New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

James Vincent McMorrow, ‘Things we tell ourselves’

Delicate old-timey-sounding piano and a faraway math rock guitars open the door to James Vincent McMorrow’s new single ‘Things we tell ourselves’, a song which sees the singer send out an impatient call his lover to return. The tune is the latest to be released in the lead up to his seventh studio opus Wide Open, Horses, out June 14.

“This is a big one for me, playing it on guitar it’s this incredibly simple thing I used to sing to myself at a time when I definitely needed its help,” said McMorrow, discussing the track on Instagram. “The finished version goes on a journey that took a long time to figure out.”

The Irish indie prince is also set to play a very special Hot Press Presents: Windmill Live show on June 13, the eve of his highly anticipated album release. For more information on how you can apply for complimentary tickets, click here.

ROOUE, ‘Serendipity’

Alt-pop twins Ro and Lulu have dropped their highly anticipated debut EP Juxtaposition, which sees the duo pay homage to their colourful musical influences while exploring past relationships, friend breakups, and sexual empowerment through their contrasting personalities.

The pair’s rich harmonies run right through ‘Serendipity’, which builds to a bright electro pop zenith. “‘Serendipity’ is about the connection we both have and how lucky we feel to have music to share with each other,” Rooue explained. “The song is recorded to show this, as there isn't a moment in it that either of us sings alone. We have overdubbed and tracked on top of each other to showcase our vocal similarities and differences.”

Miranda Faul, ‘24’

An emotional offering from the indie singer songwriter Miranda Faul, ‘24’ is a heartfelt keys track. The song opens with a pared back piano line and features layers of Faul’s unique and hypnotic vocals. The single is her third release of 2024, after ‘Not Much of a Man’ and ‘Delicate’ both of which demonstrated the artists’ ability to traverse genres. Speaking on ‘24’, Faul said: “If I write a sad folk song that I love one day, and an upbeat r&b track the next, they both belong in my discography, they’re both me. I don’t want to stay in one genre, I want to have fun with my music and experiment”.

IMLÉ x James Shannon x Róisín Seoighe, ‘Sláinte’

Longtime collaborators IMLÉ and Róisín Seoighe are joined  for the first time by James Shannon in this slick bilingual Irish/English pop song. Featuring a groovy guitar line, ‘Sláinte’ delivers unaffected vocals inter spliced with a searing verse by Shannon. Part of the greater Irish language renaissance, ‘Sláinte’ is potential song of the summer for any gaeilgeoirí and gael wannabes. 

 

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Daniel Cohen ‘It’s You!’

With a funky bassline and feel good keys, 'It's You!" is a Flaming Lip-esque infectious track from Galway singer songwriter Daniel Cohen. Backed by a strong groove and Cohen's deep vocal line, the contrast of the bubblegum pop-y harmonies makes for a vivacious and upbeat listen. The single was written by the songwriter shortly after his wedding last year. As a result, ‘It’s You!’ is a swooning single, about the joys of not being single. 

Tridence, ‘Pretty Imperfections’

Dublin based rock band Tridence have released a single for all those who are crushing hard right now in the form of ‘Pretty Imperfections’. Opening the track with a midwest emo-esque intro, the song develops into a huge swooning course in the form of ‘I’m so in love with all your pretty imperfections’. The chorus feels like an arena filling pop track, about the adrenaline inducing rush of being young and in love. 

Lankum, ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’

Infusing the well known ballad with their own peculiar sense of doom folk, Lankum’s ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’ is dark and sinister. An ominous take on the well known track, Lankum manage to bring something completely original in this live version, recorded in Dublin. The Ivor Novello album prize nominees layer their hypnotic vocals over an omnipresent drone, lending an appropriately dark tone to the normally upbeat track.  The song was recorded across three sold out nights at Dublin’s Vicar Street, following the release the group’s critically lauded fourth studio album False Lankum, Live in Dublin

Telebox, 'House On Fire'

Hailing from the West of Ireland, four piece indie rock group Telebox's new single 'House On Fire’ is creatively brimming with out of the box guitar chords and  classic indie vocals.

The four friends met in school and perform together regularly winning contests like the Galway and UCC/UL Battle of the Bands. The group released their debut EP What Is The Point in the summer of 2023 and they plan to release their second EP, When Night Turns Into Day this July. Once the EP is out, Telebox plans to tour again around Ireland and the UK.

Nova Dream, 'Running Out Of Time'

Dublin based trio Nova Dream consists of Josh Bartschi, Gabriel Rizzo and Danny Maguire. ‘Running Out Of Time’ is an alt-rock banger filled with grunge-like melodies and a stellar, buzzing guitar solo that will have you paying a visit to the orthopedist from all the head-banging

When talking about the lyrical themes on the track, the band says, “In some sense, this song it’s the most personal song we’ve written so far. And because of that, we wanted to play a little bit more with the song and take it to a new direction, reflecting the changes of the band itself.’’

KhakiKid, ‘Suckin’ Diesel’ ft. Joe Butler

The latest track from Dublin rapper KhakiKid is the first taster of exciting new music for 2024.

‘Suckin’ Diesel’ sees Khaki (Abdu Huss) enlist the full-bodied vocals of Kildare artist Joe Butler and production skills from UK polymath Mac Wetha (Amine, Beabadoobee). Leaning into the mellow hip hop that characterised Khaki’s debut EP sand bebé and helped build his fast growing following.

“I originally wrote the hook and sang it myself,” says KhakiKid, aka Abdu Huss. “I asked Joe Butler, one of my favourite artists in Ireland atm, to sing melodies on top of my vocals. After hearing him sing it, it just made so much sense and properly captured the feeling I wanted to get across, so I scrapped my vocals.”

Maria Kelly, 'Drive'

Beloved indie folk artist Maria Kelly is back with ‘Drive’, her first single since releasing her debut album The Sum of the In-Between in 2021.

‘Drive’ is about longing for closure, and grappling with the reality that it may never come. It’s a rose-tinted story of hypotheticals and ‘what-ifs’, fuelled by the desire for forgiveness, and the need for permission to finally move on.

“I wrote ‘Drive’ as a sort of comforting daydream as I looked back on my past relationships. I’ve always struggled with the fact that people who once meant so much to you can suddenly become a stranger again,” says Maria. “‘Drive’ is a yearning to go find them now, explain, and have them ease the guilt - and an attempt at accepting that it won’t ever happen.”

KLDD, 'Jaded'

The latest from emerging Irish indie rockers KLDD offers a bitingly honest take on love. With undaunted songwriting and soaring melodies, ‘Jaded’ takes a long, hard look at how unstable relationships can turn sour.

“The lyrics are about how ruthless and complex relationships can get, how you don't think a relationship can turn on its head and take a turn for the worse when you first get in it,” the band states.

Over thumping basslines and eclectic riffs, the band explore love’s downfall in a search for answers. The propulsive sound offers a sort of sonic catharsis by way of hammering rhythm sections that offer a rousing soundtrack to heartbreak.

Ryan Ennis feat. Samantha Harper, ‘Spare A Little’.

Dublin producer Ryan Ennis shares his second single since resigning to Universal earlier this year ‘Spare A Little’. It’s a little darker than what we’re used to from the DJ, but remains bouncy as ever, with the dramatic piano chords descending into a drop with a deep house feel, echoing the vocal’s sentiment of uncertainty in love.

Wallfella feat. Flynn Johnson, ‘No Chords’

After generating a buzz from last month’s trip-hop number ‘MULA’, Dubliners Wallfella and Flynn Johnson join forces once more on the much more introspective ‘No Chords’. Detailing issues like self-doubt and internal struggles, the track sees Walfella lean into R&B, with layered harmonies embellishing his musings on listlessness.

The single is said to be a fitting taster for his upcoming EP, which, according to his label Golden Eire Records,  promises an “eclectic blend of Electronic, R&B, Funk, and Hip-Hop elements."

 

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Vera, 'No Help From You'

Northern Irish rockers Vera return with ‘No Help From You,’ a dizzying dose of rip-roaring guitar and no-holds-barred vocals from frontwoman Sarah Toner.

Filled with style, drama and a healthy dose of sarcasm, Sarah’s lyrics present a refreshingly cynical version of being a hopeless romantic. The grandiosity and melodrama of heartbreak is channelled through a freight train of distorted electronics and frenetic melodies.

"’No Help From You’ is the letting go and moving on from someone. It’s the celebration of self validation and taking back control,” Vera says. “It’s a middle finger up at anyone that’s ever hurt you. The song is about the end of grieving a failed relationship, about the moment where you see your growth and worth on your own… you never needed them anyway!"

Mr Pink, 'Love Hate Heartbreak'

Belfast rockers Mr Pink return with the loose-jointed new offering that blends Peter Gabriel and Faith No More. ‘Love Hate Heartbreak’ starts off with frenetic kick and snare work, before bass and guitar come into view and begin to tease the funk out of the track.

Despite the up-tempo BPM of the number, there’s an inherent tension to the music which is then given voice by the deft lyricism, initially improvised as the band ran through the track and built from the feeling the track evoked. Pseudo-disco takes listeners across new landscapes for the second half, carried home by a flurry of lead guitar and pounding drums before the pummelling refrain of ‘love hate heartbreak.’

Raining in December, 'Restart'

Forming in early 2023, Raining in December have finally unleashed their debut single, ‘Restart.’

Raining in December’s latest offering provides uptempo riffs and emotional moments that bring out their bold musical direction. It takes influence from post-hardcore, shoegaze and metal music with emo sensibilities.

Inspired by Japanese rock and pop with influences from metals like Bring Me The Horizon and Loathe, ‘Restart’ is a wild and raucous debut from one of Irish metal’s most exciting insurgents.

Paul Chaney, 'Drive'

Following a string of single releases in 2023, Dublin singer Paul Chaney has unveiled his latest offering, ‘Drive’. The moody synth pop track deals with the themes of dark love, strength in adversity, self-respect and the courage to embrace change and move forward in life, throwing the listener into a cinematic neo-noir setting from its first synthesiser note.

Speaking of ‘Drive’, Chaney said: “A crazy amount of work went into this and there was a point I thought it would not work. It was originally much slower, had no vocals and no story but I always knew there was something there. So I persevered and got the proverbial hammer and blowtorch out and it came good eventually.”

Freddy Black, ‘Cloak and Dagger’

Following closely from his recent single, ‘Drainpipe Diamond’, Freddy Black is back with the misty ‘Cloak and Dagger’. Accompanied by a seductive and sultry electric guitar line, Black’s deep, spoken vocals seemingly depict the powerlessness faced by the song’s protagonist at the hands of a someone who views him as disposable. The track hints at the themes of religious trauma, and the centuries of institutionalised abuse sanctioned by the Catholic Church in Ireland and its doctrine on sexuality.

Dave Nulty, ‘Circuits’

Irish producer Dave Nulty is back with his new single ‘Circuit’. Following a string of well received releases, this dreamy house electronica track features a melodic progression with well-crafted, call and response chords. Also boasting a moody bassline and whimsical percussion, the song is the perfect companion to those long summer night drives along endless roads.

Ro Yourell, ‘Weightless’

Ro Yourell –– known to many as a member of the 00s Irish indie-rock band Delorentos –– has shared his debut solo project, Commencer, featuring album-standout 'Weightless’. An intimate, high-flying ballad that provides the perfect finale for an album of melancholic longing and self-discovery. 

"Commencer is a coming-of-age album,” Yourell said of the new record. “It’s a reflection on the development of a person, through the prisms of family, religion and the myriad of other systems that we put in place, designed to enhance our lives, but which can become an end in themselves. It is a journey towards acceptance, but more than that, it is a challenge to myself and anyone who cares to listen, to recognise and cherish that which is truly precious."

Mary Coughlan, ‘More Like Brigid’

Renowned jazz musician and vocalist Mary Coughlan is back and better than ever with the fierce new single ‘More Like Brigid’. A sisterly homage to the Goddess of Imbolc, ‘More Like Brigid’ showcases Coughlan’s smoke-seared vocals and sardonic wit as she dishes out an unapologetic critique on modern gender roles and the female narrative. 

“Brigid was fierce and courageous and always went against the norm,” Coughlan explained. “She had a monastery and it was for men and women! I have been called ‘hysterical’ and ‘hormonal’ over the years by various industry figures for being so indignant as to ask to be paid for my work, things like that… So, needless to say, my homage to Brigid has given me a chance to air some of those frustrations that are so often experienced by women.” 

JC Stewart, ‘Hey Babe, I'm A Mess, I'm Sorry’

Northern Irish singer-songwriter John Callum “JC” Stweart is back with another soul-bearing melody, entitled ‘Hey Babe, I’m A Mess, I’m Sorry’. True to its namesake, the new track is a grand apology, diving into the dark themes of emotional turmoil and regret.  

“‘Hey Babe, I'm A Mess, I'm Sorry’ is a song I wrote when I was at my lowest ebb two years ago,” Stewart explained. “It’s about a numbness that came over me when it felt like my world was falling apart. It wasn’t written for anything other than the sake of writing, but it’s ended up being the blueprint for how I've worked on this new music for the past couple of years. I’m super excited to have it out in the world, and although it's pretty different from what I've released previously, I hope people hear it as a song from an artist now free to do what I was meant to do in the first place.”

Dylon Jack, ‘Obvious’

After a brief hiatus, indie pop artist Dylon Jack is back with his brand new single ‘Obvious’. Inspired by his experience watching acts like Fred again., Overmono and Jamie xx at last year’s Electric Picnic, Jack teamed up with producer Adam Redmond to craft a new summer banger just in time for festival season. 

“Seeing those acts made me feel alive in a way I never had felt before,” Jack explained. “I just knew there and then I wanted to create and release something that could hopefully make people feel the same way I did that weekend.”

Sorcha Richardson and Morgana, ‘Naked and Swimming’

Dubliner Sorcha Richardson is back with her latest tear-jerker 'Naked and Swimming', made in collaboration with Belfast-native Morgana. With heart-on-sleeve lyrics and angelic harmonies, the song dives into the emotional nuances of lost love.

“We wrote this song between Belfast, Dublin, Kerry and (for Morgana) on trains across Europe while on tour earlier this year,” Richardson wrote in a recent Instagram post. “Some voice notes back and forth and then a couple days in Dublin to bring it all together. Morgana has long been one of my favourite songwriters on the planet…I loved working on this together. I’ve loved performing this together. I can’t wait to sing it many more times for the rest of our lives”

 

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Robert Grace, 'SOS'

Pulled from Robert Grace’s new album Happy Sad Songs, ‘SOS’ is a short, soothing pop track accompanied by a grooby rhythm section. The lively instrumentation juxtaposes with the lyrics, which detail isolation stemming from difficult times - a contrast which fits nicely with the album's title.

“To the ensemble of talented individuals whose passion and expertise have been etched into every track, your harmonies resonate beyond the grooves of this album," said Grace on Instagram. "And to you, the listener, for allowing our music to be a part of your world, we are eternally grateful."

Check our new Irish Songs playlist on Spotify below!