Elaine Mai, MayKay, Faye O’Rourke & Young People from Aida Refugee Camp, ‘We Are’

Elaine Mai, MayKay and Soda Blonde's Faye O’Rourke have come together with Rand, Rwand, Reem, Sara Omar and Ahmad to create charity single ‘We Are’, with all proceeds  set to be donated to the Lajee Centre in Palestine.

Throughout the song, children can be heard speaking about what it means to be Palestinian. “The very first feeling I had after Elaine played me the children’s voices was hope,” says O’Rourke. “In a world marred by division and discourse, to me this song serves as a little mantra towards the light. It’s an honour to be a small part of such a beautiful collaboration"

 

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The 2 Johnnies, ‘I’m So Hungover I Could Die’

“If you’re shook as a bottle of Yop, in the horrors, and waking up to the smell of kebab in the bath, this is the song for you,” declare Ireland’s most beloved pair of bumpkin funnymen, as they offer up  an ideal track to fight off the Sunday scaries with. As catchy as it is  frighteningly accurate, the tune is accompanied by a music video starring comedian and Hardy Bucks man Eoin Colgan.

David Kitt, ‘Say No More’

David Kitt will be taking us back to 2006 with a  rerelease Not Fade Away on May 24-Originally released on Rough Trade records, the album has been lovingly remastered and re-sequenced, and features a new version of the bouncy, observational hit single ‘Say No More’

“Say No More is a semi-fictionalised account of a typical weekend night in Dublin centred around Wexford St in the mid noughties,” says Kitt. “I have a fondness for the original version, but it didn't fit the flow of the album and I thought I'd take the opportunity to put that right with the upcoming reissue. It feels a bit more Dire Straits now."

Sinéad Harnett, ‘Unfamiliar’

London-based artist of Thai-Irish descent Sinéad Harnett exhibits her soulful vocals and knack for lyrical vulnerability on the smooth-as-silk r&b number ‘Unfamilair. This artful construction of mistrust in a relationship is taken from her fourth LP Boundaries, her first in three years.

“I truly believe that the only way out of your trauma is to go all the way through it,” said the singer on Instagram upon announcing the record. “in order to do that, you have to set your boundaries, to make space & time for your own healing. How deeply my soul resonates with the notion that you can ‘become the person you needed when you were a child’ and what a wonder going on that journey is.”

 

Gearoid McCarthy, 'Going Out For One'

Gearoid McCarthy has finally released the full studio version of his viral TikTok single ‘Going Out For One’. This funky folk track is upbeat, characterised by banjo chords that mirror the peppy feeling of a good night out. This single is set to kick off McCarthy’s first tour as a solo artist.

When discussing the inspiration of the track, McCarthy says, “One of the lads texted me one Friday evening to see if I'd go for a few pints [but] I couldn't go. So as I was driving I started to think about the fact he was trying to persuade me to Just Go Out for One and no doubt then what the weekend would look like or could potentially turn into and the song just came from there!”

 

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Pier, 'The Harvest'

Pier's  latest track offers up a glimpse into his highly anticipated debut EP which is set to be released this spring. ‘The Harvest’ is a dark suspenseful track, opening slowly and culminating into a dynamic, dance-inducing song.

When talking about the creation of the track, the Dublin-based Italian says, “The Harvest initially started as a dare. My musician friend Abbacaxi was making fun of my slow and sad songs and dared me to write something danceable, so I went home and thought 'What if The Blaze and The Scratch wrote a song together?' Truth is the lyrics are still as introspective as in my other songs, but at least in this you can dance the melancholy away.”

Rikshaw, 'Waterfall'

Rikshaw has released his new hip-hop single ‘Waterfall’, taking inspiration from artists such as The Weekend through mellow melodies and prominent electric production. His first new single in two years, the accompanying music video for Waterfall is set to be released on May 9.

When speaking about the track, Rikshaw says, "I have had a lot of highs and lows in the last few years and sometimes cannot help focusing solely on the lows. This sometimes takes control and can leave me feeling trapped and lost. Embodying these silent struggles."

Blue Fish Diamond, 'Servants To The Hand On'

Indie folk band Blue Fish Diamond's new single ‘Servants To The Hand On’ marks their first release since their album Frozen Stars On The Night in October 2021. The track has an easy going melody while its lyrics tackle difficult topics like right-wing extremism in the media with acuity.

When talking about the track, frontman Jim Murphy says, “we live in an era where disinformation is rife and can spread like wildfire on social media. Preying on vulnerability and a sense of disenfranchisement, invisible hands pull the strings to further their right-wing agendas. In Ireland, we saw this string-pulling lead to a night of rioting and looting in Dublin before Christmas and more recently to a spate of arson attacks on properties rumoured to be earmarked as accommodation for asylum seekers.”

Shaun Finn, 'Love Is A Contact Sport'

After a successful debut headline at Dublin’s The Sound House earlier this month, Irish upstart Shaun Finn has released his latest single ‘Love Is a Contact Sport’. A modern rock anthem about the thrill of dancing with the people you love, the new track sees Finn lean into hard rock and punk influences as he steps into a new era of his career.

‘Love Is A Contact Sport,’ a follow-up to the successful releases of last year’s ‘Rise’ and ‘Times Are Changing,’ sees Finn step into his full potential as a striking force on the Irish music scene.

 

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SHASMA, 'Alien/Familiar'

Derry-based grunge trio SHASMA, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Seos Martin, bassist James Dunn and drummer Nathan Walker, have dropped their latest statement single ‘Alien/Familiar’ ahead of their debut album In Consequence. An apprehensive, confrontational track, ‘Alien/Familiar’ sees SHASMA’s 90s punk aesthetic rise to the surface.

“I've been giddy with excitement about finally putting this song out,” said Martin. “I'm very proud of the whole album, not least ‘Alien/Familiar’ as I really forced myself to step out of my comfort zone when writing and producing it so as to achieve the feel I was going for.  

Fräulein, 'Pruning'

Fräulein shows no signs of stopping as they release the final taster from their upcoming debut mini LP Sink or Swim. A dazzling new single, ‘Pruning’ manages to maintain the hype for their impending record.

Starting at the end of an experience, the track imagines the aftermath of seeing good guys triumph, settling into happily - ever-after with relief. Soon enough, anxiety seeps in and starts begging questions: Will it last? Are the sacrifices, the trouble and love worth it? Is it going to be okay? “Will we sink or swim?” the track asks.

From the outset, ‘Pruning’ is a compelling listen: supernova vocals, dizzying hopscotch percussion and loose-limbed guitars coalesce to create a wildly propulsive earworm.

James Vincent McMorrow, 'Call Me Back'

The latest offering from James Vincent McMorrow explores the idiosyncrasies of a relationship. With its vibrant folk inflection, ‘Call Me Back’ boasts McMorrow’s classic calling cards: the paradox of his guttural falsetto and the delicate romance of his lyricism.

It sees the artist delve into the deeper meaning behind life’s seemingly uneventful moments that punctuate relationships: “For newness / We decorate / Brand new paint / To lessen complication.”

Musically, the track sees McMorrow continue to develop on his atmospheric sound with cyclical, math rock-inflected guitar and hook-led vocal harmonies. Feast your ears.

Dotts O'Connor, 'Brushing Off The Rust'

Alt-folk songwriter and vocalist Dotts O’Connor has released his latest single ‘Brushing Off The Rust,’ which tells the story of two people as they abandon their lives of chaos and strife in search of rejuvenation on the road. Recorded at The Meadow recording studio in Wicklow, the new track features Paul Kenny on drums, Ken McCade on bass guitar and Liam McCabe on saxophone. 

“I wanted to capture the unfeathered joy of the couple as they emerge from hardship and put all sorrow in the rearview mirror so I ensured that we didn’t do too many takes of the song and tried to keep the recording process fresh and immediate without giving too many directions to the musicians,” O’Connor said of the recording process for the track. 

Picture This, 'Oh My Love'

Irish pop-rock band Picture This have released their long-awaited fourth studio album Parked Car Conversations, featuring the heartwarming love banger ‘Oh My Love.’ With a hard hitting base and lyrics that bring you back to your first sweeping romance. 

Building upon the momentum generated by their hit singles ‘Act of Innocence’, ‘Get On My Love’ and ‘Call It Love’, Picture This offer up an album steeped in the raw emotion and vulnerability of songwriter and lead vocalist Ryan Hennessy. The fast-rising four-piece are set to appear at St. Anne’s Park in Dublin later this summer.

Ryan Mack, 'Good Life'

Holding true to his recent promise of releasing a new song every two weeks, singer-songwriter Ryan Mack is back with another pop-centric banger entitled ‘Good Life’. An upbeat summer-time bop, Mack’s new track urges listeners to focus on the simple pleasures of life rather than the cycle of inconveniences that seem to knock us down each morning. 

Reminiscent of artists like Charlie Puth, Andy Grammer and Megan Trainor, Mack quickly won himself a devoted online fan-base during lockdown when he began posting a new song each day on social media. A gifted storyteller and talented vocalist, Mack now finds himself at the forefront of a new wave of pop artists taking the internet by storm.

Chris Wong, ‘She Stays West’

After moving back to Dublin, following a brief stint in rural Mayo, singer-songwriter Chris Wong felt immediately inspired to put his peaceful contemplations and bucolic experiences to pen.

Over a scintillating sonic journey, ‘She Stays West’ was influenced by the tranquil nature and pace of life in the west of Ireland. The track was recorded alongside Rob de Boer, Louis Younge and Dan Coyne.

“The lyrics are written as if it were a love song about a girl, but listen closely and you’ll understand the metaphor,” says Chris. “I wanted the story to be something everyone could relate to so I opted to hide its meaning, ‘Easy on the eye if you could see her, I know she ain’t my type but that’s alright. Sun is coming out, she’s getting sweeter, what I see is all mine.’”

AiMÉE, 'Passenger Seat'

AiMÉE is back with a new offering that she calls her “best therapy session yet.”

A heartfelt, yet uplifting pop number, ‘Passenger Seat,’ was written about her mam, who she lost to cancer a few years ago, and how she will never sit in the passenger seat of the singer’s new car. AiMÉE is a deft songwriter, cataloguing the experience of grief in sharply accurate terms: the small, everyday moments those lost to us miss out on.

However, AiMÉE has captured the many moments they shared together in the car on this track, preserving those fun-filled and treasured memories, singing how her mam will “always ride shotgun in her memory.”

The PVP, 'Track 94'

Sonic polymaths The PVP return with an experimental number that seizes upon the artful distortions of psychedelic rock and infuses them with indie-rock sensibilities. Formed in 2021, the group comprises drummer/vocalist Brendan McInerney (Bleeding Heart Pigeons), keyboardist James Reidy (His Father’s Voice), and guitarist/vocalist Chris Quigley (Cruiser).

‘Track 94’ discusses environmentalism and, especially, environmental nihilism, and they are reordered, as such, “every time on the fly as part of the performance. This concept suggests that long term environmental concepts are too difficult for us to understand in an intuitive way, accounting for some of our failure to act on them in a responsive way.”

“‘Track 94’ gets its name from my weirdo demo system, where I write both up from Track 1 and down from Track 99,” Quigley says of the single. “The lyrics are in no particular order, taking a bit of inspiration from Kim Gordon's Body/Head project.”

David C Clements, ‘Reckless’

Bringing back his distinct blend of indie rock, the North’s David C Clement’s is back with ‘Reckless’. Described as a “euphoric new single with broad emotional textues”, ‘Reckless’ delivers a stunning crescendo at the end of the track. The single, which Clements describes as “a song about what it is to love and to be loved, and how all the normalities of life are elevated by those we share them” is a beautiful affirmation of life.

 

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Shane Barry, ‘Living There’

With plenty of reverb and dreamy vocals, Shane Barry lands an incredibly rich single about the contemporary Irish emigration experience. A expat balled for Millenials, ‘Living There’ is all about the chronic fomo that follows young Irish people living away from the island. With a Simple Minds-eque quality, the singer songwriting deals with a heavy subject matter in a cinematic and bittersweet fashion.

 

Ceol, ‘One More For The Road’

A footstomping trad ballad, ‘One More For the Road’ by Ceol is an anthemic song that will get everyone on their feet this weekend. Accompanied by a rousing music video, ‘One More For the Road’ is an ode to all things pub culture and will provide an audio treat for High Kings fans. ‘One More For the Road’ will have you revelling in nostalgia for the Wesht like a yank as you tap your feet into the weekend.

Liv Monaghan, ‘Broken Glass Birds’

With her second album due out on May 3, Liv Monaghan gives us another tantalising teaser in the form of ‘Broken Glass Birds’. The latest single is a sultry and poignant strings track dealing with sisterhood and atavism. The stripped back instrumental allows Monaghan’s breathy and seductive vocals lead. Speaking on ‘Broken Glass Birds’ Monaghan says: “I am inspired by time, diving into it, trying to stretch it out, hold it still, and swim into the secrets of it. This song plunges into that”.

 

Listen to our New Irish Songs To Hear This Week playlist on Spotify below!