Indie outfit Columbia Mills are back with their first release since 2020's CCTV.  'Heart of a Nation', seeks to draw attention towards the housing crisis in Ireland, with each verse documenting a different aspect of the problem. The new single is set to be released this friday (March 18).

Frontman Fiachra Treacy says of the track: “'Heart of a Nation' peels back the political rhetoric and looks at the real people affected when the ruling class looks out for themselves - From a mother sleeping with her children in a Garda station to the crooked businessmen and politicians that have caused the housing crisis in Ireland."

Listen to the Hot Press premiere below. 

'Heart of a Nation' is the title track and first single from the group's forthcoming third album, set to be released in September of this year.

Their previous two LP's A Safe Distance to Watch and CCTV we're lauded releases across the UK and Ireland. Hot Press' Ingrid Angulo said of the latter: "Amid the somber realities of the world, sometimes it’s more powerful to reframe the darkness with something more upbeat. On CCTV, Columbia Mills do just that. The lyrics artfully capture insecurities and anxieties, contrasted with a massive sound that teeters on the edge of electronic dance music to create a composition that feels balanced and moving."

Read the full Hot Press review of CCTV, here. 

Their past work has solidified the five-piece as regulars in billings for Indiependence, Longitude and Electric Picnic. In addition to headline gigs across the country, they have supported the likes of Ride, Public Services Broadcasting and Palace.

Drawing from rock, dance and pop Columbia Mills' sonic blend has earned them comparisons to The National and Joy Division.

In 2020, the Dubliners sat down with Hot Press to discuss CCTV, the personal stories behind the tracks and what motivates their sound.

“I always use personal experience to write a song. I’ve tried to write songs in a different way and they've always been crappy. I found that if you write something quite personal, other people will relate to it because we're all we all sort of have the same sort of shit going on in our lives in different ways,” Treacy said. “We're all like brothers and if something happens in each other's lives, it'll definitely come into the lyrics.”

Revisit the full interview, here.