New Irish Songs to Hear This Week

Gurriers ‘Dipping Out’

Dublin’s noisiest proponents of Gur cake have landed their debut album Come and See today.

On ‘Dipping Out’, guitars recurrently ring and drone like bastardised church bells, with the lush wall of distorted sound rounded off by a pulsating rhythm section. Dan Hoff holds no punches on the lyrical front, casting a scathing eye of Ireland’s warm weather seeking, sweatshop-clad youth.

“The album is a noisy, guitar driven odyssey of our disillusionment with the modern world,” said the band upon the initial announcement of the LP, which they’ll be brining to stages across Ireland and beyond on tour this November.

ROE

Derry alt-pop songwriter ROE vents their frustration on a failing, communicatively-sparse friendship on ‘Caravan’. It’s Julia Jacklin-like in its candour, as well as the excellently produced, guitar-driven instrumentation, which culminates in a chorus tailor-made to have listeners turn the volume dial to eleven.

The release is the third in what’s starting to shape up as a busy year for the musician, who also had the honour of featuring alongside the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Arlo Parks on the soundtrack to the Dakota Johnson starring Comedy drama Am I Ok?

 

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Kynsy, ‘Body’

There’s a smidge of early ‘00s pop-punk in the wailing guitars which welcome your ears to prolific Dublin rocker Kynsy’s new banger ‘Body’. The chorus is headbang-inducing, as she dissects her journey – and subsequently empowering exit -  from a shitty situation.

“This one is an embodiment of feeling trapped in a life when things just are not working for you anymore, and finally finding the courage to get out of that situation that does not serve you,” Kynsy wrote on Instagram.

The tune, following on from July’s ‘Stereo Games’,  is the second single to be shared from the singer’s forthcoming Utopia EP, out October 27.

 

Snow Patrol, ‘Everything’s Here And Nothing’s Lost’

It’s studio album number eight for Gary Lightbody and co., with the veteran outfit showing they’ve still got the chops to produce radio-destined anthems on The Forest Is The Path. Described by the band as “the biggest sounding record we’ve ever made,” ‘Everything’s Here And Nothing’s Lost’ is case and point – drawing on ‘80s  rock via its atmospheric keys and big, glam-adjacent guitars.

“It’s well documented that Snow Patrol have earned a PhD in doing things the hard way,” said our expert on all things good sounding and Northern Edwin McFee in his review of the album.  “And while they’re besties with elbow grease and no strangers to the occasional calamity, I think even the band’s leader Gary Lightbody would agree that when it came to crafting their eighth album, The Forest Is The Path, they out-did themselves in the seemingly insurmountable odds department.”

 

J Ryan, ‘Not Ready Yet’

Dublin-based singer-songwriter Jon Ryan discusses his reluctance to accept unrequited love over an irresistibly groovy, Santana-evoking Latin groove on ‘Not Ready’, which follows up from last month’s well-received summer single ‘Afternoon Love’.

‘’I’ve found some really interesting and talented musicians and session players that made things feel rite,” comments Ryan. “I felt these guys were on the same page as I, regarding my music, its direction, feel, Vibe etc. The song is about, being into someone when they are not into you, everyone else can see it, but you are not ready yet to give up on things.”

 

One Horse Pony, ‘Lucky 13’

With a sound pipelined straight from the Deep South, ‘Cork’s premiere roots band’ One Horse Pony arrive with a stankin’, bluesy number -  a gloriously rollicking track “about seizing life’s chances and celebrating the Lucky 13.”

Whilst their evident Americana-infused tones would make one think the outfit are more suited to the Cajun swamplands of Louisiana, One Horse Pony have found much success in the (slightly) drier pastures of their home nation, gracing stages at Electric Picnic, Kilkenny Roots Festival and Cork Jazz  - where they’ll be appearing once more when the Rebel City’s showpiece musical event returns next month.

Curtisy, ‘Tree Sap -Remix’d’

Charismatic Tallaght rapper Curtisy offers up a taste of the expectant, deluxe version of his debut album WHAT WAS THE QUESTION ON (out October 25) on'Tree Sa p' Remix’d'.

Producer Hikii makes the already ornate, lo-fi beat his own, with the drums reminiscent of early ‘90s R&B tunes. The tune also features a new verse from Curtisy, as fresh-as-fuck contributions from a strong Dublin contingent, including the likes of Flynn Johnson, Graham and Wallfella.

Almera, ‘Weapons’

Dublin-based newcomers Almera channel ‘00s indie rock royalty in the form of The Strokes and Libertines on their affably sleazy debut single ‘Weapons’. Wailing lead guitar and garage rock drums are the order of the day, with youthful lyrics detailing the ins and outs of a “messy situationship”.

“The song was originally penned when Brian was 18, however, in today’s world where love is a disposable dating app profile swipe away, it feels even more poignant,” reads a statement from the band. “Technology brings us together, but drives divides between us.”

 

Broncos, ‘Erode’

Fans of late ‘90s/early ‘00s radio-dominating alt-rock will have their ears pricked by Belfast outfit Broncos’ debut track, which opens with chimed chords before the band join in with a pummelling, statement-making groove.

Lyrically, songwriter Shane reflects on a “cascading set of challenges he had to face, and the realisation that despite this, life doesn’t care how you feel and marches on regardless.”

"Having come out the other side, it served as a reminder that these are only transient situations, there is always light is at the end of the tunnel," a statement from the band read.

 

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Pa Sheehy, ‘Under The Orange Sky’

Former Walking on Cars man Pa Sheehy offers another, poetic, ornate taster from his debut album Maybe It Was All for This, out October 11. The tune combines his well-trained knack for creating massive, singalong choruses with lyrics which exhibited the more personal slant evident in the songwriter's solo material.

“My older stuff was more metaphorical, but now I focus on detailed storytelling,” Sheehy told Hot Press ahead of the LP’s new release. “I’ve been inspired by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, whose storytelling I admire, so I’ve become more detailed in my own narratives.”

Fiach Moriarty, ‘I’m For Gallipoli’ feat. Damien Dempsey

‘I’m For Gallipoli’, featuring the sonic power of Damien Dempsey, is the latest taster from Fiach Moriarty’s upcoming album Liberties, out 18 October.

The acoustically strummed soundscape blends in perfectly with the impassioned vocal performance from the Dublin singer and Dempsey. Bubbling beneath, the lyrics tell a personal story about a relative’s doomed journey to Turkey.

According to Moriarty, “This song is a conversation between my Great-Grandfather Paddy Kavanagh and his brother Jack as Jack prepares for a journey to Gallipoli in a Dublin Fusiliers uniform. He never came home.”

John Spillane, ‘The Lady of the Lake’ feat. Aisling Urwin

The world of John Spillane’s Fíoruisce: The Legend of the Lough unfurls itself in full today. The three-act bilingual folk opera is an imagined re-Gaelicisation of the Victorian Cork fairytale Fior-usga collected by Thomas Crofton Croker in the 1800s and published in his book Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1828).

The penultimate song, ‘The Lady of the Lake’ feat. Aisling Urwin, is an enchanting tune of surreal soundscapes and crystallised lyricism. A hushed vocal backing and Celtic Harp loop flow beneath Urwin’s gleaming, incandescent vocals. It’s a radiant, gossamer segment of the reimagined Fior-usga saga.

Underachiever, ‘JACKET’

Underachiever - aka Tony McLoughlin of the Junior Brother band, and former member of The Young Folk - returns with a rousing new single.

‘JACKET’ is a thrill-pushing, alt-rock auricular dousing of belt-worthy hooks (“IT’S ONLY A FUCKING JACKET!) and tricked-out riffage. Produced by Chris Barry (The Mary Wallopers, Maija Sofia, Jinx Lennon), the song unleashes “a tale of theft and heroism and the views of the working man”, according to Underachiever.

Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies, 'Keep On Raving In The First World'

The lead single from Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies’ upcoming album is head-spinning banger.

‘Keep On Raving In The First World’ is as infectious a song as it is important, ventilating themes of raving, drugs, adventure and the privilege of indulgence. It’s a pummelling tune which an endless stream of bitingly indelible lines: “The world is fucked and bombed. No god is gonna wave a magic wand, no ones gonna save us now. You're white and you're privileged. You're high and you're ignorant. Throw away your inhibitions, they're what's keeping you down.”

The track was produced by Chris Quigley, and features Dan Walsh (Fixity, The Bonk, Junior Brother) on saxophone, and Andreea Mocanu (PowPig, Small Church) on backing vocals.

Bullpen, ‘Soap’

Emerging female rock duo Bullpen (formerly of The Malefactors) cement themselves as one’s to watch out for with their new single. By turns angsty and emotive, ‘Soap’ is a rock belter that airs the experience of feeling out of control, vulnerable and misunderstood in a relationship.

The hook particularly expresses this sentiment with wits-end fervour: “Wash my mouth out with a bar of soap, that’ll show me / Not to say ‘I love you’, when you don’t even know me.”

“The song captures a unique strain of feminine angst - a combination of wanting to be calm, beautiful and in control while feeling the absolute opposite,” the Dublin rockers say.

$ONA BLU€ and GaviBabyyy, ‘PIOUS’

Dublin-based, Sri Lankan independent artist $ONA BLU€ teams up with rapper GaviBabyyy on this infectious offering of alt-R&B and hip hop.

‘PIOUS’ balances a deftly plucked groove and head-nodding rhythm against cutting vocal contrasts that make for an indelible tune. GaviBabyyy’s rapid-fire flow seamlessly entwine $ONA’s polished, soulful melodies, while her distinct delivery introduces an authentic edge to the soundscape.

Julie Dawson, ‘Close The Door’

NewDad’s Julie Dawson today releases her highly-anticipated debut solo album Bottom of the Pool. Track 2, ‘Close the Door’, is the perfect introduction to Dawson’s new sound, marking a departure from NewDad’s shoegaze sensibilities.

The late-night club banger maintains the lingering darkness of the band’s album Madra but breaks new ground with an electronic soundscape, pedalled by Jack Hamill’s production. Dawson’s chameleon ability to enmesh her infectiously dour vocals with the synthesisers and modulators swirling around her. By turns taster from David Lynch soundtrack and lo-fi club tune, ‘Close the Door’ marks a new chapter for Julie Dawson, who has proven her enduring talent in spades.

Natalie Moran, ‘Walk On By’

Emerging Dublin-based pop singer Natalie Moran’s latest single is a vibrant pop offering about empowerment and agency. Capturing the emotional journey of realising when to let go of the uncontrollable, ‘Walk On By’ channels soul-bearing tones, orchestral surges and a hard-hitting chorus to highlight the feeling of moving forward.

“Creating this song was a really empowering experience. I find there is so much strength in holding our heads high and walking past a situation that is over,” Moran says. “It was enthralling working on the balance of sound and lyricism to capture those emotions and create a foundation for a sing-along feel and groove to this piece”.

Mary Coughlan, ‘What If I Do’

Beloved Irish singer Mary Coughlan returns with a new taster from her forthcoming album. ‘What I Do’ is a wonderfully stripped-back torch song that captures Coughlan’s trademark emotional honesty with a wry smile.

Crafted by the Galway siren’s powerful-as-ever vocals, ‘What I Do’ cunningly showcases the enduring, raw talent of Mary Coughlan - an artist who has well-earned her place among Ireland’s formidable well of the world’s most unforgettable female voices.

David C Clements, ‘Little Outsider’

Following up a horde of highly-praised releases earlier this year. Singer-songwriter David C Clements maintains the support for his forthcoming album The Garden with his blissful new single ‘Little Outsider’.

Co-written alongside Snow Patrol’s Iain Archer, the track continues the warm incandescence of the aesthetic he’s crafted for the upcoming record. Teeming with enriched, heart-rending textures that deftly complement the singer’s unbridled vocal take, Clements finds himself proffering one of his most passionate songs to date.

Speaking about the subject matter, the Northern Irish indie-rocker said he and Archer wrote ‘Little Outsider’ to channel the joys and madness of having kids, with Clements and his wife recently welcoming a son. The track also highlights “how disorientating it can be, how at times you’re constantly trying to find your footing, but also how there’s so much happiness to be found in all of those moments”.

Roy Montgomery & Elaine Malone, ‘Electric Turbulence’

Iconic New Zealand guitarist Roy Montgomery has teamed up with Cork singer-songwriter Elaine Malone to release ‘Electric Turbulence’, a one-of-a-kind psychedelic track of atmospheric synths and guitars, slurry percussion and reverbed glistening vocal lines. Gradually building up in tension over the course of its six-minutes, thanks to the slow addition of instruments and vocal tracks, the song has an unmistakable dream-like quality that is perfectly nurtured by the softness of Malone’s performance.

Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets, ‘shadows’

Hailing from their upcoming album the story after they’re gone, ‘shadows’ is the latest sizzling offering from Limerick indie-rock outfit Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets. An upbeat, intense and in your face blend of indie-rock and post-punk, the track is filled with stirring electric guitars and pulsing bass lines, making for an emotional yet scalding offering.

“This track was written while I was reflecting on a dark period of my life,” Flynn explains. ‘“It almost acted as a cathartic process that allowed me to put repressed feelings to bed. It’s a much more aggressive and visceral song then I would usually write, but it was an honest reaction to the emotions I was dealing with.”

Skinner, ‘Tell My Ma’

Dublin-based multi-instrumentalist Aaron Corcoran, aka Skinner, has released his blistering new single ‘Tell My Ma’, ahead of his upcoming EP Greek Love. Short, hard-hitting and highly distinctive, the track is made up of riotous electric guitars, ferocious percussions and wild, punky vocals, making up for a head-bang inducing tune.

Speaking about 'Tell My Ma', Skinner says, "I wrote this as a spin off to the old Irish folk song for children "I'll Tell My Ma". I remember my Mam used to sing it to me when I was a child and it's always stuck with me as a kind of comfort song. I think as you get older it's funny how things you think are innocent as a child take on a more sinister meaning when you read into them as an adult.

“Lyrically I think the original folk song hasn't particularly aged too well in terms of relevance to gender equality or what is now deemed as acceptable in society so I wanted to take the lyrics and recycle them by screaming and shouting them in anger and protest instead of the jovial way the song is usually sung."

Tayne, ‘Down’

Industrial pop trio Tayne have put out their new offing ‘Down’, an atmospheric and anarchic electronic tune exploring the themes of love as conflict. With heavy, unchained bass riffs and ethereal vocal lines, the song is an explosion of emotion and controlled chaos, dense without being overbearing.

Vocalist Matthew Sutton says of ‘Down’: “We wanted to take Tayne into a new territory that felt modern and give it more pop sensibilities.

“‘Our lust for hurt is love’s metaphor’—desires of love and acceptance destroyed by intimidation, make us fake, afraid, lie and cause pain.”

Longstryde, ‘Wishing Well’

Emerging Irish alternative band Longstryde’s second single ‘Wishing Well’ is a captivating rock tune, described as an “anthem for imposter syndrome and unaffected imperfection.” With its wildly spirited vocal performance and masterful guitar solos, the track’s anthemic chorus offers a climax that is both heart-wrenching and incredibly cathartic.

Speaking of the inspiration behind ‘Wishing Well’, guitarist Richie explains: “I’ve always had a guileless capability to be misled and most attempts to realign myself have been spoiled by apprehension and negligence. A tendency to back myself into a corner to fight my way out, only to recoil before I take the gold. I’ve been thriving off my own repetitive cycles since I was young and uninitiated, so I know what it means to lack good judgement and to be stung by the more heartless among us. ‘I’m outweighed by the same old demon’.”

Cormac Looby, ‘Losing You’

Co. Tipperary singer-songwriter Cormac Looby releases ‘Losing You’ ahead of his debut album A Perpetual State of Irony. With authentic, deeply honest lyricism and a stirring blend of guitar riffs, the track explores the theme of the fear that surrounds potentially letting certain people go from your life, captures the difficult realisation that, one day, moving away might mean saying goodbye for good.

Lullahush, ‘An Todhchaí’

Hailing from Lullahush’s eponymous EP, out today, ‘An Todhchaí’ (The Future) is a cinematic electronic track of fast paced beats and sampled vocal lines, showcasing Lullahush’s signature blend of traditional Irish music and atmospheric electronica. Both dance inducing and emotional, the song’s use of percussions and sped-up voices makes for an utterly original, groundbreaking project.

Gemma Bradley, ‘Comes and Goes’

Gemma Bradley is back with her new single ‘Come & Go’, an energetic single layering honest lyricism, enchanting harmonies and enchanting electric guitar lines. Both sugary-sweet fun and deliciously emotional, the track is about falling into the ongoing and repetitive cycle of the modern dating world - no matter what you do it always seems to end the same.

Stephanie Rainey, ‘Snakes & Ladders’

A gentle pop ballad of emotional piano, soft acoustic guitars and a stirring vocal performance, Stephanie Rainey’s new track ‘Snakes & Ladders’ is a powerful anthem about keeping hope even in the darkest times. After a tender, passionate build up, the track reaches its climax in its bridge, exploding in poignant harmonies and compelling electric guitars.

John Dog, ‘Twitter Must Die’

Distinctive Irish singer/songwriter John Dog has released his latest album, Always in Trouble, as well as the debut of a brand-new music video for the focus track ‘Twitter Must Die,’ a witty single commenting on “everyone’s least favourite social media platforms.” With the musician’s unique blend of humour, infectious melodies and pointed lyrics, the track is both sharp and playful, making the the perfect lead single to showcase Dog’s songwriting abilities.

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