The A&R Department: Gemma Dunleavy, CMAT, Cormac O Caoimh & more

A much in-demand collaborator with the likes of Murlo, Swing Ting and Simon Raymonde’s Lost Horizons project, Gemma Dunleavy makes her solo bow with Up De Flats, an EP celebrating her Dublin 1 birthplace, Sheriff Street.

“Each song is written from a different perspective of the stereotypes I grew up around,” Gemma  explains. “They represent something I’ve experienced, someone I’ve been, someone I am or someone I’ve lost. It explores cyclical patterns of behaviour, hardships and grief, but most importantly the sense of community.”

The six-tracker is by turns tender and tough with Ms. D’s R&B-flecked vocals a delight from start (‘Up De Flats’) to finish (‘Stop The Lights’).

Not content with topping the Irish chart as part of the Irish Women In Harmony collective – congrats to Ruthanne Cunningham for making the ‘Dreams’ project a €250,000 and rising fundraising success – Ailbhe Reddy has been wowing the likes of BBC Radio 6, Radio X, Beat 102-103, Cork’s 96FM, Radio Nova and Newstalk with her ‘Time Difference’ single.

The Dubliner ‘fesses to being influenced by SOAK and Sufjan Stevens but we can also hear a bit of Morrissey and Marr in there – which is a very good thing!

CMAT proves that her ‘Another Day (kfc)’ pop gem was no fluke with ‘Rodney’, a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Mr. Dangerfield, which sports a vocal every bit as raunchy as the deceased New York stand-up who was renowned for his “I don’t get no respect!” catchphrase.

The accompanying video finds the Artist Also Known As Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson whipping up an omlette, flossing her teeth, executing some impressive gymnastic moves and generally obsessing over the cigar chomping funnyman.

If a major record company doesn’t come a calling soon, we’ll be amazed.

The reviews have been universally rave for Swim Crawl Walk Run, the new album from Cormac O Caoimh, which has been picking up airplay on RTÉ Radio 1, Lyric FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, Highland Radio, KCLR96FM, BBC Radio Ulster and Radio 2 in Holland - and that really is just for starters.

New single ‘Building My Ark’ is a delicious slice of dreamy acoustic pop from the Leesider who gets the full LP review treatment on hotpress.com in the coming days.

We guarantee that your day will be greatly enhanced by copping an ear/eyeful of the new Conor Furlong single, ‘Feel’. A gorgeous summer breeze of a song, the video goes on a nighttime cycle around Los Angeles ending with some fine Kraftwerk-ian neon light dancing!

It’s the latest track to be lifted from the Dubliner’s Vibrating At The Speed Of Light album, which also includes the emotive ‘We’re Listening To David Bowie’.

With a list of favourite artists that includes A-ha, R.E.M., The Beach Boys, AIR, The Monkees, Phil Spector, Mercury Rev and the aforementioned Mr. B, the record stops-off in some very interesting musical places.

‘80s electropop fans are going to adore ‘Your Days Are Over’, the new single from Nixer, a Dublin/London duo who channel the likes of Visage, Heaven 17 and God himself, Giorgio Moroder, in thrilling fashion.

Also oozing retro class are Dublin thoroughbreds Flecks, AKA Freya Monks and Scott Halliday, who rock a mean syndrum on ‘Cinematic Heartbreak’, which sounds like it belongs on the original Top Gun soundtrack.

The striking visuals that go with it have been created by David Rooney and Karen Kelleher both of whom have Hot Press form.

Belfast singer-songwriter Quinn goes for the pop jugular with debut single ‘Trespasser’, the sophistication of which belies the fact that it was dashed out on an acoustic guitar in just twenty minutes in 2016 during a visit to Versailles.

Well travelled before lockdown kicked in – New York, Amsterdam, Dublin, Cambridge, Manchester, Dubai and Nashville are just a few of the places she’s played – Quinn is managed by the same dootdootmusic outfit that looks after Brian Houston, Bella & The Bear, Eilis and Pine The Pilcrow.

Having built up a healthy following supporting the likes of David Keenan and Hermitage Green, 21-year-old Co. Down singer-songwriter Jack Devlin releases his appropriately titled debut single, ‘Summer’.

With a voice that swoops and soars in all the right places – he gets extra marks for singing in his own accent – and nods to the likes of Jeff Buckley and Paolo Nutini, the commercial potential is obvious.

He’s also the man behind Evening Noise, a showcase night that ran - and will run again, hopefully – in Belfast’s Juice Jar.

Gothy Drogheda types – we don’t write that very often – Pale Blue Moon were justifiably chuffed with themselves earlier this month when they topped the Irish Rock Chart with ‘It’s Not Real’.

Fronted by Shane Kelly who’s back in action after a serious stroke, the big sound is down in part to American producer Brian Sperber who’s previously worked with Moby, Feeder, Madonna and Staind.

Its parent album, The Pleasure Of Finding Things Out, will be with us on July 27.

Not a million miles removed musically from Ghost, we can imagine them doing great festival business in countries like Germany, Belgium and Italy where they’re not so hung-up on haircuts.

If it’s cool grooves you’re after, look no further than Elaine Mai’s shimmering ‘Somewhere Else’, which would be packing dancefloors if clubs were open.

Coming up soon on hotpress.com is the premiere of ‘My People’, a new song from Steo Wall, which celebrates the massive contribution made by Travellers to traditional Irish music.

“It also has so much relevance with what’s going on in the world with the #BLM movement and the parallels between our black brothers and sisters in America and our Traveller brothers and sisters here at home,” reflects the Dublin rapper who’s put together a very special video to go with it.