Every month sees more and more great Irish music released to the world. Aaron Cunningham and Martha Greer select some of their favourite releases of last month, including cover artist Elaine Malone. All found in our rotating playlist.
Elaine Malone – Moontread
Elaine Malone has made her own psych-pop extravaganza as she incorporates touches of 90s grunge and shoegaze in the hair-raising siren that is ‘Moontread’, released on Pizza Pizza Records. MG
Maija Sofia – Four Winters
Maija Sofia’s first release in a year comes alongside news of album number two, and a Belfast show, this September. A striking track that explores destructive relationships within the otherworldly grandeur of Sofia’s musical approach. AC
Sprints – Adore Adore Adore
Sprints return with the punchy and important message of ‘Adore Adore Adore’ as lead vocalist Karla Chubb reflects on her experiences as a woman fronting a punk band. Full of rage, it feels personal, and the vigorous instrumentation only backs up this sentiment even more. MG
Adore – Postcards
A debut single from Irish three-piece Adore, ‘Postcards’ delivers the band’s punk edge through quiet/loud riffs and dual vocals. Punk with shades of garage rock ala Band of Skulls, and a strong chorus to top it all off. AC
Rachael Lavelle – Let Me Unlock Your Full Potential
Her first release since 2019, Rachael Lavelle’s ‘Let Me Unlock Your Full Potential’ is glistening and galactic. The dreamy indie-pop track, that speaks of taking responsibility in unlocking one’s potential, will be remembered for its soul-stirring abilities. MG
Aoife Wolf – A Ringing in the Ear
Belfast based, Offaly born artist Aoife Wolf’s first release since last November’s The Wetlands EP continues last year’s rich vein of form. Wolf’s smokey and genuine vocal fits perfectly into the track’s psych folk, as sharp notes of trombone punctuate the woozy melancholia. AC
Garrett Laurie – All About Me
There is something beautifully fragile about Garrett Laurie’s heartbreaking piano ballad ‘All About Me’ that is bound to take listeners back to the early years of Lana Del Ray and Lorde. The rich vocal layering is haunting whilst the electronic ending takes the song in a new direction. MG
The Low Field – Heaviness
One half of a double single release from Limerick based band The Low Field, ‘Heaviness’ simmers slowly with muted percussion and a simple guitar motif before building to a crescendo. A great pairing alongside its other half, ‘Tachycardia’. AC
Big Sleep – Easy
It’s easy to say that Big Sleep have created the song of the summer with their latest single ‘Easy’. The pinacol of indie-rock, there’s no escaping the trance inducing jangly guitar refrains and effortless vocals. MG
Sheerbuzz – Talk To
Donegal lads Sheerbuzz release their first new music in three years with the likeable ‘Talk To’. The track’s indie credentials mix with its melding of genres and a chorus that charms with Britpop backing vocals. A release that saw the band return to the live stage for their biggest hometown show to date. AC
GENMA – How Bad
GEMNA have certainly started to carved their own path with this unwavering debut release. ‘How Bad’ plays with ideas of heavy alternative noise whilst reflecting the groups piercing shoegaze-like influences in dramatic fashion. MG
Parker – Home With You
Derry three-piece Parker deliver on the promise of their live show and singles with debut album Never Let This Go. ‘Home With You’ sits on the softer side of the album, both musically and emotionally but there’s still a driving tempo under frontman Dylan Bradley’s vocals. A track that sits well within the band’s college rock influences, and an example of the great production throughout the record. AC
CMAT – Have Fun!
Filled with funky bass lines and the odd string section, ‘Have Fun’ is the first tease from CMAT’s sophomore album, ‘Crazymad, For Me’. The repetitive bounce of the piano is ever so addictive, not to mention the relatability of the song’s lyrics. MG
Cooks But We’re Chefs – Secret Chord
There’s a lot of buzz around Cooks But We’re Chefs, particularly when it comes to their live shows. ‘Secret Chord’, their first single of the year, is a pretty stellar blend of styles from hip hop to jazz. Multiple vocalists and numerous genres are weaved through the track’s various movements. AC
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