Track of the Day: Tebi Rex - 'IMTHEBEST'

"Red flags are flaggin', she knew halfway through her naggin / I'm not one for braggin' but I'm the best," Matt O'Baoill (Matt Ó) declares on Tebi Rex's new alternative hip-hop banger 'IMTHEBEST'.

Max Zanga counters Matt's sleek vocals with his trademark tongue-in-cheek, laidback delivery alongside an addictive guitar riff that threads through the entire single.

“It's a delusional song because we're delusional people. We're artists, that's how we're supposed to be," Matt and Max quipped of their first single of 2023 (and hopefully not their last).

Did Max really say "It's giving Mother" in one of his verses? We'll leave that for you to decide. Our ears are still ringing from the Choice Prize last night so it's hard to tell. The give and take of Matt and Max's verses weave together seamlessly, throwing (possibly false?) confidence and bravado onto the airwaves. Well, if you don't toot your own horn, who the hell else will do it for you?

The independent duo are back on top form, shining a light on the search for self-awareness and escapism. 'IMTHEBEST' revels in the joy and comedy of what it means to be a musician in your twenty-somethings. The pair's romantic ineptitude, lack of artistic success and personal failings are laid bare for their followers.

Tebi Rex remain one of the most exciting Irish bands creating a stir at home and across the pond with their high-energy live performances, witty videos and meme supremacy.

Following the release of their genre-expanding 2021 album It’s Gonna Be Okay, Tebi Rex return to the fold with their first single of 2023, drawing from their experiences of touring the UK and Europe as well their journeys as solo artists over the past year.

This latest incarnation of their sound finds them adding indie, naughties dance and hip-hop rap influences to their well-travelled hip-hop roots. You can hear the impact of 2000s guitar noise in their newer tunes, in all their emo glory.