September A&R Department: Anamoe Drive, Burglar, Jordan Kelly and more

Burglar impress with their debut Unlucky EP, which features ‘Mousetrap’, ‘Washing Machines’, ‘No Easy Way Out’ and the pick of the bunch, ‘Fate Fades’.

Grungey in a shoegazey sort of a way – or is it the other way around? – it makes sense of the Smashing Pumpkins, Slint, Stereolab and PJ Harvey comparisons that have been coming their way.

The duo comprises of Eduardo who grew up around the punk scene in his Brazilian hometown of Goiânia and Willow who’s more of the indie pop persuasion and just happens to be Neil Hannon’s daughter.

One of the highlights of the 2024 Irish Music Week, they’ve been making waves in London thanks to appearances at the impossibly hip Windmill in Brixton and Hackney’s Moth Club which is currently under threat from developers.

Sadly, it’s a common occurrence in the UK with grassroots venues closing at an alarming rate…

There’s a massive industry buzz around Black Nylon, a Dublin five-piece who stole the Whelan’s Summer Watch long weekender honours in July and repeated the trick when they joined Bleech, Croíthe and

Pebbledash for an Irish showcase in London’s Shackwell Arms.

While yet to release any music, their live shows have a Jesus & The Mary Chain-ish feel which is A-OK with us…

Oisín Leahy Furlong takes time out from fronting THUMPER to release a second solo album, Thank God It’s Friday, under the Anamoe Drive banner.

From what we’ve heard so far, it’s a stripped down folky affair with breathy vocals instead of his trademark punk snarl.

Due in the autumn courtesy of Faction Records, it gets the official launch treatment in the Grand Social Ballroom, Dublin (November 13) and Servant Jazz Quarters, London (17).

Lest you think Furlong has gone all soft on us, his new single, ‘The Fix’, is available in both Anamoe Drive and THUMPER versions with one considerably angrier and louder than the other…

Strange Boy reverts to his real name, Jordan Kelly, on Diaspora, a 16-track mixtape which features guest turns from fellow spitters Karis Amber, Citrus Fresh, God Knows, Aahronm, Dyrt, Hazey Haze, Scruffy Munnelly, MCB, Dreddy and Size.

The standout is ‘CC’, a 9min 30secs track which highlights just how healthy the Limerick rap scene is at the moment.

Bag yourself a copy at jordankelly.bandcamp.com/album/diaspora-green

While the green ‘n’ white balaclava and switching between English and Irish makes him easy to dismiss as a Kneecap clone, Durt Burd proves that he’s his own man on DB SZN Vol 1, which has been released by Belfast independent Wonka Wave.

We’re particularly fond of ‘Hall Of Fame’, a collaboration with his home boy Leo Miyagee whose own Eulogy-assisted Vein Of Folly six-tracker is deserving of your immediate attention…

We’ve raved about Haylar before and we’re going to do it again because her ‘Between The Lines’ single is another stunner which sounds like Enya gone electronica. Well, sort of!

Produced by Karl Odlum, it’s already garnering quite a bit of airplay for the Dubliner – Today FM’s Claire Beck and 2fm’s Dan Hegarty are both fans – who’s previously worked with the likes of The Frames, David Kitt, Jape and the late, extremely great Mic Christopher…

Galia Arad, an Indiana singer living in Dublin exile, treats us to the achingly beautiful ‘C’Mere To Me’ which, according to its author, “explores the quiet unravelling of connection, melancholy and hope.”
Championed by Shane MacGowan – he supplied the sleeve notes for her Ooh La Baby album and appeared on two of the tracks – her cover of Britney’s ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ helped soundtrack  Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger series with further syncs on MTV’s Teen Mom and Catfish

Crash Ensemble composer and double bassist Caimin Gilmore, who’s also worked with such heavy hitters as Damon Albarn, Boygenius and Leonard Cohen, treats us to BlackGate, a limited-edition 10” that’s just been released by Dublin’s Ten Spot Records.

Hand numbered and limited to 500 audiophile-friendly copies, it’s a sumptuous blend of folk, classic and Radiohead in their more avant garde moments.

Looked after by SOS Artists whose roster also includes Sexy Tadgh, Pebbledash and Pastiche, Kildare duo Blue Slate bonded over their Brian Jones haircuts and shimmer, jangle and swagger in all the right places on tunes like ‘Marina Del Rey’, ‘Lead Us Into Temptation’, and ‘Charlotte’s Song’.