LISTEN: The A&R Department Playlist – featuring KAÉ, Blackbird & Crow, Anamoe Drive, Hare Squead and more

Trust It Entertainment, a talent centre for Irish urban music, officially launched their online channel in late January, with the release of Dublin singer-songwriter's KAÉ's new video for 'No Love':

Also on Trust It Entertainment's roster is Offica – who's been enjoying viral success with his 'Naruto Drillings' remix, featuring one of the UK's most popular YouTubers, KSI:

Trust It also released their first compilation mixtape earlier this year – showcasing the phenomenal talent on offer right across their roster, including BoyW1DR, Evans Junior, Ojo the Kidd and more:

https://open.spotify.com/album/7txquPRF1p80PBcYoL8vNU?template_name=notify_playlist_update&username=computadora1&play=1&autoplay=1&playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fuser%2F94hanann%2Fplaylist%2F5dgkXeoCCSvnCqwo8tIcrp

Meanwhile, tireless rock 'n' roll activist Hazel Lake has picked up Irish artist Jess Young, whose single 'Champagne & Caviar' is out on Valentine's Day, as well as Mutant Vinyl, aka Londoner Edwin Pope – who's been bigged up by both Tom Robinson and Paul McCartney. Ahead of his new single, 'Faux Rodeo', out tomorrow, take a listen to Mutant Vinyl's 2019 debut, Daffodils in Angell Town:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0MV3vEE2pL42PUuZxqv7ta

There's also a hip-hop revolution underway in the Sunny South-East – with independent Waterford collective Anomaly leading the charge. Following its premiere on hotpress.com last year, 'Let Loose', a track by Anomaly members Pat Lagoon and Evan Miles, has hit the 100,000 streams landmark on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4HoYgrA5lPVA1A9XocsrZK

Thumper frontman Oisín Leahy Furlong takes an unexpected turn away from the Dublin-based band's post-melodic, sonic wall of death approach, with new solo project, Anamoe Drive:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0Um8syqeQMNcFvcnTHwqR0

Letterkenny blues-folk duo Blackbird & Crow have been garnering plenty of attention overseas, with their new album Ailm rising rapidly through the European charts:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0G29hcGnK6YnoIj9mNOrkU

Spotify's New Music Friday US & UK playlists, which have a combined following of over 420 million, were graced last week by Hare Squead's new single 'Minor Gangster (Gully)' – inspired by their 2019 encounter with then Tory leadership hopeful Rory Stewart:

https://open.spotify.com/album/7lIWez5D2GtETJ1jPxIMKN

KNEECAP, tipped as one of our Hot Press 'Hot For 2020' acts, are fast becoming one of Ireland's most thrilling musical exports – and now they're carrying that momentum Stateside, joining the Dropkick Murphys' hugely popular St. Patrick's Day Boston Blowout festival, with an appearance at the iconic House Of Blues on March 16:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4C2qfBMt6zCm2Pjnr6glKZ

Fresh from sharing the stage with longtime friend and collaborator David Keenan at his sold-out Olympia Theatre gig, Lemoncello are set to rise to exciting new heights of their own in 2020 – with the release of their highly anticipated second EP, Oil & Water, on March 20, followed by a live launch at Lost Lane, Dublin (March 27). Revisit their 2018 EP, Stuck Upon The Staircase, below:

https://open.spotify.com/album/3SknizcvsZC6Xmawn3WUL8

Dublin three-piece Stolen City have hit the ground running this year – premiering the video for their new single 'The Tower' on hotpress.com:

Elsewhere in the A&R Department, we catch up with Soft Boy Records artist Gaptoof, ahead of the release of his Looks Like Rain EP:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0HOYJI73lj3260J3aHSRuK

We also talk to Karla Chubb of our 'Hot For 2020' act SPRINTS:

Read the full A&R Department feature in the new issue of Hot Press, out now: