New Irish Songs To Hear This Week

M(h)aol, ‘Bored Of Men’

The Irish intersectional feminist post-punk outfit have shared their brand new single, following last year's raw debut EP Gender Studies. The song features a captivating drum beat from Constance Keane (aka Fears) and their trademark punchy lyricism while industrial noise-rock guitar riffs propels the track forward.

Let's be real, switching on the news is a draining daily occurrence when it comes to a certain facet of society having all the power, and abusing it. 'Bored of Men' tackles that head on, with Róisín Nic Ghearailt using repetition and a monotonous vocal sound to drive the point home. "We can make all the effort and do all the change but I don't know what to do with this masculine rage / I'm so bored," she drawls. They were a Body & Soul highlight for good reason.

Maria Kelly feat. Sammy Copley, 'nobody but me (postcards version)'

As she readies herself to support Orla Gartland across Ireland, alt-folk star Maria Kelly has released ‘nobody but me (postcards version)’ featuring the vocals of singer/songwriter and YouTube sensation Sammy Copley via VETA Music. The song, which is ultimately one of resilience in spite of self-doubt, gains new meaning as the pair’s voices build upon one other. Gentle piano and waves of synth build up the melodies beautifully.

“Sammy’s voice is just stunning, and I genuinely feel very lucky that he agreed to sing this song with me,” Maria says of the revisited song. “The original album track is as simple and soft - yet there’s something about this piano version with Sammy that adds weight to the meaning; the sadness of finding yourself in a difficult place, and the energy it takes to pull yourself back out of it.”

Maria Kelly.

Deadbeat Drew, ‘Nothing Stranger’

Mayo-based alternative/electronic artist Barry Mullaney (aka Deadbeat Drew) is back with a U-turn after his last release, 'Pick Up The Phone'. 'Nothing Stranger' incorporates elements of folk, Ameriana and '70s pop into his usual sound of psychedelic electronica.

“I think this song is about me giving myself the opportunity to make mistakes and not to beat myself up over it, and not focus too much on trivial things that don't really make any impact on my life or on the lives of others," Barry explains. "I've been focussing on my writing a lot over the tail end of the pandemic, and really making an effort to craft more stories in my music that I feel are true to issues I've been going through personally."

The Jonah Medal, 'Dopey's Song'

Bjorn Baillie (aka the Jonah Medal, former La Rocca musician) has shared his third single in the form of 'Dopey's Song', following last year's 'Septembering' and 'From M to M'. Dopey's Song' begins with nostalgic, soothing piano chords and a warm melody. An acoustic guitar melody joins the piano, as Bjorn's raw vocals remain strong and powerful - evoking Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

'Dopey's Song' is a quaint childhood tale about not realising what he was missing until he fell in love. "From the moment that he'd seen her / sleeping in that old shed / he kept a little dream inside his mind," he croons. "But what would all the other boys have said?" Strings further the poignant energy of the song, which exudes the atmosphere of country-rock and traditional story craft.

Patrick Stefan, ‘Dancing Alone In The Moonlight’

The quirky Irish-Dutch artist has shared the second single from his upcoming debut album Wayfare, out September 23rd. ‘Drinking alone in the moonlight’ takes its name from an 8th Century poem by Li Bai, with the fascinating song recorded at Black Mountain studios and mixed by Alex Borwick.

“I wrote the song first on a Finnish Kantele - a child’s harp, then brought it to life with a guitar accompaniment and strings that reminded me of Nick Drake in a classic 50s movie," Stefan says. "To a Taoist, Li Bai's drunkenness would not be seen as a vice: I like to connect the idea of drink & dancing alone with your shadow to Carl Jung’s idea of the ‘shadow self’ - the dance with the part of you that you keep hidden.”

Patrick Stefan.

Morning Midnight, ‘Blurry’

Having amassed over 2 million Spotify streams from their debut EP Swimming Lessons, Scottish/Irish duo Jordan Scott and Jess Pascal are excited to show the world what they've been working on. The acoustic guitar-driven song features beautifully layered vocals and confessional lyricism at its core. Look out for their upcoming debut album Happy Hour - out in October 2022 on Faction Records.

"This song is just my attempt to understand my own mind," Scott declares. "We have a history of mental health issues in our family and I wanted to try and find a through line from my own thoughts and feelings to the people who came before me. As a society we’re still coming to terms with trying to understand mental health and as a result the process can get quite messy, so I guess this is just me working through that in my own way."

Plastic Cowboys, 'Mundane Ecstasy'

This single is the last release before the band's next EP, Effort - which will be released in September 2022. The Dublin-based band used the lockdowns to release their debut EP Splinter and their singles 'Clichéd Ciggy Smoker' and 'Time is Feeling Inadequate'. With Liam Gallagher-like vocals and a blend of punk, rock and indie; Mundane Ecstacy' has a driving chorus that belongs in the live scene. "Had adolescence have it’s turn/The night skies daylight would shine like none before/Juxtaposed upon the floor/Calling out for more."

The vocals, guitar and bass were all recorded by the band at home, with the drums recorded at Daylight Studios by Fiachra Kinder. The track was mastered by Daniel Doherty at Darklands Audio (Fontaines D.C./Somebodys Child). The quartet will perform at the single launch tonight Upstairs in Whelan's, with support from Lauren Ann.

Kevin Neary, ‘Man of Faith’

Likened to artists such as Dermot Kennedy, Hozier, Matt Corby, Gavin James, Paolo Nutini and Tom Odell; 27-year-old Galway native Kevin Neary started out his career from humble busking roots. Raw vocals are Neary's ultimate bread and butter, and 'Man of Faith' is no different. An explosive, crescendo-like chorus is well-earned, with his gravelly tone adding a blues element.

Produced by Michael Heffernan (Dermot Kennedy, The Script, Gavin Friday, Swedish House Mafia, The Coronas), 'Man of Faith' is a fiercely romantic new offering. Keala Settle, who is best known for her take as the 'Bearded Lady' in The Greatest Showman, boosted the song on her Instagram after catching his Bruxelles set.

Kevin Neary.

Dylon Jack, ‘On U’

The Irish alt-pop artist's forthcoming debut EP was produced by Adam Redmond (Milk, modernlove, Just Wondering) and is creating significant interest from the major labels ahead of its release. He's unlikely to stay unsigned for very long, if you ask us - especially after his infectious debut single 'Director' arrived in 2020.

'On U' is equally addictive, dripping in synths and an indie-pop beat driving the track. Dylon's silky vocals and textured pop melodies evoke the tracks of 49th & Main, Alfie Templeman, APRE, Frank Moody and more. It's the perfect, slickly-produced summer track for getting ready to head out or mellowing a house party.

Anna Carmody, 'I'm The Fool'

The title track from her debut album – also released today – 'I'm The Fool' cements Anna Carmody's ever-growing reputation as a serious one-to-watch. The Offaly singer-songwriter references the dual meaning of 'the fool' in tarot card reading on the single, which showcases the rich intensity of her vocals, and her captivating emotional complexity as a songwriter.

"I moved home to Offaly at the start of the pandemic, and the peacefulness of the countryside and time spent in lockdown almost forced me to reflect on past events and people," she says of the background to the album. "I'd only just written my first song that December before I moved home, and this is when I wrote the majority of the album, so some of the tracks come across as dark and haunting. I’m a fan of tarot cards and they helped me during that darker period. It seemed fitting to theme my album around tarot cards.”

Conor Hamilton-Long, ‘In My Feelings’

The Aussie-born, Dublin-based artist's new single focuses on the warmth that a significant other can provide when feeling emotionally vulnerable. Having someone around when your mental health is at a low can uplift that struggle and help you feel more present and in the moment, forgetting about your worries. Inspired by artists such as Harry Styles, Col3trane, Miguel and many more, Conor has spent the last year collaborating with producer and close friend Paul Jarvis by honing in his unique sound of R&B and pop. Catch him performing a sold out headline show at Whelan's tomorrow night (July 9th) as part of the BlueTide Music artist showcase.

Conor Hamilton-Long by fnati.c.

Ryan Ennis, ‘Close’

The 20-year-old production phenomenon has amassed 3.75 million Soundcloud streams on viral smash ‘Lick Your Lips’ and millions more on the likes of ‘That Girl’, ‘Take It Back’ and his remix of ‘Joys’ by Roberto Surace. He is also set to play Tramlines in Sheffield in July, and is also set to embark on a new Ibiza residency this summer. Alongside the likes of Belters Only and Shane Codd, Ennis marks yet another Irish house talent taking the scene by storm. 'Close' will be released via Universal Music, and features the voice of London-based vocalist Michaela. Ryan will also support Route 49 this Saturday, so he's had a stratospheric rise.

49th & Main, 'Up To Something'

The Kilkenny duo's ever-accelerating ascent to stardom continues, with the release of 'Up To Something' – a track that's also set to feature on their upcoming debut EP, Must Be Nice, out on July 22 via Ninja Tune's imprint Counter Records. Having garnered streams in their millions, it’s only a matter of time before 49th & Main explode onto the global stage – and 'Up To Something' has all the makings of a major ocean-transcending hit.

“This is a long night, forgotten conversations and empty wallets kinda tune that you just can’t help dance to," the duo say of the track.

Hannah Horan, 'Holy One'

Written and arranged by Horan and produced by fellow Dublin singer-songwriter Sarah Crean, 'Holy One' is a captivating listen from an indie artist on the up.

The stunning alternative track is inspired by the sounds of Phoebe Bridgers, Dodie and Land of Talk, and openly rips the plaster off a societal wound that still bleeds. Horan's bold transparency and illuminating diaristic tendencies of songwriting could draw any listener in. "My kingdom's coming down/Do you feel the wrath the holy one?," the song opens with a gentle guitar strumming and quiet beat. "No God above can tell me that I'm unloved/She's too nice not to notice."

"The message behind the song is, in my eyes, the most compelling part of the release," Horan tells Hot Press. "As a queer woman, it is important to speak up about the hardships of the LGBTQ+ community. 'Holy One' is an honest and personal depiction of the struggles that the queer community face. It's written and recorded with the intent to portray lyrically and sonically the hurt that LGBTQ+ people face due to religion or societal pressures."

Hannah Horan

Eoghan Moylan, 'All I Want Is Money'

Fresh off a critically acclaimed debut single, the Galway singer-songwriter is back with another contemporary pop banger - armed with an edge. The idea for 'All I Want Is Money' came from an afternoon his family spent watching old videos his father had taken of them playing in his grandfather’s field.

“It’s about gradually having the magic and wonder of childhood replaced with cold, heartless greed,” Eoghan says, after wondering where the carefree version of himself went. Blending indie-rock, pop, alternative, and disco in the form of The 1975, The Killers, Two Door Cinema Club and more; Moylan's a Renaissance man. It's no wonder the Connemara man studied software engineering in university, having discovered digital synthesizers for a uniquely electronic narrative voice in his music.

Versey, 'Too Wavy', feat. Jah1 & Txreek

Flying the flag for Ballybrack, Versey returns with 'Too Wavy' – which also features guest slots from American artist Txreek and Monkstown Farm's rising star Jah1, fresh from his stand-out appearance on the collaborative track 'Crease'. Versey previously made a serious splash with his star-studded 2019 release Ballybrack: The Album, including appearances from the likes of Paul Howard, Redzer, Terawrizt, Slick Bullet, Steo Wall, Michele Feeney, Jah1 and more. 'Too Wavy' is the rapper's latest feel-good summer offering, following his recent single 'Begging You Please.'

"Go run that up," Versey wrote on Instagram today. "This is a summer banger."

The Butterfly Graveyard, ‘Bethesda Row’

Bringing a fragile, dream-like ambience to Irish alt-folk, the Cork artist draws inspiration from the likes of Nick Cave and Nick Drake on his latest release – which takes its title from a row of houses he used to regularly pass when walking through his city. Even at its most delicate, there’s a rawness to the approach that’s instantly captivating.

"I walked passed Bethesda Row every morning for years on my way to work," he explains. "I passed the same faces at the same time every single morning and of course, she was there among them. She walked down Bethesda Row, not so much like Monica Bellucci in Malena but more like Audrey Tautou in Amélie. Almost unaware of her beauty, wearing it lightly like a summer dress.

"Then of course one morning she was gone, and the next morning and the next. I never saw her again. I often wondered what happened to her and where did she go. A new job, and maybe a new city I presume. There was nothing left to do but write a song about her."

EDEN, 'Balling'

One of the country's most thrilling alternative pop prospects continues to expand his sound on 'Balling' – arriving just a month after his latest single, 'Modern Warfare'. Featuring captivating production, the new track further establishes EDEN as fearlessly introspective artist, following in the footsteps of the legendary likes of Frank Ocean.

"At the core of this song is loss," he explains. "I lost two friends over the space of two years to different but equally tragic circumstances. On one hand it is trying to reconcile the sun-drenched memories, and feelings associated with remembrance, with the prospect of impermanence, and finality. On the other, it contemplates feelings of not being there enough for people you love, even though sometimes there is nothing more to do.

"The way I was living at the time in response was fast and borderline impulsive. I think there is self care at times in flippancy. This song is really about support, care, and acceptance – both for yourself and those around you. Soothing the friction burns that come from the rug being pulled from under you."

EDEN

Listen to the playlist in full below.