New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

Méav, ‘Near’

Award-winning Irish singer Méav has released her single, ‘Near’, co-written with Stephen Rennicks. The song serves as part of her upcoming fifth solo album, Sweet Sorrow, which explores themes of grief and consolation. Her sound fuses folk music with Celtic inspirations and classical vocal styles.

Meav’s unique sound was forged by the combination of her family heritage in the Irish language and folk music tradition and her classical training in voice, harp and piano. Her crystal-clear soprano vocals take centre stage and her unique, intricate compositions serve as more-than-worthy accompaniment. A beautiful new track to add to her catalogue.

Kingfishr, ‘How Lonely’

Indie folk band Kingfishr have risen to fame with dizzying speed. Their 2025 debut album Halcyon reached number one in Ireland. Now the Shannonsiders have released their third single of 2026, a melancholy yet melodic, appealing tune titled 'How Lonely'.

"'How Lonely' is about unrequited love. Funny how being in a band doesn’t seem to make much difference in the pursuit to requite your love but in any case, we move," said vocalist Eddie Keogh.

Declan O'Rourke, ‘Earl Grey & Edwin’

Declan O’Rourke began his career with a bang when his debut albumSince Kyabramwent double platinum. 22 years later, he is touring Ireland for his album Oceanic,

‘Earl Grey and Edwin’ is a nostalgic tale about O’Rourke’s guitar teacher. His smooth, deep voice and the bright guitar jingle combine to convey the bittersweet memories of a close friendship lost over the years.

Strange Boy, ‘God Help Him (Seemingly He Didn't)’

Strange Boy, the alias of Jordan Kelly from Limerick, specialises in mixing hip-hop and Irish trad, rapping over flutes and acoustic guitars. Kelly won the Liam O'Flynn Award in 2023. His second album SAY NOTHING is now out.

‘God Help Him (Seemingly He Didn’t)’ with Enda Gallery opens with a clear, lonely flute and ends with a trancelike choir of ‘ah’s. This is a calmer track on the album, on which Strange Boy spits bars in the style of rappers like Eminem or Mac Miller, with his distinct Limerick accent. 

Girl In The Year Above, ‘Wet Paint’

Girl In The Year Above are an Irish-Cornish six-piece. When asked which '-ish' is better, they reply, "Beamish!" They gained attention when their cover of 'Teardrop' was featured in the film Peaky Blinders: the Immortal Man. The band will play at Whelan's on October 25.

Their sound has been described as Celtic storytelling infused with an unapologetic, fierce emotional charge. 'Wet Paint' is their third original single, dealing with boundaries and desire. “My body is this wet paint / I don’t feel like it tonight / These layers coat my body / They keep me safe inside”, sings vocalist Jennifer Ball.

Louise O’Flanagan, ‘Crooked Crown’

Limerick singer-songwriter Louise O’Flanagan has released a new single ‘Crooked Crown’ – a spacious acoustic and indie-folk ballad drawing gently from folk, country and blues traditions. Acoustic instrumentation, natural production and a restrained arrangement give O’Flanagan’s expressive vocal, melody and lyrical storytelling room to breathe.

The song’s themes explore the question: “Can I be loved (unconditional self-love), even when my best is imperfect?” – from a statement. O’Flanagan coined the phrase ‘Crooked Crown’ to describe the distance between who we genuinely are and the polished, capable version of ourselves. “The crown does not have to sit perfectly before the person wearing it can feel whole, valued or enough,” she said.

Seán Collins, ‘Full Moon’

Seán Collins is a newcomer to the folk and trad music scene. ‘Full Moon’ is the Dubliner’s fourth-ever single, featuring Seánie Bermingham of Amble on mandolin. The mellow track is catchy and comforting, like a lullaby. His debut EP has been announced, not yet with a set release date.

“The inspiration for ‘Full Moon’ came when I was walking home one evening with the full moon shining down on me, and the melody just jumped into my head", Collins said. "The idea is that the ‘Full Moon’ personifies a person, place or something in our lives that is ever-present and constantly watching over us. In the first half of the song, I am singing to the moon, and in the second half, the moon is singing back to me. I think of it like a warm blanket offering comfort, and reminding us that everything will be okay.”

Don McKevitt, 'Calling You Out'

Don McKevitt is an indie musician from Dublin who plays all the instruments, at once. His smooth guitar and piano melodies are joined by complex, genuine lyrics that often point out society’s problems. <

‘Calling You Out’ is a catchy condemnation of gender-based violence. “You know who you are / And so do I / I know what you did/ and I know why”, McKevitt begins before insulting and aptly describing a toxic, violent personality. Other tracks on the new album celebrate the city of Dublin, criticise screen obsessions, or examine blind Irish patriotism.

Basht. ‘Kids Vs Guns’

Basht. today release their brilliant new single ‘Kids VS Guns’, hailing from their highly anticipated album Poor Advice, due out October 9. A gorgeously melodic and cinematic track, the single is lined with head-spinning, dark guitar riffs that add a profound weight to the track. A live favorite, this rousing number is the final single to be released before the full length EP in a couple weeks – and it’s more than a little enticing.

Gilla Band, ‘The Angelus’

Gilla Band are back with their fourth album Pugnello – and they are at the top of their form. Opening with the brutal ‘The Angelus’, a nonsense-Irish-proclamation about our “nation of Applegreens”, as absurd as it is visceral and bone-shaking, deliciously claustrophobic with its noisy instrumentals and Dara Kiely brilliant screamed vocals. A real goosebump inducer of an opener.

Trá Pháidín ‘Mionnán’

Trá Pháidín today release their gorgeous new record Cloch ‘ Claí, including the delicate closing track ‘Mionnán’, a glistening song mixing improvised traditional music with ambient textures – quiet, almost faded strings with sounds of the forest that transport the listener straight into a magical land. Enrapturing and deeply moving.

Paul Quin, ‘Dancing With The Devil’

Dublin electronic artist Paul Quin today releases his new single ‘Dancing With The Devil’, hailing from the upcoming record HIVEMIND. Exploring “the dark side of a young woman's dreams of finding fame and fortune in Tinseltown,” the track is lined with bright, synthy textures that transport right back to the ‘80s – for our greatest delight.

U2, ‘Silencio’

U2 have announced their first studio album in nine years Carnaval De Luz, including the brand new single ‘Silencio’. Inspired by surf-punk flavours, the short and hard hitting tune is lined with deliciously bouncy bass lines, languorous vocals and an unshakable californian feel. Its accompanying music video was shot in Mexico City earlier this year and is directed by Cliqua,

“It’s a messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs” said The Edge of the new record, “and features the first-ever use of flat-wound strings on a U2 recording. Just saying.”

BICEP, ‘Air’

Belfast-born duo BICEP are back with a trio of singles, including the magnificently cinematic ‘Air’, released in collaboration with SOARR. With atmospheric vocals from the singer, the electronic tune would lend itself perfectly in an indie movie depicting a late night car ride, or a delicate sunrise, without losing any of its head-spinning intensity or almost ambient and light quality.

Speaking on the release, BICEP says: “This really marks the start of a new chapter for us. Moving into a new studio, where we built our own vocal booth, has completely transformed how we work. We’ve finally managed to step up our recording process, allowing us to collaborate live in the room with amazing vocalists like SOARR and Saskia to add a whole new layer to our sound.”

WASPS vs HUMANS, ‘Are You Having A Good Dream’

Originally his solo project, WASPS vs HUMANS now consists of husband-wife duo Carl Antony Plover and Linda Plover. They have been described as electronic punk-folk, combining whistles, drums, bodhrán, and punk poetry. New single ‘Are You Having A Good Dream’ is a melodic, unsettling chant, asking, "Are you having a good dream? Or falling apart at the seams?"

Their second album, The Day Homo Sapiens Destroyed the Earth, is due out on October 2.

SJ Talbot, ‘Memento’

‘Memento’ is SJ Talbot’s first release since 2024. The BIMM Dublin graduate has reportedly been busy developing her musical skills and is due to publish her debut EP midway through next year. The alt-pop singer was selected as an Irish Music Month New Local Hero in 2021.

‘Memento’, Talbot's return to releasing, is a danceable pop song about a one-night romance. Catchy and contemporary, it boasts of "energy so feminine / you know I shine like a medallion" before bursting into the electronic chorus.

Flynn Johnson, ‘MURDER PT II’ feat. Rebel Phoenix, Mango and whoisdays

Irish rapper Flynn Johnson revisits his 2025 single ‘MURDER’ on a new sequel with Rebel Phoenix, Mango and whoisdays. Shifting the focus from defensive bravado to pack mentality, the Dublin rapper has released ‘MURDER PT II’. It features heavy beats, rhythmic lyricism and catchy hip-hop melodies.

“The original ‘MURDER’ always felt like it needed a second part,” Johnson said. “I was always a bit braver when I had the lads around me. The warnings got more aggressive and the demeanour got harder, even though a lot of it was for show. PT II is what happens when you’ve got a group already feeding off each other.

Jimbo Jones, ‘Lost All My Time To The Television’

Jimbo Jones returns with ‘Lost All My Time to the Television’ – the lead single off his Irish Arts Council-funded concept album, We Only Want the Earth. The melancholic trip hop track sees Jones wrestle with technological addiction and its exploitative grip. It is also the debut of his singing voice, “a terrifyingly vulnerable step, but an important one,” as he described.

With experimental synths, euphoric, trippy beats and Jones’ guiding vocals, the track makes an impressive addition to his catalogue. The upcoming record documents the destruction of “our environment, our society and ourselves but offers an imagined alternative: a utopian future based on community.”

Christian Cohle, ‘Queen of Ashes’

Art-rock artist Christian Cohle has released ‘Queen of Ashes’, the title track off his upcoming album. Casting himself as both protagonist and antagonist, the highly-anticipated LP fully embraces the contradictions of his own identity, grappling with themes of addiction, sex, self-destruction and recovery. His lyrics hang partially obscured in dreamlike and poetic imagery, offering a deep, visceral connection.

“There is an element of mythology to the song, which you will see a lot in this LP,” Cohle explained. “’Spoke to Shiva on Northend Way’ is one of my favourite lines in this song, as it’s this collision of the mythic and the mundane. Shiva, the destroyer/recreator, appears on an ordinary London street.”

Conor Furlong ‘Descent’

Conor Furlong returns with ‘Descent’ – the title track of his new album released today. Drawing inspiration from many forms of media such as paintings, films and other music, Furlong’s new track features an intense soundscape with fuzzy guitar textures, sampled speech, reverberating rhythms and an overwhelmingly cathartic feel.

“I need to be inspired in order to write songs,” Furlong said. “I’m not someone who can just sit down with a guitar and spit our a tune. At the beginning of the year, I started listening to a lot of the Seattle big four: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana and Alice In Chains … As a consequence, I wanted to make an album that was viscerally different to anything I’d done before.”

Gilbert O’Sullivan, ‘It’s Me’

Gilbert O’Sullivan returns with ‘It’s Me’, the opening track taken from his upcoming 21^st studio album On The Record. The release on November 6 will coincide with Gilbert’s 60 Years of Music celebrations. The track is about supporting those you care for – combining Gilbert’s trademark songwriting strengths with modern production.

“’It’s Me’ felt like a good way to open the album,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s got sort of a funky, Steely Dan feel to it, which I really like. There’s a nice chord sequence and a good middle eight – I’ve always liked middle eights that take you somewhere else and then bring you back again.”

Chelle, 'Same Blue Sky'

Independent Dublin and Kildare artist Chelle has released her new single 'Same Blue Sky.' In contrast to her previous song 'Have To Do', which was high-energy, and showcased a dark, alt-pop intensity, 'Same Blue Sky' illustrates a brighter, more reflective version of Chelle's sound.

The song is driven by her emotive lyricism, lustrous vocals and expressive pop melodies, exploring spaces and shifting perspectives.

Chelle has a pop-synth style, however there is a clear Motown and soul influence on her sound as well.

Davie Furey and Eleanor Shanley, 'There's an Ocean'

Davie Furey and Eleanor Shanley have released their new single 'There's an Ocean.' Two established voices in the Irish music scene, this song marks the first time Furey and Shanley have collaborated.

'There's an Ocean' combines the duo's rich, emotive vocals with a compelling atmosphere. The song explores lost love and the memories surrounding a relationship, both good and bad.

Bradley Marshall, 'On The Edge'

Bradley Marshall has released his new single 'On The Edge.' The song is about Marshall's own experiences of pulling away from people when he is falling in love with them. The track features the singer's heartfelt vocals, along with sweeping piano, that adds to the song's emotional message.

Marshall supported Lewis Capaldi in Marlay Park in June. The musician will also be making a special announcement along with the release of the single.

Burglar, 'Cappadocia'

Burglar have released their new single 'Cappadocia'. This will be the alt-rock duo's third single, following 'Lovey' and 'Star-Crossed.' The group comprises Willow Hannon (guitar and vocals) and Eduardo Pinheiro (vocals and guitar). The song features scratchy, layered vocals by the duo, along with pulsating drums and lively guitar.

Pinheiro explains the track's origins:

"'Cappadocia' is my happy place. It’s somewhere to escape to and fly over the mountains in an air balloon, and I’ve always thought of it as the perfect honeymoon trip," he said.

"It’s a romantic thing to do with the person you love. It’s also an exaggeration of a dream and an abstraction of what it might mean to reach the ‘other side’ and finally find happiness."

Tom Morello, 'Unconquered', featuring Kneecap

Tom Morello has released his new single 'Unconquered,' featuring Belfast rap group Kneecap. The Rage Against The Machine guitarist has released the song along with his new album Everyone Gets Everything They Want. Morello has praised the group in the past, calling them the "the Rage Against the Machine of now." The song features Morello's signature inventive guitar, with loud, energetic vocals by Kneecap. His style blends perfectly with Kneecap's fast-paced rapping. The instrumentals and synth combined with the group's vocals creates a truly unique track.

Gurriers, 'Shades'

Gurriers have released their new album Nobody's Coming To Save You, this includes their new song 'Shades.' The record was produced by Mark Bowen, member of IDLES and Loren Humphrey. The Dublin punk band are touring the album across Ireland, the UK and Europe. 'Shades' combines booming drums, bass and electric guitar with Daniel Hoff's powerful vocals. The synth running through the track gives the quality that you are listening to the song in a grotty, packed basement gig. Gurriers are unafraid to get in your face with their new album, and it works in their favour.

Isaac Butler, 'Devil The Door'

Isaac Butler has released his new single 'Devil The Door. This follows the release of his third EP Don't Let It Fade in May 2026. The song is Butler's ode to all the people in his life who support him. He talks about his insecurities in the song, and how he can overthink things.

However, each verse builds to a chorus that acknowledges his support system. His heartfelt vocals emphasise how much these people mean to him in the song; it is a lovely tribute to the importance of family and friends.

Jack Lukeman, 'Starman'

As Bowie's otherworldly presence inspired a generation to imagine different ways of being, Jack Lukeman's 2018 recording with the National Children's Choir, 'Starman', carries that invitation to younger voices and, on release, was introduced into Irish secondary schools as part of Science Week.

The celestial-themed track demonstrates his singular ability to reinterpret, revive and redefine music.

Hannah McConnell, 'Lights Off'

Hailing from Wicklow, indie-folk singer-songwriter Hannah McConnell returns with her compelling new single, 'Lights Off'.

The track delves deep into the exhausting cycle of self-sabotage and the fear of letting good things in. Soft, stripped back guitar and ethereal vocals frame the verses before blossoming into layered strings, driving drums, and an emotionally charged chorus.

The Gentle Reckoning, 'Burning Away The Dawn'

The Gentle Reckoning is the new project from Irish singer-songwriter Jamie Wells. Designed as a vehicle of intense personal self-expression that centres around Jamie, with the ability to surround himself with a rotating cast of band members, pulling people into his orbit depending on what the song requires. On new single, 'Burning Away The Dawn', The Gentle Reckoning moves away from the established sound with Jamie as a singer/songwriter by stepping on the distortion and embracing their rock influence.

With the DNA of Pixies, Pearl Jam and Manic Street Preachers running through the track, it should be no surprise that over driven guitars and thunderous drums is the bedrock for the track, giving rise to stadium sized choruses and soaring vocal hooks.

 

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Lacer, 'Go It Again'

Lacer is a three-piece alt-rock band from Dublin, who've dropped their debut release, 'Go It Again.'

The track blends DIY guitar-rock with dreamy psych pop and punk rock energy. With catchy hooks and introspective lyrics, they deliver a sound that's unique yet familiar.

Hailing from Dublin luminaries like Venus Envy, Pet Lamb, and Zeropunkt, this trio brings some formidable OG Irish pedigree, Channelling Blondie, Iggy Pop and the B52s.

Lacer's sound hits like a playful cocktail of quirky, cinematic storytelling and hook-filled indie-rock.

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