Maria Kelly, ‘Something Better’

Indie favourite Maria Kelly signals a new, indie rock-driven orientated sound as she strives for ‘Something Better’ with her latest single. Driven by muted guitar strokes and ethereal keys, the tune details the pressures we put on ourselves to meet our own expectations, and the inevitable self-involved disappointment which follows.

“‘Something Better’ felt like a missing piece that captured the core feeling of this next record," says the west coast songstress. "A feeling of wanting a better reality for yourself than the one you find yourself in, and slowly but surely cultivating the courage to get there."

Chalk, ‘Tell Me’

Lauded Belfast up and comers Chalk announce their Conditions III EP with another industrial,  Berghain-worthy fusion of techno and post-punk, confidentially mixing elements of heavy guitar music, electronica and breakbeat on ‘Tell Me’.

“‘Tell Me’ is the first release of our trilogy-ending third EP ‘Conditions III’,” says frontman Ross Cullen.  “For this track, we conjured up a world in which the song’s protagonist is running away from a dark past into unknown territory, encountering an unsuspecting new acquaintance on their journey. It’s a song that dives head-first into themes of the unknown, breaking norms, and a feeling of running away and never wanting to return again.”

Dylon Jack, ‘Speak Up’

‘“Speak Up’  is the first time where the words I penned weren’t for me,” says Clare songwriter Dylon Jack of his latest track. In a fitting alignment with World Mental Health Day, the soft, fingerpicked tune, sees the talented young artist reflect on “a number of awful stories” to break out around his small hometown of Shannon.

“Life is a beautiful gift,” Jack adds. “It’s going to be filled with euphoric highs and depressing lows, but when we are at that low point we need to know that it’s ok to speak up and be honest about how it is we are truly feeling. Just because it feels like the end doesn’t mean that it is or that it should be.”

Baba, ‘Sad Party’

Siobhán Lynch, aka Baba, flaunts some CMAT-style vocals on the bittersweet, pretty-sounding ‘Sad Party’, where electro-organs and swathing strings buttress her account of lockdown-instigated gloom.

“My friends were never off social media during lockdown and looked like they were having a ball: baking, hosting virtual quizzes with cocktails, and so I imagined that this was going to be an incredibly fun reunion,” Baba says. “But after a few drinks, everyone was literally crying, they were all so miserable and a little crazy. Being cooped up, as we all were, was making them really have to confront their lives. Some of them were just really lonely and struggling. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

Rhob Cunningham, ‘Lucy’

Veteran independent artist Rhob Cunningham takes us on a sonic journey with ‘Lucy’. Opening with serene gentle guitar and delicate woodwind, the track quickly shifts into a bluesy gear, where the flute playing really starts to fizz.

Inspired by an everyday act of kindness, the song pays homage to a woman who paid for the Cunningham’s shopping when he found himself accidentally penniless at a local corner shop. In the aftermath of this unexpected gesture, Cunningham raced home to stomp out this percussive ode.

Daniel Cohen, ‘The Movers and The Shakers’

Eclectic Galwegian Daniel Cohen arrives with his debut album All Engines Running!. A culmination of his work since going solo in 2022, a timeframe in which Cohen has received substantial acclaim in the States and earned over half a million Spotify streams, the album ends with an eye to the future. Deep, funky closing track ‘The Movers and the Shakers’ acts both as a tongue-in-cheek critique of the music industry and a profession of Cohen’s musical aspirations.

The Blessed Madonna (feat. James Vincent McMorrow and A-Trak)

Superstar DJ an producer The Blessed Madonna has invited renowned singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow to offer a helping hand on ‘Brand New’, with the Dubliner’s signature falsetto lending itself nicely to the uplifting grooves.

“In a lot of ways ‘Brand New’ was the trickiest cut on the album”, The Blessed Madonna notes.  “I felt like James’ voice and writing was an opportunity to strike a precarious balance between house and a certain kind of euphoric neo soul that you heard, particularly in the late eighties and early nineties. In a lot of ways I think this is my favourite song on the album and that is, after all the things that got us here, down to James. His brilliance. It is unmistakable and unmatched.”

Annika Kilkenny, ‘Out In The Garden’

“Maybe consider that hurting means that you’re on the mend,” considers talented songstress Annika Kilkenny, who offers offers some sweet, Laufey-esque reflections on ‘Out In the Garden’ - a song that pulses with a positive, uplifting and whimsical energy. – punctuated by sweet instrumentation via glockenspiel and bright acoustic guitars.

“This was so fun to make, that motif you hear on the glockenspiel at the beginning was initially just meant to be a filler motif in the chorus but then Anthony Whiting suggested using it on the intro too,” said the artist on social media.  “And it was sickkk. You can nearly see flowers popping up super dramatically from underneath soil with each ping of a tile.”

Brother Vice, ‘Money’

Belfast indie-rockers Brother Vice’s new single ‘MONEY’ is an anthemic, high-energy earworm. Recorded, mixed and mastered in Manor Park Studios, Moneyglass, with Neal calderwood, the track is a fierce testament to the band’s recent growth.

The group said: “Being part of a band in this day and age is no easy gig, but remembering that it’s all about the music and doing what our younger selves dreamed of is why we do it. We are so excited to share this new era of Brother Vice with everyone and get our music out there because we know people will love it”

Utilising a dynamic combination of infectious melodies and introspective lyricism, ‘MONEY’ is a quintessential pop-rock tune.

Ahmed, With Love., 'GeorgianFlip.'

With his latest mixtape Comma, Fullstop., Ahmed, With Love. has catapulted himself to new altitudes. Further cementing himself as a gem of the Irish rap scene is the undulant track ‘GeorgianFlip.’.

With its fiery percussion and whirling, conjunct melody, the club-ready tune enacts a fitting homage to the vibrant folk traditions of Georgia - a country situated along the collusion of Middle Eastern and European folkways.

Reflecting on the wide-ranging spread of genres percolating through the mixtape, Ahmed says: “My tastes and influences in music span a lot of different parts of the world, be it 2000s Afrobeat hits I grew up with when I was in Sierra Leone, or Joni Mitchell classics fed to me by my Irish guardian in my teens, or my fascination with Japanese jazz and citypop just off of exploring YouTube.”

Cardinals, 'Get It'

Tinges of macabre surf-rock and Strokes-esque stylings encompass the latest single from Cork rockers Cardinals.

‘Get It’ follows in a similar vein to the sunlit songwriting of their debut self-titled EP, but goes even further still with it’s melodic immediacy and unfeigned delivery.

“To me it's a song about reflection, looking at what went wrong but also at what went right. The worst and the best,” frontman Euan Manning says. “Its climax crowns love as an overwhelmingly positive force, whichever type of love that may be. It’s a change of pace for us and definitely feels like a bridging moment for what’s to come next.”

piglet, ‘for frank forever’

South London-based Irish songwriter and producer piglet’s title-track single release from his upcoming EP for frank forever is a deep and multi-faceted song. The single takes its listeners on a journey as it changes pace, varying from emotive and delicate to loud and heartfelt.

Piglet explains that the track is about “the gradual process of coming to understand that poor living standards, your community being demonised, systemic racism and transphobia, exhausting badly paid jobs (etc. etc. etc.) are not just facts of life, or what you deserve, they are the logical outcomes of white supremacist capitalism. It’s also about how all this can change, how it has to change, how it will change, and how it won't happen on its own. But there won't be one moment, one act of god, or an isolated instance of peaceful collective revelation. Like everything else, it is a process, a process you should be a part of in any way you can.”

The X Collective x Qbanaa x Senita x DeCarteret, ‘Naked’

Co. Clare soul singer DeCarteret, Dublin-based multi-disciplinary artist Senita, and Cuban-Irish singer-songwriter Qbanaa of The X Collective release their sultry new single ‘NAKED’. Soulful, bold and lined with shimmering harmonies, the track is accompanied by a music video which centres love in all its myriad forms.

“The genesis of ‘NAKED’ is at The X Collective writing camp in 2021, a time of reclusivity and reflection,” Senita explains. “I went into the pandemic in my mid twenties and at that point was on the cusp of 30, wanting the world back and wanting to say what I had to say more boldly than I had before.

“The song marks self-evolution and ownership before inviting folks in. At that moment, during that heatwave summer, I wanted to capture the lust and yearning we were all feeling—for each other and the return of normal life. It felt like a big break away from the social anxiety I was having even being in a room with so many people and singing with my whole chest, ‘I wanna see you naked.’ It's a song drenched in barely contained horniness, and the people deserve that.”

Under Starling, ‘The Hunger’

Ahead of their upcoming album Murmurations, Waterford band Under Starling are releasing the hauntingly beautiful single ‘The Hunger’. Inspired by the harrowing stories of the Great Irish Famine, ‘The Hunger’ is a stirring and intricate piece of riotous guitars and powerful vocal performances, showcasing the band's heaviest sound to date.

Dave Nulty, ‘Thinking About You’

Dublin-based producer Dave Nulty puts out his emotive new electronic single ‘Thinking About You’, featuring lush piano chords, silky-smooth vocals and making for a house track that is as soft as it is danceable.

Speaking of the track, Nulty says: “I wrote & produced 'Thinking About You' about the tragic sudden loss of a close loved one. It speaks to anyone who has lost someone unexpectedly in life or love & the aftermath of trying to cope by finding solace in distraction."

Chris Wong, ‘She Needs Time’

A groovy new single of glistening guitar riffs and funk-filled bass lines, Chris Wong’s ‘She Needs Time’ juxtaposes soulful soundscapes with raw emotions of love, loss and the need for space, making for a track that is as richly emotive as it is smooth and sultry.

“‘She Needs Time’ is for anyone who’s been stung playing a waiting game with love,” Wong comments. “It’s a weird one because the instrumental has a grooving and steady energy, yet the song is such a personal snapshot of a heart that was hurting at the time. It was lockdown love and I felt everything that bit more during those Covid times.”

Skinner, ‘Geek Love’

The title track from Skinner’s new EP, ‘Geek Love’ is a head-bopping tune of deft guitar riffs, disco-inspired soundscapes and bouncy rhythmic sections. With a vocal performance sitting at the crossroads between singing and spoken words, Skinner offers an explosive look into his new record, which is “inspired by disco and noise music,” the Dublin-based multi-instrumentalist says.

“Taking all the pleasantries and rhythms associated with 70's disco songs and throwing them in a blender with harsher atonal guitars and lyrics. A lot of the themes in the songs explore embracing individuality and expressing that outwardly without being afraid of what people might think. I wanted to create a new wave of disco music where I could let out that frustration and anger while also being able to dance along to it."

Tayne, ‘In This Trend’

Dublin-born, London-based trio Tayne drop the powerful new single ‘In This Trend’. With dark and heavy synths, unchained bass lines and atmospheric harmonies, the track fuses post-punk inspiration and industrial music to create a moody and energetic club banger.

Vocalist and bassist Matthew Sutton says of the track: “With a post-punk ethos in mind, we wanted this song to feel like every pay off was another massive climb. The chorus is almost an anti chorus, it's angular and grinding.

This song is a nauseating comparison to having an out of body experience watching yourself on a never ending loop, feeling hopeless and sick. So self deprecating and always pushing that self-destruct button.”

Pa Sheehy, ‘Calling Off The Search’

Beautifully introspective and gently heart-wrenching, ‘Calling Off the Search’ is the perfect first step into Pa Sheehy’s new record Maybe It Was All For This (which received a glistening 8/10 from Hot Press). With the singer’s honey-rich vocal performance, the track is a pensive masterpiece, underpinned by glistening violins and soft acoustic guitars.

shiv, ‘defiance’

With her signature smooth, neo-soul vocals, shiv’s new track ‘defiance’ is as raw and aching as it is transporting, offering an enticing look into her upcoming record the defiance of a sadgirl, set for release on October 17. Described by the artist on Instagram has her “fave song from the album”, the track is an absolute dream of atmospheric soundscapes and soft arrangements.

Celaviedmai, 'Cool Ya Temper- Evan Miles remix'

Following the success of her ISSA NEW ERA project earlier this year,  Galway-raised rapper Celaviedmai returns with an exciting series of eclectic club-ready remixes. Kicking off a string of collaborations that include remixes by local legend Arveene and Australia’s rising UKG producer Osmosis Jones, the first release is a remix of 'Cool Ya Temper' by Evan Miles.

The Waterford-based producer has been making waves, quietly building a following with his atmospheric house tracks, which have garnered millions of streams online. This year he’s opened for Armand Van Helden and Model Man, and made his festival debut at Electric Picnic.

Ten Hail Marys, ‘Bruises, Cuts’ feat. Curtisy

Dublin noisemakers Ten Hail Marys team up with Tallaght rapper Curtisy on the hard-hitting new track ‘Bruises, Cuts’. With a moody and heavy rock instrumentation, set against Curtisy’s deft yet pensive bars, the track is a poetic and dark tune that furthers cements the rapper and his style as “a breath of fresh air”, as he described himself in an interview with Hot Press earlier this year.

Sano Hill, ‘Love Stories’ feat. Emily Gray

Cavan-born, Galway-based artist Sano Hill has released a powerful collaboration with British alternative folk musician Emily Gray. ‘Love Stories’ is an upbeat and melodic duet, featuring traditional instruments, such as a bouzouki and a duduk, which add a certain depth to the track.
Sano said: “Working with Emily on Love Stories has been such a fulfilling creative journey. Emily’s voice brings a raw, emotional edge to the track that complements the story perfectly”. He described the track as a “compelling story of love and loss”. The song is a relatable tune with its motifs of regret, love, and redemption.

Pinhole, ‘Oh No’

The sixth track from quirky Cork-based 4 piece Pinhole’s brand-new album Sweet Spot, ‘Oh No’ takes the listener on a roller-coaster with its mystifying nature. The song takes unexpected turns as it ranges from whimsical melodies to an accelerating heavy guitar riff, all intertwined with Kate Bush-esque vocals.

The album release comes following the unique duo’s single ‘Pinhole’ which they released last month. Using their approach to songwriting as a way of addressing topics which challenge the listener’s ear and mind, Pinhole’s music ultimately presents a refreshing sound that covers many genres, with something for everyone.

InBetween Honey, ‘She's Out Of Control’

Showcasing their ever-evolving sound, Dublin-based InBetween Honey’s new single ‘She’s Out Of Control’ is an addictive indie rock tune, all about the exhilarating feeling of locking eyes with someone from across the bar and feeling the desire to impress. The song’s groovy riffs and bassline capture the group’s high-energy spirit, reinforcing emblematic adrenaline rush at the centre of the tune.

Discussing the song, the band said “'She’s Out Of Control' is all about the electric feeling of being drawn to someone on a wild night out, wanting to make an impression. It's high-energy and captures that sense of being caught up in the moment”.

The Fae, ‘Like Your Man’

Dublin indie band The Fae have released their new single ‘Like Your Man’.

The strong bassline compliments the soft, comforting vocals of the tune, with vocals that have almost an Aurora or Grime quality, being high pitched and ethereal, but drums, bass and guitar that have a pop-punk feel. 

The band says there new release has got “ a nice chorus and squelchy guitars.” The release is accompanied by stunning album art by Lauren McGovern that adds to the fairy-like vibe of the track. 

Luke Clerkin, ‘Over Time’

Tallaght singer Songwriter and mental health advocate Luke Clerkin releases his new single ‘Over Time’ on World Mental Health Day. The track has a soft and sentimental feel, with an acoustic guitar riff and overlapping strong, emotional vocals. The song is aimed to help others with their healing, as Clerkin writes on social media “I wrote this song for someone else, but every time that I've sung it lately, it's allowed me to heal and move forward. If it can also encourage someone else that hears it to focus on healing and moving forward at their own pace, then that's success in itself for me.”

Clerkin recently finished recording his debut album Orpheus which is due for release in January 2024. 

 

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Ciarán Moran, ‘How are you man’

Singer-songwriter Ciaran Moran has released the first single 'How are you Man' from his upcoming EP Love in The Gutter. The new release is accompanied by a visualiser music video filmed by David Barry.

'How are you man' is a melodic return to Moran's “most comfortable” style of writing, that voices the lifestyle, accent and authenticity of Dublin City dwellers. Exhibiting a bittersweet vibe, the track boats hopeful lyrics and a grungy guitar riff, while the drums add a gentle rhythm, making for a indie-folk sound -  highlighting the musician's staggering sonic progression.

 

 

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Mucksavage, ‘Dirty Chin’

Mucksavage has released their debut single drawing inspiration from indie artists like the pixies to pop sounding ABBA.

"Dirty Chin," is a reflection of this creative range, written by band member James as a way to process the grief of losing his uncle. The track features gnarly fuzz bass, torn-speaker guitars juxtaposed with delicate acoustic picking, and driven by Albini-esque drums. The band have also come out with a music video for the track.

The track explores things left unsaid when someone passes away. Given the passage of time between the song’s inception and completion, the lyrics take on their own grieving process: "It's been a year, don't feel like nothing's changed." 

 

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Chris McGrath, ‘Be Safe, Be Real’

Cork musician Chris McGrath has released his first single ‘Be Safe, Be Real’ after a long stint as a musician across countries doing cover gigs.  Taking is heavily inspiration from the lieks of Oasis and Nirvana, his latest emo-sounding number comes straight from the '90s inspired, with raw lyrics whic Chris says will “resonate with people that are going through a tough time.”

BICEP & Hammer, ‘CHROMA 007 STEALL’

Bicep today unveiled their brand-new single ‘CHROMA 007 STEALL’, a rousing collaboration with fellow Belfast native Hammer.

The release marks the first time the childhood friends have joined forces since 2015’s Dahlia EP. In keeping with this trend of camaraderie, ‘STEALL’ gets its namesake from a waterfall the trio hiked together on the slopes of Ben Nevis in Scotland. Pummelling and adventurous, ‘CHROMA 007 STEALL’ marks yet another spot-on, banger of a release from Belfast’s BICEP and Hammer.

The Ocelots, ‘About You’

The Ocelots - Ashley and Brandon Watson - continue to build on the folk-rock essence of their debut with their latest single ‘About You’.

The track kicks off the bubbling anticipation for their sophomore follow-up Everything, When Said Slowly, which drops in February 2025.

The indie-rock resplendence of ‘About You’ marks an inspired attempt to resurrect the sensibilities of Kings of Leon’s 2004 album Aha Shake Heartbreak. This anti-love song enlists a stalwart artillery of instruments: from chromatic synths, clashing electric guitars and a high-octane, tightly wound rhythm section.

Biig Piig, ‘Decimal’

Biig Piig’s latest single is an instant club classic.

With its infectious melody, delicate bilingual vocals and bubbly percussion, ‘Decimal’ sees the Cork songsmith channel hyperpop waves and modern dance beats.

Following on from the recently-released ‘4AM’, ‘Decimal’ offers another glimpse into the soundscape of a forthcoming album that puts emotive lyricism to a stellar, yet delicate groove.

Seánie Bermingham, ‘Mission For The Dead’

Gossamer, boreal and beautiful are perhaps the best words to describe Seánie Bermingham’s newest offering.

‘Mission For The Dead’ recalls some of the best indie-folk artists of similar wintry sensibilities: Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago or Fionn Regan’s 100 Acres of Sycamore. The shifting glaciers of memory and emotions emerge between the softly-chimed lines: “I would throw you to the heavens. Go see if you can find your God…You don’t know what it is to know you.”

“[‘Mission For The Dead”] explores the complex interplay of memory, loss, and the quiet, defining moments within a relationship,” Bermingham says. “There’s a sense of searching for meaning, particularly when it seems the other person doesn’t fully understand their own significance or the impact of their absence.”

Polly Barrett, ‘Dark Garden (Darker Version)’

West Cork songsmith Polly Barrett’s latest offering, ‘Dark Garden (Darker Version), is a wonder of gloomy Autumnal folk.

The song enacts a looking-glass effect, unfolding moments where glimpses of a magical otherworld appear. The forlorn vocals and hypnotic rhythm emit a longing for the natural world and a thirst for diving further into the mystic.

With the dark half of the year on the horizon, and Samhain just around the corner, what better way to welcome the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness than the newest tune from Polly Barrett?

Gerr Walsh, ‘The Rest of Love’

Today’s offering from Gerr Walsh continues to tease the delectable new sound of his upcoming album, set for release in 2025.

‘The Rest of Love’ channels a dreamy, seductive soundscape: delicate keys, brushstroke drums and unclouded guitars all coiling around Walsh’s vocals, which evoke the woollen croons of Dave Matthews and David Gray.

The track was recorded at Audioland Studios and features a scintillating ensemble with Max Greenwood on piano, Keith Duffy on bass and Dave Hingerty on drums.

Another White Lie, ‘...in secret, break up’

Another White Lie’s brand-new track, ‘...in secret, break up’, reenacts the dark guitar alt-rock of the early ‘00s.

As the title track from their debut album, out today, ‘...in secret, break up’ comprises a sweeping exploration of themes, from love and joy to depression and everything in between.

With those first chords, the track immediately arrests listeners, buckling them in for the journey across alt-rock vistas, never letting up until the final chord rings out.

Proper Micro NV, ‘Just A Drop’

Proper Micro NV - Rory Hall - is back with a forlorn banger to soundtrack your Autumnal dance playlists.

‘Just a Drop’ marks the last offering from the Limerick electronic artist’s sophomore album Microsaurus, which lands on Wednesday, 16 October.

“‘Just a Drop’ is one of my favourite songs on the new upcoming album,” Hall says. “I started thinking about the universe and our spatial relevance in comparison to the rest of it and I just started writing. I’m always drawn to happy-sad dance records and I think this is my attempt at that style of song. Sad bangers are what I think people call them. So yeah, here’s my sad banger about our spatial relevance in comparison to the rest of the universe.”

 

 

Check out our New Irish Songs To Hear This Week playlist on Spotify below!