HEDFUZY

As far as Pat Byrne is concerned, there’s no greater love than that which a man has for his prog. The Limerick multi-instrumentalist has lived a varied musical life – contributing to bands ranging from reggae collectives to R&B electro acts – so it’s hardly surprising that his first solo effort draws on a smorgasbord of influences. While at its core a prog-rock record firmly of the ‘up to 11’ persuasion, there truly is something for everyone. In particular, ‘When I Come Back Down’ is a gentle and delicately sculpted example of his versatility. Becoming the first signing with fledgling label Progressive Gears saw the record deservedly re-released in November – and further upward strides look likely as 2017 swings into action.
HEAR: The eponymous album at progressivegears.bandcamp.com/album/hedfuzy
SEE: The page at facebook.com/Hedfuzy for updates on live shows and more

HIVA OA

Their name is taken from an island in French Polynesia, but the journey of Hiva Oa has taken an even more scenic route. An EP and a debut album landed in 2012, following which there was a period of radio silence – now, the aptly named EP mk2 (part 1) can fill in a few of the blanks. Occasional dalliances with electronics have now become a full-on love affair for the Belfast-based collective, with pounding beats and sinister synths creating an intense and enigmatic sound that’s very definitely a breath of fresh, albeit melancholic, air. With core members Stephen Houlihan and Christine Tubridy now back on home soil following a period based in Edinburgh, things may once again begin moving very quickly indeed…

HEAR: The arresting ‘A Great Height’ on YouTube
SEE: The band play Galway, Clonakilty and Cork in February – check out hivaoa.bandcamp.com for further details.

DERMOT KENNEDY

Ten million Spotify listeners can’t be wrong. The young singer-songwriter from Dublin may have followed the old-school path of singing on the street (you might remember cover versions of songs by Sia and Ed Sheeran going viral a few years back), but his current streaming success is a measure of the excitement surrounding imminent new releases. His storytelling style and folk-pop tendencies have sent industry types falling over one another to get a piece, and his sold-out shows at The Workman’s Club and the Unitarian Church – as well as appearances supporting Glen Hansard and James Vincent McMorrow, amongst others – have served as warning that the big time could await in the year to come.
HEAR: His tunes the way everybody else seems to – on Spotify
SEE: A live performance of ‘After Rain’ on YouTube

LE BOOM

What’s in a ‘Le’? We can’t be sure, but this pair look well set to join their fellow Francophiles at the top table of Irish dance music in no time at all. Quite ludicrously, Chris Leech and Aimee Mallon hadn’t even played in this guise until June, but already they’ve become one of the hottest properties around – underlined by a manic Whelan’s set in November. Many is the cool and cultured New York head that’s been turned by the duo during frequent trips to the Big Apple, so we could be vying for transatlantic custody pretty soon. For now, however, it’s nothing but eager anticipation. With their first official release slated for January, as well as the tantalising tease of a Dublin date to be confirmed shortly, their rapid rise could be about to get stratospheric.
HEAR: The infectious ‘What We Do’ on YouTube
SEE: Their twitter, @WeAreLeBoom, for all the latest updates

MANKYY

All the early-bird-gets-the-worm talk clearly left Clare beatmaker Daithí MacCrúitin in no mood to take any chances, as he promptly dropped the very first Irish release of the year just hours into 2017. And, if the arrival of Character Development was a pleasant surprise, the same applies to its content. Calling on vocal contributions from fellow Shannonsiders Same D4ence, Spekulativ Fiktion, Aswell and Jonen Dekay, it’s an exciting and eclectic offering from a producer who is still a mere 18-years-old. Diligently exploring the more avant-garde and experimental end of the spectrum, he’s been cutting his teeth on the live circuit too. Also, WWE Champion Finn Bálor is a big fan – that’s got to be worth something, right?
HEAR: The Character Development EP in full at soundcloud.com/unscenemusiclimerick
SEE: twitter.com/_mankyy to keep up with the latest news

ORCHID COLLECTIVE

2016 was a huge year for the Dublin-based quartet, whose ambitious folk-influenced alt-rock has already won a legion of admirers. The release of their Courage EP in October reinforced the belief that their growth is only beginning, while extensive touring at the tail end of the year left few in doubt of their potential. They’ve also been in the studio working with knob-twiddler extraordinaire Rob Kirwan, which suggests that new material – and, you suspect, a new level of success – may be coming very soon indeed. In the meantime, the opportunity to admire their live chops is equally worth looking forward to, so a March 4 stop at Dublin’s Unitarian Church should be marked on the diaries pronto.
HEAR: Their Courage EP at soundcloud.com/weareorchid
SEE: The video for ‘Tomorrow’ on YouTube