Every month sees more and more great Irish music released to the world. Aaron Cunningham selects some of our favourite releases of last month, including cover artist J Smith. All found in our rotating playlist.
J Smith – Desireland
Irish songwriter J Smith takes another step towards his second full length I Stood There Naked, out late October. ‘Desireland’ is an upbeat track about family and vitality, recorded with friends and collaborators. Smith shared a common sentiment about releasing something so ‘spritely’ with the state of the world, but this kind of positivity is sorely needed.
Chris Wong – For Me I Try
Chris Wong’s ‘For Me I Try’ is a heartfelt track with an easy-going nature. One-fifth of Papa Romeo, Wong has released a handful of solo tracks over the past few years, building up to his debut EP out this September. ‘For Me I Try’ showcases his R&B infused soulful songwriting.
Negro Impacto – BLUE
Dundalk duo released a gorgeous new EP TV Dreams last month, a release that mixes elements of R&B and neo-soul. The band were one of the absolute highlights of August’s Under the Drum festival, and that same energy was captured in studio. ‘BLUE’ features a laid back flow and textured production weaving in a spoken word sample about Black-Irish.
Tebi Rex ft Becky McNeice – And I’m Mad
Duo Tebi Rex are bowing out with their third and final album Fin. released last month. Their genre-pushing tracks born out of rap and hip-hop has found them an audience island-wide. At the centre of their closing chapter is ‘And I’m Mad’, which features vocals from Belfast’s own Becky McNeice. A track on loss that provides one of the album’s finest moments.
The Awning – Boann
Another two-piece this month with a new single from folk-duo The Awning. The pair have released a string of singles since their emergence just over a year ago. Strong but soft vocal harmonies take the lead in a song that deftly builds from the bare to the cinematic and fades away again.
THUMPER / Anamoe Drive – The Rip
A rather unusual double release this month, as Oisin Leahy Furlong unveils two versions of a single track. Frontman of psych rock band THUMPER and solo artist under the name Anamoe Drive, the songwriter gives us two contrasting renditions. THUMPER lives up to their name with a pulsating run-through, while Anamoe Drive’s uncapitalised ‘the rip’ lets the song’s lyrics and anxieties ring out over a bare acoustic base.
Playlist
