Lockdowns may be easing, but the quality of Irish music shows no sign of letting up, with April another month of wonderful new music from around Ireland. Aaron Cunningham and Ben Magee select some of their favourite releases of the month, including cover artist Maria Kelly, all handily found in our rotating playlist.
Maria Kelly – Martha
‘Martha’ is a beautifully textured and personal prelude to Maria Kelly’s debut album, a record that reflects on her early 20s. Her first release in over a year and well worth the wait. Delicate and vocals meld with reassuring voice notes from a friend and a wonderful chorus. AC
Villagers – The First Day
Starting off with a lo-fi crackle, Conor O’Brien’s new track blooms into a colourful psych-pop kaleidoscope of brass, keys and choir vocals. His last album seems to have flipped a switch, with the folk roots barely perceptible amidst the jazzy, soulful swoon of this bold new track. BM
J Smith – Blood Orange
Another simply gorgeous single from J Smith, ‘Blood Orange’ is a lush look at re-igniting love and passion, and knowing the pitfalls ahead. Shades of a soulful Radiohead, a hypnotic rhythm carries Smith’s quietly impassioned vocals and guitar. The video features Smith and his wife Ffion, spun around new, home and stock footage. AC
Smoothboi Ezra – Stuck
Bedroom pop maestro Ezra returns with a track that combines their indie background with low key arrangements and wavey, indigo production. A fantastic lyricist, with ‘Stuck’ being no exception, Ezra’s got a talent for pulling together zeitgeist capturing tracks from outsider genres. BM
The Altered Hours – All Amnesia
The Cork city band bring forth a new chapter with ‘All Amnesia’ and signing to Pizza Pizza Records. A long awaited return for the acclaimed The Altered Hours, a song about living in the moment with angular art punk that’s awash with psychedelia. AC
The X Collective – WB
Jazzy funk pop with plenty of teeth and swagger, there’s also some mid-2000’s Carrie Underwood vibes in the undercurrent? I love this debut track from The X Collective, in all of its brassy, unrestrained flair. BM
Travi the Native – TIRED
One of many greats from the first EP under Travis Gilbert’s new moniker. Killer production transports a song that bemoans bad luck, feeling left behind and keeping one’s head up at the age of 26. Few, north or south, can boast the pop songwriting talents of Travi the Native. AC
Ra Gerra – Pressure
A collaborative project that enlists the talents of Kobina and MuRli, Ra Gerra has an air raid siren urgency. ‘Pressure’ combines drone, techno and rap into an arresting 4-minute composition that never takes its foot off the pedal. BM
Still Blue – Maybe Baby
Dublin duo Still Blue uncork the sparkling indie pop with their debut single ‘Maybe Baby’. A straight-up, put down song that nonetheless doesn’t stop pleasing from start to finish, complete with catchy hooks, indie guitar and handclaps. AC
Soda Blonde – In the Heat of the Night
Stompy, synth, 80’s heat and vibes on the next single from the upcoming SB debut album. Production on the vocals, both lead and backing, give Kate Bush vibes but the backline is more akin to the alt-rock of the late 20th century. A ballad-esque track to get lost in. BM
Sinead O’Brien – Kid Stuff
The energy exuding from the jangly post-punk poetry of ‘Kid Stuff’ makes for an engaging listen. O’Brien’s unique delivery fights with idiosyncratic, persistent riffs and rhythms. AC
Biig Piig – Lavender
Lo-fi production, hip hop and indie pop meld in a colourful swirl off the lead single from the Irish/Spanish songwriter;s new EP. ‘Lavender”s playful manipulations of created sounds that supplement brass weaponise quieter parts of the trick unexpectedly, making this a low-key track that you can’t take your ears off for a second. BM
Ugolino – Early Hours
A jazzed up, slowed down slice of hip hop from Dublin’s Ugolino that reflects the morning after the night before. The downtrodden lyrical delivery of Shane Richardson is enriched and enlivened by snippets of sax, piano and the uplifting vocal lines of Leah Tiernan. AC
Big Love – Lily
A debut single from two Dublin lads, ‘Lily’ is a slow building folk song built around a single looped guitar pattern. On top of this of course are strong vocals and instrumentals that rise and fall before the eventual big crescendo. Yes, I’m a sucker for those big trumpet moments. AC
Kojaque – Town’s Dead
Paying homage to his hometown by sampling local legends Girl Band, Kojaque embraces the alt-punk side of hip hop on Town’s Dead. The lead single from his second album of the same name, it seems to signal a seismic shift in the dublin rapper’s sound away from the jazzy hum of his choice award nominated debut. BM
Tebi Rex feat ROE – Hanging with Trees
The versatile alt hip hop duo recruit ROE for their second single of 2021. ‘Hanging with Trees’ doesn’t take itself too seriously – “you’re in her DMs but I’m in her Discover Weekly”. An almost melancholic verse from ROE opens the track before it shoots off in all sorts of directions. AC
Neomadic, Shiv – Waves
As the first lyric of the track suggests, this track is proper bliss. The golden drip of guest vocalist Shiv pairs expertly with the chilled wordplay of Neomadic’s duel rappers. A track for drifting torugh orange rivers under purple skies, I cant get enough of this. BM
Orla Gartland – Zombie!
Release your album Orla. Do it. Orla. Do it please. BM
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