New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

David Keenan, ‘Amelioration’

Prolific Dundalk Muso David Keenan provides a taste of his upcoming album Modern Mythologies with ‘Ameloration’, a cool, tight track that swells with the lyrical richness we’ve come to expect from the songwriter.

Sonically, the fat bass, lo-fi keys, neat guitar work and tasteful horns exudes some soul influence a lá greats like Bill Withers and George McCrae, as the chorus explodes into a desire for relief.

“It sheds light on the difficulties of living or sharing space with another person,” Keenan says of the track. “It touches on the realities of drug and alcohol use and the mental side effects on a morning after where everything feels jarring and heightened.”

Mob Wife, ‘Echo Chamber’

Belfast noisemakers Mob Wife draw on influences from the American underground on their new EP ROT, which sees the band “cast their eye over the world around them and spit back the toxic soup they survey from urban decay to vacuous influencer culture to generational decline.”

A scorching taste from their impressive new five track collection ‘Echo Chamber’, which features syncopated and distorted guitars, sludgy bass notes and pounding drums, as well as sardonic punk vocals, affirming the outfit as ones to keep an ear on for Irish rock fans.

 

Isidore, ‘No Time, All The Time’

Flaunting a healthy mix of alt-folk and indie-rock influences, 23-year-old Clondalkin songwriter Conor “Isidore” Fagan continues to carve out his distinct sonic style on his latest single.

The guitars are bright, and the drumming is tighter than an elephant in an elevator, providing a solid musical foundation for the talented tunesmith to lament his longing for connection.

“It’s a song about longing, in this case, for time or for love, both just out of reach,” he explains. There’s a sort of quiet frustration in knowing something is right there, yet still feeling unable to hold on to it.

“The opening lyric, ‘I saw the sunlight through the window’, really sums it up for me; the idea of being able to see and feel something so clearly, but never quite grasp it due to some invisible barrier. I think the frantic vocal delivery reflects that desperation; like trying to cling to a moment or a person before they slip away.”

The Altered Hours, ‘Lay There With You’

The lead single from The Altered Hours’ upcoming self-titled album, ‘Lay There With You’ is a soulful, kinetic duet, both cinematic and slow-burning, layered with jangling guitars, Hammond organ swells, and hypnotic rhythm, all unfolding into a stormy chorus that aches with yearning.

Kean Kavanagh, ‘Time Goes By’

Hailing from Kean Kavanagh’s debut album The Country Star, out today, ‘Time Goes By’ is a dreamy, synthy rock numbers lined with bouncy bass riffs and groovy rhythmic sections, making for the perfect accompaniment to Kavangh’s silky smooth and incredibly catchy vocal performance.

AILSHA, ‘Good Looking Girl, Awful Music’

The title track from AILSHA’s new EP, out now, ‘Good Looking Girl, Awful Music’, the song was inspired by a throwaway hate comment on one of her early music videos, and flips the insult into a bold statement of defiance and identity. It captures the raw emotion of experiencing online criticism for the first time. With crushing riffs and an anthemic chorus, AILSHA tackles the digital noise head-on — refusing to shrink in the face of judgment and instead growing louder, bolder, and more unapologetically herself.

VERA, ‘Skinbag’

VERA’s single ‘Skinbag’ is a booming new track about self-destruction. The rhythmic song is fast-paced and wild, with lyrics that feel crazed and raw. Sarah Toner's guttural vocals are all-consuming, speeding up as she approaches the bridge.

“We’re just ghosts inside skeletons inside bags of skin,” she sings. With a fiery sense of passion, VERA are certainly a band to watch.

Natalie Moran, ‘A Chance’

Natalie Moran today releases the newest track to her catalogue, ‘A Chance’. The song features a disco drum, synth atmosphere and a punchy sax line, bound to make you want to move to it. The uplifting groovy beat of this track backs the message of facing your reflection to allow yourself the freedom to take chances.

Seánie Bermingham, ‘Meet Me in Montauk’

A gentle guitar ballad lined with hopeful nostalgia, Seánie Bermingham’s, ‘Meet Me in Montauk’ evokes peaceful late summer nights and is inspired by the world of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the artist explains.

“The song is born from the feelings the movie stirred: grief, longing, nostalgia, and the hope to forget what hurts while secretly wanting to hold onto every moment,” he says. “Like Joel (Jim Carrey), I fantasise about erasing the memories of someone - not out of bitterness, but from the weight of remembering. But just like in the film, I came to realise that trying to suppress thoughts and feelings only makes them more persistent. The song becomes an emotional reckoning - choosing to sit with and acknowledge the pain rather than erase it, accepting that our memories, no matter how painful, are essential parts of who we are. Like the film, the song sits in that space between grief and nostalgia, where holding on feels just as hard as letting go.”

JP O’Duill, ‘Petrichor, Electric Green’

The opener to JP O’Duill’s new album Nótaí, ‘Petrichor, Electric Green’ is a thoughtful and stirring acoustic guitar tune, with a simple yet carefully layered instrumental and vocal performance, offering the folky track a uniquely complex quality.

Commenting on the new record, O’Duill’s says: “I like the phrase, ‘We are halfway between the atom and the universe,’” says O’Duill, reflecting the album’s tone—introspective, compassionate, and often surprising in its perspective. Whether it’s tackling existential doubts or simply observing the day-to-day with a knowing eye, Nótaí feels like the work of an artist not just searching for meaning, but finding it in unexpected places.”

Junk Drawer, ‘Brown Sunshine’

Opening with a droning guitar, ‘Brown Sunshine’ off Junk Drawer’s new album Days of Heaven draws inspiration from artists like Gram Parsons, The Byrds and Grateful Dead. The psychedelic track incorporates eclectic guitar lines and an always groovy bass.

“I think a lot of it is about the lost promised futures that Ulster could have had - cross-community new towns, the decay that's replaced it here, how I see the same thing happening in the middle east; how these memories are being erased, and so much of the history of this place exists within the silence of our fathers,” said co-vocalist and songwriter Stevie Lennox.

“How my generation has tried to heal by replacing those lost ideals by clinging to old objects, time in nature, the moments we've spent together connecting as people at 4am, where you feel like you might have discovered the point of it all. A brief moment in 1985 where a country united over a bespectacled man from Coalisland winning the snooker.

“Whatever it is, I think our music has maybe always been about peace, and where you can find it.”

Ross A., ‘Vestiges’

Ross A’ s new track 'Vestiges’, hailing off of his debut album Vestige, is a weighty, moody song which shifts from loose, sparse arrangement at the track’s outset, into a tight groove where drums and bass lock in with piano before a stirring string arrangement lifts the piece further towards its ethereal finale, the soundscape opening out into a wide expanse along the way.

Ross reflects on the inception of Vestige and its meaning to him as an artist:“This is very much a formative record for me. When the songs started to take shape, I felt liberated to create and write further within the new persona of ‘Ross A.’. It all felt like a natural progression. I let go of hang-ups and ego, going with focus in the direction of my instinct for each song. The band and Gavin were a great help in guiding and bringing the pieces to life along with me. There was good energy in the recording room, a sense of flow to the sessions that brought the finish line easily within sight and made completing this new album achievable.

“Hearing it myself now, it sounds good playing anywhere but really is designed to be the kind of album you can put on in your headphones, lie down, close your eyes and become immersed in for a while.”

how r u, ‘slipping away’

The Belfast based slowcore side project of Irish singer-songwriter and producer Thom Southern, how r u, released his new single ‘slipping away’, which sees sees the project delve deeper into the instrumental soundscapes previously explored.

This continued focus on wordless narratives is a deliberate choice, as Thom explains, “I wanted to explore further how to create a feeling without singing lyrics, to go on a journey of self-reflection with just sounds and melodies that draw your mind to a nostalgic place that doesn’t quite exist. I’ve become a bit obsessed with finding comfort in the idea of liminal spaces, or music that creates an uneasy liminal feeling, making us feel between two different places or states – the in-between of waking and sleeping.”

The Psychs, ‘Beam Me Up’

The Psychs have released the funky new single, ‘Beam Me Up.’ The Dublin-based five-piece incorporate a fuzzy guitar with booming drums, making the track a fun and dynamic listen. Billy Jones’ angsty vocals are the driving force behind the alt-rock song, filled with emotion and groove.

Fans can catch The Psychs opening for The Southern River Band in Workmans on June 13 or headlining at Whelan’s on June 27.

Kathy Long, ‘June’

Gentle and lined with moving joyfulness, Kathy Long’s new single ‘June’ is layered with the singer’s powerful reverbed vocal and catchy and emotional rhythmic sections and complex string instrumentation.

‘‘June’ is a summer love letter to the month, to possibility, to greeting new days with curious joy and wonder,” Long comments. “Creating this song was a return to gratitude for the simple things - how plainly incredible it is to enter a new month with eyes to follow the flowers. Fusing the Irish traditional banjo into this song felt like a natural connection to its roots - I wrote this song from a feeling of home among the green and the sun shining through the trees back in Kilkenny.”

Junior Brother, ‘Welcome To My Mountain’

It’s a steep climb to the summit. Atop the clouds, a voice from the fairy fort beckons to lead you astray, the ground shifting as you lose yourself among the ring-shaped mounds. It could be any year, but something feels eerily familiar, uncannily ancient. Welcome to Junior Brother’s mountain.

Taken from his forthcoming album The End, the new track ‘Welcome To My Mountain’ explores the seen and unseen forces that work against nature. The track drives an endless ascension of warbling woodwinds and a thrashing six-string backing atop shape-shifting time signatures.

“The opening track on the record stemmed from my attempt at writing a slipjig – The song’s main whistle riff was the result,” Junior says. “With this, the song mutated into quite a large beast of a yoke, the beginning of a journey into the mouth of modern madness. The lyrics were largely taken from an actual firsthand account of a man getting lost in a Fairy Fort while walking home, heard from UCD’s great folklore podcast Blúiríní Béaloidis.”

Hard To Explain, ‘Wolves’

Fast and intense, Hard To Explain dropped their latest single ‘Wolves’ today. The song opens with an eerie chorus of voices, before delving deep into wild bass and guitar. The cover art matches the song's atmosphere, displaying a bloodied and menacing wolf.

The metal band from Derry channels primal energy, enticing and electrifying audiences.

Fia Moon, ‘Dancing With A Stranger’

With ‘Dancing With A Stranger’, Fia Moon shares the final chapter of her debut EP Dear Loved.

Based on unsent love letters, the heart-rending ballad channels the quiet moments that follow the end of a relationship, from late-night thoughts to slow shift of lovers to friends.

“[The song is] about that quiet, familiar feeling - wanting to reach out to someone who used to mean everything, even though you know you’ve both moved on,” Fia offers. “I wrote it as a message I’d never send. They were my first love and best friend… and then one day we were strangers. It’s strange how that happens - how someone can be in your life every day, and then not at all. That kind of shift stays with you.”

Go Bury Your Monsters, ‘I Know Your Mind (Like You Knew Mine)’

Emerging alternative band GBYM (Go Bury Your Monsters) have unveiled a new single from their upcoming debut EP, Body Language.

The third taster from the project, ‘I Know Your Mind (Like You Knew Mine)’ provides a drive-with-the-windows-down anthem that pulls from ‘80s pop and contemporary electronica to striking effect.

By turns propulsive and pulverising, the latest offering from GBYM proves that the Irish rockers are worth keeping an ear on.

Callum Wall, 'That's How It Goes'

Bright and starry, Callum Wall’s new single ‘That’s How It Goes’ speaks to moving on from lost love. The Dublin-based artist derives inspiration from musicians like King Krule, plums, Banes World and Mac Demarco. His indie-pop sound is light and airy, with killer vocals amplifying the song's playful atmosphere.

“‘That’s How It Goes’ was a tune we would play at the gigs over the years and the background videography over this song, shot by Scarlet, depicts the 4 years of craziness gigging all around Ireland at this time,” he wrote on Instagram.

Beoga, ‘Tradfather’

Releasing their highly-anticipated album Phases today, Beoga continue to cement themselves at the crossroads of Irish trad and pop-punk vibrance.

Comprising a song structure that recalls pummelling EDM builds, ‘Tradfather’ is an utterly unique offering of stirring fiddle flourishes, a rollicking rhythm and sparse yet rousing backing vocals.

After their chart-raiding collab with Ed Sheeran on ‘Galway Girl’, Beoga made a name for themselves as musicians who are keen to experiment with pop and trad sensibilities. With Phases, the proof is certainly in the pudding.

DREAM BOY, ‘eyes closed’

Irish shoegaze rockers DREAM BOY have unleashed the propulsive new single, ‘eyes closed’.

The heaviest track seen from the band thus far, the track offers an electrifying concoction of delicate intimacy and rage-fuelled anger. Probing themes of sexuality and shame, ‘eyes closed’ dives headlong into an intrusive thought of feeling objectified after a “distasteful experience”.

Showcasing the band’s haunting vocals, corrosive harmonies and a wailing rhythm section, the tracks is nestled comfortably in the band’s oeuvre while also shedding light on their chameleon-like defiance of following a specific genre.

Electric Penguins, ‘The Way Lights A Fire’

Dreamy and atmospheric, the Dublin-based Electric Penguins have released their new album The Way Lights A Fire, Pt. 1. Blending psychedelia with progressive electronica, the band’s fresh sound is encapsulated best in their album’s title track.

The song feels larger than life, with booming basslines and a sultry saxophone. Layered vocals add to this ambience, bursting with cinematic excellence.

Galia Arad, ‘This Close’

Dublin singer-songwriter Galia Arad returns with her mesmeric new single ‘This Close’.

Propelled by a throbbing rhythm section and an earworm of a chorus, the track offers a stirring blend of Galia’s Americana roots and a hypnotic alt-pop soundscape.

“‘This Close’ explores the tension between craving and control—using vulnerability as a tool to capture after an endless game of chase,” Galia explains. “The production is inspired by that push/pull, and of course my own desires to kick off my pop girlie era.”

Eoin Glackin, ‘Snake Oil’

The latest single from Eoin Glackin is an upbeat, rootsy number pulled from his upcoming album The Cost of Living, out later this year.

‘Snake Oil’ makes a point of wearing its strong folk and blues influences on its sleeve, with its finger-picked banjo hammering out a staunch groove over the rousing rhythm section.

“There has been an understandable drop in public trust in mainstream institutions…Whether it’s a billionaire pushing a crypto scam, someone pedalling pseudo-scientific medical woo-woo with no accountability, or someone claiming to have supernatural abilities while preying on the vulnerable,” Glackin says of the song.

“It’s very frustrating and I find myself getting maybe too worked up over it sometimes…This song is my way of addressing that frustration”.

SELLÓ, ‘Payroll’

SELLÓ is back with the fresh number ‘Payroll’, just two weeks before his album SELLÓUT is due to hit shelves and streamers.

The track seamlessly blends old-school and contemporary grooves beneath the undercarriage of the Clondalkin rapper’s silver-tongued flow.

‘Payroll’ arrives hot on the heels of SELLÓ’s most recent singles, ‘Irish Tea’ and ‘Dead To Me’.

 

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OWLS, 'Perfect Nightmare'

Following their single ‘Give Me Your Stare’, darkwave artist OWLS drops their debut album Death Games via Negative Gain Productions, out today.

It features different genres, from post-punk, and goth to electronic music, exploring themes of twisted love, pain and the feeling of being alive.

The vibe of 'Perfect Nightmare' is dark and brooding, yet its gives the listener an awakened feel, crawling with anticipation for the next note. Bass, heavy breathing and a pulsing rhythm carry throughout, creating an almost apocalyptic sound and feel.

 

BICEP, 'Brillo'

Belfast duo BICEP have released their new single ‘Chroma 010 - Brillo’, the last in their Chroma series. Putting a modern twist on 90s EDM tracks, the song delivers pulsating electronic riffs combined with soulful female vocals.

The pair, consisting of Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar, said this about their new track and the Chroma series: “We’ve always aimed to strike a balance between looking to the past and embracing the future. Although we weren't part of the clubbing scene during its heyday in the 90s, being outside of it has given us a fresh perspective that's allowed us to reimagine these influences in a modern context.”

BICEP have made quite a name for themselves and had headline slots at Glastonbury, Coachella and Wilderness festival. The duo will be performing at All Together Now in Waterford on August 2.

Bren Berry, 'We have it all'

Melancholy meets beauty in Bren Berry’s love letter of a song to his family. His previously unreleased single ‘We Have It All’, came out June 4 and is part of his debut solo album, In Hope Our Stars Align. His soft, melodic voice, accompanied by guitar and drums, reminds one of a father soothing his children, like a reassuring lullaby.

“It brims with gratitude and love for my wife and our kids and the life and home we have together,” the singer said.

The song feels like a memento from a different time, with Berry wanting to capture the essence of “that sweet 70s soul sound”, which heavily influenced him in his younger years.

 

The Kyd G, ‘Gotta Man’

The Kyd G’s latest single ‘Gotta Man’, out today, is part of his upcoming project ‘Still G’, set to release in August. The Blanchardstown artist and producer blends different genres. Produced by Mubi, the song mixes alternative RnB with modern rap, creating a rhythmic track that is worthy of your late-night drive playlist.

“It is a melodic track that explores the bittersweet desire and temptations of wanting something you can’t have, trying to convey a sense of tension and honesty between two people,” said The Kyd G.

Lú Ke, ‘G'WAY’ (prod. CAiNOOO)

Lú Ke delivers raw emotion and sharp lyricism on ‘G’WAY’, a hard-hitting track blending Irish grit with grime and hip-hop influences. Produced by longtime collaborator CAiNOOO, the beat pulses under Lú Ke’s distinctive flow and one-take intensity. With a self-directed video and bars that cut deep, 'G’WAY’ is a powerful new entry from an emerging artist.

James Keegan, ‘Feeling Grey (Teaching our Teachers)’

Rising Cork singer-songwriter James Keegan has announced his debut EP Teaching Our Teachers, due June 27. Today he shares the first single from the upcoming record, ‘Feeling Grey (Teaching Our Teachers)’.

The new track blends folk-pop warmth with indie energy, showcasing Keegan’s emotive vocals and catchy hooks. “’Feeling Grey’ is about growing up and reflecting on the years just gone,” Keegan says. “Recording this was different, I felt more confident to try new things.”

Recorded at Cork’s Monique Recording Studios with producer Christian Best, the EP features Mick Flannery’s touring band and offers a textured mix of heartfelt lyrics, varied vocals and sweeping arrangements.

The Butterfly Graveyard, ‘Falling’

Written “on a cold wet winter’s day” while daydreaming of a Mediterranean escape, ‘Falling’ blends soft-spoken vocals, wistful lyricism and lush textures. With his signature alt-rock fragility, The Butterfly Graveyard artist conjures warmth, introspection and cinematic beauty all at once.

Written and sang by the Cork artist, the artist sits somewhere between The Blue Nile and Jeff Buckley. The Butterfly Graveyard creates a music “soft as a butterfly’s wing but rough as the underside of a leaf.” ‘Falling’ is a perfect example: it’s both intimate and expansive but steeped in mood and emotion

Daniel Cohen, ‘Hands Up Everybody!’

Irish pop artist Daniel Cohen is back with ‘Hands Up Everybody!’, a vibrant new single that could very well become the soundtrack to your summer.

The Galway native teams up with London producer David Hermitt and Wisconsin rapper Young Colley on this joyous, Congo-infused Afrobeat-pop crossover. The track bursts with rhythm, energy, and global flavour, proving Cohen isn’t afraid to push sonic boundaries.

Following the success of his debut album All Engines Running!, ‘Hands Up Everybody!’ marks a fresh creative chapter for Cohen, one that’s bold, borderless and full of groove.

Keith McLoughlin, ‘Jim's Song’

Co-written with Gillian Tuite and recorded with the team at Beardfire Studio, ‘Jim’s Song,’ by Dublin singer-songwriter Keith McLoughlin, is a tribute to his late friend Jim Barron, who passed away in December 2023.

Featuring a rocky guitar solo, confident vocals and instantly relatable lyrics, the track captures the bittersweet ache of memory and the enduring bond of friendship. It’s a celebration of life, love and loss that’s sure to resonate.

A familiar face on Dublin’s live scene, McLoughlin hosts The Brady’s Sessions and The Songwriter Club, and presents a local music show on Dublin South FM every Sunday night.

Goldbug, ‘Pendulum’

Goldbug, the moniker of Irish/French artist Danilo Ward, releases ‘Pendulum’ today, a poetic, heart-wrenching art-rock track. Lush with ambient textures, sweeping strings and a pure, emotive vocal, the song mimics nature’s rhythms with rolling piano and brass bursts, evoking thunder and rain.

A hauntingly beautiful chorus anchors this cinematic journey, nodding to Talk Talk and Boards of Canada. Inspired by the landscapes of his French countryside upbringing, Goldbug crafts soundscapes full of nostalgia and wonder. You can catch him live at MusicTown in the National Concert Hall on June 15.

Picture This, ‘Family Out Of Friends’

With ‘Family Out Of Friends,’ Picture This deliver a driving yet melancholic standout that feels destined for chart success. Anchored by evocative lyrics that celebrate the intimacy of chosen families, the track captures a rare blend of emotional weight and radio-ready polish.

There's a lived-in warmth to the arrangement, layered guitars and earnest vocals build toward a stirring chorus. The track is the emotional centrepiece of new 5-track EP Let The Light In , which also came out today.

DuckyProd x GNS, ‘Cartoon Love’

On 'Cartoon Love,' DuckyProd and GNS blend glossy alt-pop textures with raw lyrical delivery, creating a pop-R&B crossover that pulses with both style and substance. The track rides on clean, minimal production—built around dreamy synths and crisp beats—giving GNS ample space to flex his rapid-fire bars, packed with emotion and precision.

There's a nostalgic, almost playful undercurrent that recalls early Tyler, The Creator or even late-2010s Brockhampton, yet it’s uniquely their own. Balancing vulnerability with swagger, ‘Cartoon Love’ is effortlessly vibey.

 

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