New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

First Class Rebel, 'Alive'.

First Class Rebel is the brainchild of Irish musician Ian Burke, blending the atmospheric swirl of psych rock with the hazy intensity of shoegaze. Emerging from Ireland’s vibrant music scene in 2025, Burke operates as a one-man force, handling songwriting, guitars, vocals, and bass, shaping a sound built from the ground up.

Following the debut single 'Shadows Fade', First Class Rebel continues his expanding sonic journey with the new track, 'Alive'. Where the first release hinted at transformation, 'Alive' fully embraces it — delivering a more uplifting, euphoric energy that radiates renewal and forward motion.

Recorded at Darklands Audio and produced by Dan Doherty (Fontaines D.C., The Jesus and Mary Chain), First Class Rebel’s highly anticipated second single, 'Alive', will continue an exciting and evolving musical journey. Rooted in the spirit of vintage psych rock while pushing into new territory, First Class Rebel is building a sound that is immersive, powerful, and unmistakably its own.

First Class Rebel is 'Alive' and so is your imagination.

Ian Burke, First Class Rebel , City Headshots Dublin

Johnluke, 'Angry In The Moment'

From Johnluke comes new single ‘Angry in the Moment’. The cathartic folk-pop tune follows the Galway-based up-and-comer as he recovers from a personal tragedy.

“I wrote ‘Angry In The Moment’ for anyone who has had to suffer with the loss of a loved one to a car crash,” Johnluke said of the song. “It’s a massive problem and I want this song to reach as many people as possible to help prevent in some way the reality of what could happen on the roads.”

Fans of Mumford and Sons and Noah Kahan will recognize a candid emotionality in Johnluke, whose twangy vocals capture the ragged edges of grief. The track’s finger-plucked guitar and echoey percussion create an atmosphere both intimate and cataclysmic.

Johnluke’s debut EP Comical Romance, Vol. 1 came out late last year. We’re looking forward to a volume two sometime soon.

Johnluke.

1k3, ‘Like That’

Drogheda-based Nigerian rapper 1k3 makes his triumphant return with the hard-hitting ‘Like That’, a heavy and club-inspired rap tune blending heavy rhythmic section and psychedelic synths with the rapper’s deliciously clever and quick lyricism, while staying gorgeously catchy and melodic

1k3. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

d_abdu, ‘Peter’

Bricknasty’s Dara Abdurahman today unveils his new solo project d_abdu with the heart-wrenchingly melancholic track ‘Peter’ of delicate acoustic guitar chords and powerfully quiet and layered vocals, recounting distant memories with minimalistic melodies and dreamy arrangements.

Lauren Wallace, 'Gap Teeth'

17-year-old singer-songwriter Lauren Wallace has released her single 'Gap Teeth'. She makes contemporary pop, drawing comparisons from artists like Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo, but with distinct Irish storytelling.

The release arrives ahead of Wallace’s Whelan’s Upstairs Headliner on February 12.

'Gap Teeth' is a deeply personal reflection on coming of age and childhood. It touches on subjects like sisterhood and friendship, mixing soft indie pop sounds with a strong folk and indie feel.“Gap teeth was such an undeniably fun song to write," said Wallace.

"I wrote it for my cousin (who’s basically like a sister to me at this point) and so whenever I play it, I’m taken right back to what it felt like to grow up together," she added.

Lauren Wallace.

Dystopian Novels, 'Roll Your Eyes'

Dystopian Novels (Kieran Ring), also known for his contributions to the Irish indie rock band Neon Atlas, has released his new single 'Roll Your Eyes'. He makes alt-indie music, drawing comparisons from artists like The National, Beach House, Arcade Fire, and Sufjan Stevens.

‘Roll Your Eyes’ is a well-produced, beat-driven track, nicely accompanied by Ring’s soft, breathy vocals. It evokes strong flavours of 2015-2018 The Neighbourhood-era.

"'Roll Your Eyes' grew from a chord progression I’d been sitting on for years but could never quite unlock," said Ring.
"Once we paired it with a stripped-back percussion setup—an empty guitar case and a set of keys—the song stopped resisting and fell into place," he added.

Dystopian Novels.

Carrie Baxter, 'Change'

Carrie Baxter will release her 4th single, ‘Change,’ on February 4th, which will feature on her debut album, Seven, set for release on March 11th.

The album features a soothing and intriguing blend of R&B and jazz, complete with gospel influences. This sound is reminiscent of artists such as Dreamer Insomnia or Steve Lacy.

“This song didn’t come easily to me." said Baxter, "It asked me to confront my shadow self and the behaviours I needed to change. That’s what the chorus represents: an honest conversation with myself.”

Carrie Baxter

Rosie Carney, ‘In My Blue’

Ahead of the drop of her upcoming album Doomsday … Don’t Leave Me Here, Rosie Carney has released the single ‘In My Blue’. Set for release on February 27, the forthcoming record is the singer-songwriter’s fourth LP.

A melancholic track ‘In My Blue’ explores the complexities of love and heartbreak with lyrics like: “In my blue / It’s not you / It’s all high stakes and heartbreaks, ain’t nothing new / In my blue”.

As well as emphasising the song's moodiness, Carney’s soft, breathy vocals lend an ethereal tone to the track.

Rosie Carney

Hail The Ghost, ‘Digress’

Three-piece indie band Hail the Ghost have released their newest single, ‘Digress’.

‘Digress’ is a haunting track which explores themes of self-worth and hopelessness with poignant lyrics like: "And I digress / It's time to sleep / Don't wait for me", and " Don't wait for me because I am not worth it". 

The song is, for the most part, slow-paced. However, towards the end, the track shifts with a powerful bass-heavy and drum-driven instrumentalisation. 

Hail the Ghost

The Riptide Movement, ‘Owe You A Lot’

'Owe You A Lot' comes as the first single off of The Riptide Movement's upcoming album set to release later this year. On the new track, the Wexford rock band contemplate the passage of time, looking back at life with appreciation and internal reflection.

“Reaching 20 years as a band makes you reflect on everything you’ve shared — the people, the places, the moments that shape you, and the connections with family, friends, and society that influence your life’s journey," they said. "‘Owe You A Lot’ came from that place. It feels familiar but also completely new for us, especially with JPR taking on vocals for the first time. It’s about honouring where we’ve been while still feeling excited about where we’re going.”

"I know I owe you a lot, but not my soul," they repeat on the chorus.

Emotional and full of nostalgic sentiment, 'Owe You A Lot' showcases The Riptide Movement's chemical ability to connect with an audience.

The Riptide Movement.

Pat Lagoon, ‘Frequency’ feat. Evan Miles

Waterford rapper Pat Lagoon and electronic artist Evan Miles have teamed up to create 'Frequency', an exciting and quick-witted new dance track.

"Frequency is about the growth of my artistry and how I have been observing the music around me and the discourse of finding whats next for me," says Lagoon.

The personality and sheer energy that comes through on the track is incredibly addicting, so no matter how many times you find yourself looping 'Frequency' it'll never be enough. We're already ready for more!

Pat Lagoon.

The Street Leagues, ‘Straws in the Sackville’

The Street Leagues have released their debut single, ‘Straws in the Sackville’. The band are longtime friends with a shared love of music and history, who formed the Street Leagues over video calls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stylistically, the band describes themselves as an “indie folk-pop” band.

The song is based on songwriter Robbie Graham’s grandfather, a builder whose years of labor left him with trembling hands, so that he drank with a straw at a local pub, the Sackville Lounge, being unable to steadily hold the glass, watching as the city of Dublin changed around him. The story is told over a warm accompaniment, built around guitars and a steady drum line.

Following the release of their debut single, The Street Leagues are set to record an album in Amsterdam this year.

 

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