragile vocals that are almost chamber-like in their effect. Album standout is the atmospheric ‘Falling In The Fires’, which, with its stellar harmonising, is tailor-made for a TV or movie soundtrack, while elsewhere, there are some truly memorable instrumental flourishes on ‘Cali Solo’.

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It’s only taken two years, €40,000, one orchestra, four studios, a clatter of musicians and a deranged individual on a didgeridoo, but now, like a fine pint of ale, The Riptide Movement’s double disc beast is ready to be enjoyed. Sitting pretty at number six in the official Irish charts at the time of writing, Keep On Keepin’ On is a thrilling example of the band’s unique style, typified by time-travelling powerhouse blues.

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One of Ireland’s best-kept electronic secrets, OCHO combines the unique talents of Stace Gill and DOS into one mind-blowing sound. After two years of hard work, the Dublin outfit is finally ready to release their ambitious debut album Young Hunting, which combines atmospheric layered trans-cultural electronic music with lush dynamics akin to the likes of Imogen Heap and Mazzy Star.

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A collective of talented musicians from various musical backgrounds, The Hip-Neck Blues Collective specialise in blues and folk-tinged hip hop. Formed in early 2011, the collective have been working tirelessly since, contracting new members, gigging with the likes of Scroobius Pip, B. Dolan, DJ Woody and Sneaky Soundsystem, and recording their sensational debut EP Millie.

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24-year-old Galway girl Laura Sheeran blends classical influences with heavy electronic production, filtering it all through a dark, witching gauze. In the tradition of pop eccentrics such as Bat For Lashes and Polly Scattergood, her album What The World Knows is deep, dark and mysterious, but thanks to Sheeran’s ear for a glittering hook, delivered with a knowing wink.

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Individually known as Neil Crowley, Elis Czerniak, Osgar Dukes and Barry O’Halpin, exploratory rock outfit Alarmist have earned many a rave review since they appeared on the Irish music scene last year, with Hot Press dubbing their self-titled debut, “one of the Irish EPs of the year.” A fizzing, charging bombshell of a record featuring staggering drum patterns and intriguing song titles aplenty, Alarmist will go down well with fans of Norwegian instrumentalists Jaga Jazzist and, locally, members of the Richter Collective family.

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In an age where we are utterly bombarded by wave after wave of mediocre nu-folk, it’s comes as a pleasant surprise to find that the debut offering from Geordie four-piece The Cornshed Sisters is actually pretty good. Featuring Marie Nixon of dearly departed ‘90s indie legends Kenickie in their ranks, the record includes some truly special vocal play (see acapella number ‘Tommy’). Meanwhile, if you’re not charmed by ‘Dance At My Wedding’, you’ve clearly got a gaping hole in your chest where your heart should be.

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David Lyttle began performing professionally at the age of four in his family folk group and he’s scarcely taken a break since – in fact, he was recently described by Hot Press’ Colm O’Hare as a “veritable one-man industry”. Featuring a long list of cameos from MOBO-winning/Mercury-nominated rapper Soweto Kinch to rising-star Irish vocalist Rhea and session icons Jason Rebello (Sting) and Pino Palladino (Adele), it’s no wonder Interlude is earning him wide-spread recognition as a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

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Fresh from putting multiple cyber-noses out of joint with their video for recent single ‘Traditions’, Limerick foursome Protobaby present their debut album The Spark and – good news! – it’s chock-full of incendiary indie anthems and stadium-straddling rock numbers. ‘Only A Spark’ is worth the price of admission alone, while ‘Microchip’ and the aforementioned ‘Traditions’ are made all the more interesting by singer Colm McGuinness and his wonderfully evocative baritone.

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Vocally, singer-songwriter Liz Lawrence’s closest relative is Laura Marling, although Ms. Marling has never sounded as chirpy as Lawrence does on her debut album Bedroom Hero. The catchiest thing on the record is probably a rousing number called ‘Oo Song’, while the woozy ‘Bathroom Spoons’ is a clear standout, as Lawrence croons divinely over a chorus of echoey shoops. That’s not to say that our folky mistress of ceremonies isn’t capable of tugging on the old heartstrings.

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Sharon Shannon turned to the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for help on her latest album Flying Circus, whose classical touch has propelled her much-loved traditional style to exciting new heights. Opener ‘Top Dog Gaffo’ playfully sets the tone for an album that exudes a sense of serious fun. There’s a delicious lightness to her skittery playing on the three-piece suite ‘Windchime Dance’ and she creates an appealing wistfulness on the sumptuous ‘Butterflies’, while ‘Wood Road’ has a soft-rock delicacy that further lifts the mood.

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Cars Love Girls is the brainchild of Bres and Orla Breslin (of chart-topping funk-poppers Republic Of Loose), a brother-sister duo with an aptitude for making unapologetically commercial pop. Debut album Skip School opens with the shimmering ‘What’s On My Mind’, before the upbeat ‘These Girls’ cruises in, all heart-melting harmonies and cascading keyboard fills. ‘Lose Your Mind’ is beefed-up Fleetwood Mac backing Madonna, while the bouncy ‘Future Ex-Wife’ cheekily channels Prince.

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Half Nothing is the debut solo project by multi-instrumentalist and Dublin native Evan Kennedy. Kennedy, inspired by the spontaneous dynamic of live performance, produced an album without one particular genre or mood in mind. Instead, the electro-rock album vacillates between melodic rhythms and thumping, hard rock bass. Kennedy, who counts dubstep, metal, rap, and folk among his extensive influences, has created a distinctive first effort with Half Nothing.

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Declan O’Shea and Christian Montagne have fused the best of their French and Irish backgrounds to create an edgy, psychedelic indie-rock debut, Living On Air, that earned the duo four Grammy nominations. O’Shea and Montagne established a name for themselves internationally by touring with Iggy Pop, Linkin Park, Live, and Bush as Cyclefly. The crisp vocals, quirky melodies, Bowie-esque sound and mellow maturity on Living On Air should ensure that the pair will find comparable success under their new name.

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Four-piece blues-rock band Oddsocks Revival’s sophomore effort, It’s Time, cements its status as an ideal prototype for a homegrown hard-rock band. The Sligo natives have been touring Ireland since 2009, and with its unique four-part harmonies, four lead vocalists, and propensity for twin guitar solos, Oddsocks Revival is reminiscent of the stadium-rock bands of the ‘70s that crafted classic rock. Oddsocks Revival’s It’s Time combines a variety of funk, blues, and hard rock, creating a unique, stand-alone sound.

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Introducing is the debut album from Cavan-based band C. O’Neill & Co. and it’s a wonderfully ragged and whiskey-soaked release that’s full of dark observations and bruised and battered ballads. Album highlight is the epic and anthemic ‘Look Da No Hands,’ which features a guest appearance from Whipping Boy’s Fearghal McKee, his typically impassioned spoken-word performance ending proceedings on a massive high.

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Since bringing their body of work under the banner of Hope Is Noise in late 2004, this Cork four-piece have built a dedicated following, drawn equally to their ability to construct a winning pop tune and their incendiary, hardcore tendencies. The result is a sound that, in places, resonates with a more considered take on Husker Du and Foo Fighters’ knack for a tune, and burns with a rage comparable to Hot Snakes or At The Drive-In.

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Eschewing the typical band line-up, Track Dogs have opted for cajón (flamenco box drum) instead of drums and trumpet in place of electric guitar. The resulting sound, as showcased on their self-titled album boasts all the energy and freshness you would expect from a debut record, combined with the confidence and diversity that only comes from bands with a great many miles under their be

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Valentine Black’s debut album Desire Lines (fun fact: it’s named after the paths made by walking through forests!) mixes the heart of Springsteen with the melodies of Bowie and the lush arrangements of Arcade Fire. Dealing primarily in pop-tinged folk rock ditties, Valentine Black’s straight-talking yet romantic LP covers the topics of love, loss and even murder. A solid debut.

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A fascinating second record from lo-fi pop tribe Land Lovers, Confidants sees the Popical Island signees veer from the blueprint of their debut, mixing swooning, vintage-sounding lullabies with their usual fare of sharp-shooting quirk pop. Lyrically, anything goes, from death (‘Terry & Julie’) to football (‘Gravedigger’), as vocalist Pádraig Cooney swings with all the cool of an aging crooner.

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The debut album from this Italian/Irish rockabilly threesome has already gained rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with our very own Jackie Hayden labeling it “exuberant... rough, ready and raucous”. Citing influences as diverse as Enio Morricone, The Ramones, The Delfonics and Johnny Cash, this is an album that surprises as well as excites.

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Taking influence from alt. rock, drum and bass and metal, Leeside trio Screenreader present their debut album Disconnect The Dots, a self-produced 9-tracker that burns a trail from start to finish with high-impact rhythms and fuzzed-up electronic textures. Predominantly confined to a spare bedroom and cramped attics, the band recorded the album in just five days. Could have fooled us.

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