Leading this month’s Irish pop charge is ‘Nobody Hears From Me Anymore’, the latest from 18-year-old Dubliner Crybabyamy who’s been drawing Billie Eilish comparisons, which are for once totally justified.

She’s been picked up by Jawdropper Management who tell Hot Press: “We are currently dealing with a frenzy of interest in signing her from major labels and publishers and so we are very confident this will be the start of a hugely exciting journey for this brilliant young artist.”

Cork 96FM’s Michael Carr, Beat 102103’s Rob O’Connor, WLR FM’s Ray Colclough, 2fm’s Dan Hegarty and Tara Stewart are just a few of the DJs who’ve been giving it and its home-recorded ‘Process’ predecessor radio love.

Snapping hard at her heels is April, a 21-year-old Kildare R&B artist whose ‘Watching You Disappear’ trails an EP, Luna, which follows on October 23.

We’re also loving ‘Signs’, the latest from 23-year-old Dubliner Bobbi Arlo who began recording in her teens and scored a major Irish radio hit last year with the juicy ‘Berries’.

October 30 sees the release of Nealo's debut All The Leaves Are Falling album.

He spent ten years fronting hardcore punks Frustration before settling down, getting married and completing a law degree that lead to a well-paid job.

The wife part has worked out fine, but missing music he’s knocked the 9-5 on the head and started making introspective hip-hop over jazz-influenced beats.

Having impressed with his solo ‘Face Reveal’ single, Offica reunites with his A92 bandmates ACE, Nikz, Dbo, Trapboy, Kebz and KSav on ‘Link Up’.

Propelled by a mighty beat from 17-year-old Navan producer JBJ, it amassed 126,000 YouTube views in just three days and confirms the Drogheda crew as serious ones to watch.

Six years after forming in Lizzie Fitzpatrick’s kitchen, Bitch Falcon unleash their debut Staring At Clocks album on November 6, with rambunctious new single ‘Martyr’ the first taster.

“We wanted to achieve a post-punk vibe, but with modern influences,” Lizzie says of the latter. “Nigel’s drumming reminds me of Warpaint, it has such a bounce to it. I tried to span my vocals from soft to cord ripping in a bid to show the aggression in the song.”

Guitars fizz and crackle and drums thunder on Manifesto, the new EP from punky Dubliners SPRINTS, which in addition to the title-track features ‘Drones’, ‘Swimming’ and ‘Ashley’.

Getting great support from BBC rock men Steve Lamacq and Jack Saunders, they’re signed to UK independent Nice Swan Records whose roster also includes FUR, Sports Team, Pip Blom, Queen Zee, Dead Pretties and Silverlux.

Last month also saw them ink a deal with ATC Live, the same booking agent that looks after Nick Cave, Fontaines D.C., Pillow Queens, Black Pumas and Sleaford Mods.

If Covid will ever feck off with itself, they’re in for a massive 2021.

Kynsy proves that her woozily addictive ‘Cold Blue Light’ debut was no fluke with ‘Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State’, a scuzzy rock tune, which finds her donning corpse paint and (we think) an Exhorder t-shirt in the accompanying video.

We’re not the only ones finding Ciara Lindsey, who admits to Julian Casablancas, Iggy Pop and St. Vincent influences, most intriguing with 2fm’s Dan Hegarty, Today FM’s Ed Smith, 6Music’s Tom Robinson, Radio Ulster’s Across The Line and BBC Radio One all rowing in behind the 23-year-old Dubliner.

Having wowed us with their debut ‘A Memory’ single, which elicited a “Great vocals and beautiful harmonies” from Christy Moore and “Most stuff doesn’t hold my attention for longer than 30 seconds, but this one stuck” from The Specials’ Horace Panter, Doppler return with hypnotic instrumental ‘Barracuda’.

The ‘Live From The Polytunnel’ video that goes with it is the most calming 2mins 52secs you’re likely to spend this month.

The Dubliners have inked a publishing deal with The Nucleus, a new Dublin operation headed by Hamlet Sweeney, himself an accomplished musician who’s toured with the likes of Meat Loaf, Status Quo and UB40 and also moved into the live production side of things.

Taking the pulse of Ireland’s indie scene again is A Litany Of Failures, the Bandcamp download and double vinyl sampler, which includes Silverbacks, Girlfriend, The Bonk, Golden Cleric, Handsome Eric, Extravision, Messyng x Post Punk Podge, Careerist, Robocobra Quartet, THAT SNAAKE and Problem Patterns among its Volume Three standouts.

The last on the list weigh in with ‘TERFs Out’, a well-directed howl of anger from the Belfast punks whose members Beverley Boal, Bethany Crooks, Ciara King and Alanah Smith regularly switch roles and instruments.

As a primer for what’s going on in basements and garages around the country, you won’t find better.

Lightening it appears can strike twice. Having dusted themselves down following last year’s break-up, the members of The Strypes who aren’t Josh McClorey – he’s been hanging out with Paul Weller – have reconvened as The Zen Arcade and released the belting ‘Don’t Say A Word’ on Dental Records.

It’s described as “a short sharp invigorating calling card” and duly delivers with furious nods to Nick Lowe, The Motors, Generation X, The Clash and all that other cool ‘70s pop-punk stuff.

They’re working with Joe Clarke whose CWB set-up also has Bitch Falcon, The 2 Johnnies, Jerry Fish, Stephen James Smith and a whole lot more on their books.