New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

EvieB, 'Make It Real'

Blending haunting vocals with emotionally rich storytelling, EvieB has released her second single of 2026, 'Make It Real'.

Her sound continues to shape a distinctive sound rooted in vulnerability and lyrical depth. She combines folk influences with atmospheric pop production and delicate melodies. Her songwriting explores identity while balancing intimacy with cinematic emotional depth.

"Make It Real' is about an accumulation of emotions I was feeling at a certain time in my life," she said on the single.

"It's written about a state of anxiety I was in and worried that I'll never go to the person I was before. The song represents a build-up of situations that happened to me and hitting a breaking point after holding it all in and not sorting it bit by bit."

Shaefri, 'Backbone'

Brassy, defiant and unapologetic, 'Backbone' is Irish-Egyptian artist Shaefri at her most fearless in a horn driven send-off to anyone who lied, let her down, and left her to clean up the wreckage.

The track trades devastation for full-throated release, pairing punchy, trumpet-led production with razor-sharp lyricism and a chorus to be shouted back.

"Backbone' came from a place of real anger - the kind you feel when someone you trust turns out to be spineless and leaves you to pick up the pieces of your life," said Shaefri.

"But it's not a sad song. It's the moment you stop waiting for an apology that's never coming and realise you deserve someone who can actually hold their own."

Liam Foody, ‘This Life’ 

Emerging Irish artist Liam Fooly keeps things bright and breezy on ‘This Life’, a feel-good indie-pop track built around living in the moment rather than waiting for the “perfect time”. With soaring choruses, bright guitar hooks and layered vocals, the song has the easy uplift of a made-for-summer release.

That energy is matched by a simple but effective message. Blending catchy indie-pop momentum with honest, relatable songwriting, ‘This Life’ feels both anthemic and grounded with  a reminder to stop waiting and start living. 

U2, ‘Street of Dreams’

U2 tap back into their anthemic instincts on ‘Street Of Dreams’, an upbeat, full-bodied single driven by bass, drums and a chorus built for lift-off. Backing vocals give the track an almost communal feel, while Bono’s performance moves between prayer and rallying cry.

Lyrically, the song centres on hope and perseverance, with the repeated image of “la calle de los sueños” turning the track into something larger than a private plea. It’s earnest and direct, but that suits the scale of the arrangement. ‘Street Of Dreams’ may not reinvent U2’s formula, but it delivers a sincere, uplifting return to the band’s most familiar strengths. 

The Street Leagues, 'Misery Hill' 

Dublin outfit The Street Leagues balance momentum and reflection on ‘Misery Hill’, an upbeat track that looks at a changing city without losing sight of the people and histories tied to it. Framed around Grand Canal Dock, the song carries a clear sense of place, using the area’s transformation as a way of thinking about what remains beneath the surface of a Dublin in flux.

Driven by a brisk rhythm and steady drum pulse, ‘Misery Hill’ has an immediacy that stops its subject matter from feeling heavy-handed. There’s a message at its core, but The Street Leagues deliver it with enough warmth and restraint to keep the song grounded rather than overly sentimental. The result is a thoughtful, melodic piece of indie rock that finds something quietly affecting in the overlap between old Dublin and new.

Smythy, ‘Feeling It All’

Smythy leans into a heavier, more punchy sound on ‘Feeling It All’, a chugging indie rock track driven by tight riffs, retro synths and a strong pop melody. Dealing with anxiety, fear and the difficulty of expressing yourself within a relationship, it’s a cinematic release that balances emotional tension with plenty of forward momentum. 

"Feeling It All'  is a track for people who struggle with expressing themselves in relationships and tend to fall into patterns of not telling their loved ones how they really feel,” said Smythy. 

"It's about creating your own demons out of fear of what might be and being afraid to fully give ourselves over to those closest to us." 

Trá Pháidín, 'An Béal Bocht'

'An Béal Bocht' is the first release from Irish collective Trá Pháidín's new album Cloch's Claí.

The single pushes further into the improvisational territory the collective have been building towards, drawing from ornamentation and accomplishment traditions in Irish trad music alongside krautrock, free jazz, post-rock, minimalism and drone.

The album as a whole takes its structure and themes from a dry-stone wall, with each of its ten tracks standing in as a metaphorical stone. It's a satirical look at Ireland's relationship with the Gaeltacht. They masterfully touch on tokenism, housing, gentry politics and ribbon developments along the way.

Really Good Time, 'The Love Song'

"This is a song about love mothafucka," according to bassist Jacque Le Coque.

With a startling air raid siren opening, and a signature Really Good Time sound, the the single has a new, and interesting take on romance.

"This is our love song titled "The Love Song," said the band on the track.

"A song that says: the world is falling apart in increasingly confusing and horrible ways, but your love fills me with the confidence to face it."

Tadhg Nolan, 'Dickhead'

Kildare singer-songwriter, Tadhg Nolan, has released his new single 'Dickhead',

The single combines honest storytelling and catchy melodies. He found music early, starting on piano at age 12 before picking up the guitar at 15 and beginning to write songs of his own.

His new single is proof of his songwriting abilities to blend modern singer-songwriter influences with timeless, melody-driven storytelling.

Nell Mescal, ‘Settles’

‘Settles’ finds Nell Mescal leaning into a more intimate and reflective space, capturing the emotional weight of a relationship stretched across distance. The track is built around themes of yearning and hope, balancing vulnerability with quiet optimism as it explores the desire for stability amid constant separation.

The track features warming synthesisers, a plucky guitar riff and layered vocals, anchored by a restrained drum beat. The orchestration is stepped in indie-pop sensibilities reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers.

“Settles is a love song about a long distance relationship where it feels like the time spent together is fleeting and that you always seem to be saying goodbye to each other at an airport” explains Nell. “It’s about the hope that one day the dust will settle, life will get less busy and the two of you will get to be together without any interruptions. It’s about reassurance, yearning, hope and loving someone from a distance”.

The Script, ‘The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall’

The Script are drumming up anticipation for their upcoming album The Users Guide To Being Human with the release of the lead single ‘The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall’.

Similar to ‘Wonderwall’, the opening of the track is set with just an acoustic guitar. As the track progresses, gentle synthesisers, drums and layered vocals are introduced, steeping the tack in classic pop sensibilities .

“I'm a huge Oasis fan. Always have been. But I don't think Liam and Noel knew the full impact of what they were doing when they got back together," says Danny O'Donoghue. "Because a lot of their fanbase, they're lads, middle-aged guys, and a lot of them have a similar scenario where they're not talking to a brother or a friend, and they're trying to be a man's man about it.

"The Gallaghers reuniting put into the zeitgeist the idea that forgiveness is cool again. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I saw them walking out with their hands together. If two of the most notorious people for being at loggerheads can overcome their differences, anything's possible!”

 

Patrick Jade, ‘My Traits’

Irish singer-songwriter Patrick Jade returns with his new single, "My Traits", released on Friday, July 10th. Following his April release, "Waiting For Me".

In the track, Jade explores life's challenges like personal ambition, and the passage of time through thoughtful songwriting. The lyrics are introspective and self aware, as Jade explores his own traits and tendencies and his control over them

The arrangement is relaxed, with an acoustic guitar, relaxed drumming and a gentle lead guitar riff.  Jade’s voice, rugged and intimate is reminiscent of The Waterboys lead singer Mike Scott.

"It's something many people experience as they get older,” Jade says. “But at its heart, the song is about persistence. No matter how much time passes, the things that drive us and shape who we are remain part of us."

Forg.ie, 'SMTH ABT ME'

‘SMTH ABT ME’ is the brand-new single from Forg.ie. The release marks the beginning of the roll out of his upcoming EP.

The track marks a new beginning for frog.ie, after coming out of a period of difficulty.

The orchestration is steeped in modern hip-hop. 808’s, thrilling hi-hats and pitched up sampled vocals. The track displays frog’s ability to rap in a number of different tempos like staccato, legato and in triplets. The variety keeps it fresh and his Dublin accent that cuts through gives the song a distinctly Irish feel.

Themes, synonymous with hip-hop like flaunting wealth, ambition and living a good life are prevalent throughout. Dynamic and intrepid, ‘SMTH ABT ME’, features sharp lyricism and a high-production beat, rich with layers that has plenty of replay value.

Ultras, ‘Irish Sun’

Dublin-based five-piece indie rock band Ultras have released their new single ‘Irish Sun’’.

This song is centred around the feel-good nature of a summer's day and its effect on our emotions..

A syncopated guitar riff gives the track a bouncy and upbeat feeling. Busy rock drumming and a simple, poignant lead guitar piece create a feel-good indie rock track that personify the euphoric feeling of a rare sunny day in Ireland.

“These are the moments we fight for, rise for, strive for,” Ultras said. “‘Irish Sun’ is for everyone who’s sat with their dad, mam, brother, sister, son, daughter or friend on that perfect day, holding on to every fleeting second, and living in hope that we’ll share another.”

 

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The Mary Wallopers, ‘Landlord’s Demise’

The Mary Wallopers continue to build up the excitement for their upcoming album Paddywhackery, with the brilliantly efficient 'Landlord’s Demise', a simple and powerful solo performance by songwriter Andrew Hendy, on vocals and bodhran, with added whistle from the band’s Finnian O’Connor.

“This is a song about the fall of empire in Ireland,” said Hendy, “and an expression of our disdain for the Landlord Class. It’s based on a true story about a Manor House falling down around its aristocratic owner, and is also inspired by Tom Barry’s book ‘Guerilla Days in Ireland’. It’s a song for all the struggling renters, in dingy flats and mould infested bathrooms, living in fear of another rent hike.”

Gilla Band, ‘Placeholder’

The first single off of Gilla Band’s upcoming album Pugnello, ‘Placeholder’ is magnificently noisy, gritty and irresistibly catchy, mixing harsh electronic flavours with a noise-rock quality. The track evolves from shiver inducing production into lightly dissonant melodies, all tainted with an almost desperate vocal delivery.

“In this track,” says Dara Kiely, “I try to analyse my mental quirks by exploring my comfort distractions. Reverting back to childhood nostalgia – as an escape. The memories seeping into my day-to-day adult life. Representing personal mental health behaviours via outdated pop culture such as the anxious tension set by Davina McCall’s silence when announcing a Big Brother eviction, or the fight or flight that Harold Lloyd surely experienced when holding on to a clock for dear life, and all for our entertainment.”

Radie Peat, ‘Still I Love Him’

A magnificently hypnotising version of the traditional song, ‘Still I Love Him’ marks the first solo effort from brilliant Lankum and ØXN’s vocalist Radie Peat. With her powerful contralto tones, Peat offers a deeply distinctive version of the track, traversing the peaks and troughs of romantic relationships, carrying a message of strength.

“John Francis Flynn discovered the song in an archive titled ‘True Love’,” says Peat. “I found that so dark – even though you suffer - because of the amount you love someone – you stay, you carry on”.

Orla Gartland, ‘So Perfect’ feat. Matt Maltese

Orla Gartland teams up with Matt Maltese for ‘SO Perfect’, a new cut from the fifth series of Trying. A delicate indie pop number, where the two singers' smooth tones blend like an absolute dream, the track is layered with simple rhythmic sections and soft acoustic guitars, with gentle flute melodies bringing the chorus into deliciously dreamy territories.

“Matt Maltese came to mind instantly when I first wrote the song,” Gartland said. “The collaboration felt effortless. I love the character in his voice and the tone of the lyrics in his own love songs; super dry, gorgeously yearn-y. The message of the song is like - ‘show me your grizzly side, I want all of it’.”

A-Trak & SHEE, ‘Dancefloor’

Irish DJ SHEE collaborates with Canadian taste-maker A-Trak for the brilliant electronic track ‘Dancefloor’, a bright and summery number mixing bouncy, light production with undeniable melodic flair, perfectly layered samples and warm synth instrumentals.

Adrian Crowley, ‘Quinn The Adventurer’

Adrian Crowley today releases the fantastical new single Quinn the Adventurer, hailing from the upcoming album From The Tomb. It tells the story of James Quinn, a young Irish Catholic, who left Belfast in 1920, travelling the Americas for four years before being arrested for bulglary in LA, and fleeing to Panama – all wrapped up in dark, mysterious tones and Crowley’s signature honey-rich vocals.

 

The Kyd G, ‘Trippin’

Kyd G, a hip hop artist from Blanchardstown, Dublin has released ‘Trippin’ as part of his new EP. The track explores the various phases of heartbreak, and the inevitable introspection that comes along with it.

The song is tethered to a lo-fi beat that features booming 808’s and restrained percussive elements. The low-profile arrangement puts the Kyd G’s auto-tuned and reverbed vocals centre-stage.

“This is another vulnerable song on the EP where I really wanted to describe the different phases of heartbreak, and how for myself and many others what the thoughts might sound like that nobody wants to say out loud,” The Kyd G explains. “The song begins very dismissively, almost arrogant in a sense "Only time I'm trippin over stuff is shoe lace" but as it progresses we not only hear the vulnerability come forward with the use of vices to escape the emotional rollercoaster of a broken heart but the acceptance of needing to change afterwards.”

Mirrorglass, ‘Secretly Admitting To Murder’

Cavan rock band Mirrorglass have released ’Secretly Admitting To Murder’, a track from their 2025 album Handle With Care.

‘Secretly Admitting To Murder is based on the underlying thoughts and emotions of a figurative murder in a nightclub.

The track blends elements of synth-pop and rock. Melodic synthesisers drive an arrangement that features a gritty guitar riff and busy rock drums that Bowles' raspy vocals cut through.

“I always loved the lyrics in this one. Everything has double and triple meanings. The reason it stands out to me is because I still think about what it means,” vocalist Joshua Bowles explains. “There’s always a new idea in my head or a new way I can interpret it, which is great because the song doesn’t feel stuck in time like some of the others. It has this quality where the lyrics move with me through my life, rather than being a memory of the past.

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