Every month we take a look back at the best new releases from Northern Ireland in our featured playlist. A showcase for the sheer amount of talent coming out of the North, and a playlist worthy of repeat listening. This month’s cover artist is Amerik.
Featured tracks
Amerik ft Travi the Native – Ivory
“This track was birthed out of Travi’s and my personal circumstances with long distance relationships. Trying to deepen a relationship through FaceTime and just do normal couple things as best we can and hoping the other person is committed as you are to this.” Amerik
Conchúr White – Go Easy
White’s a student of the songwriter game – as evidenced by the wide variety in his releases since emerging a solo artist in the last two years. Spanning retro-rock to space folk, White’s latest is more firmly grounded in the world of the indie singer-songwriter. Abandoning the colourful movements of his first EP in favour of sparse, sheer arrangements and a gentle vocal delivery, ‘Go Easy’ is an example of an artist unafraid to challenge his own versatility – and we’re better for it. Low-key, dark and cold, the sonic landscapes of ‘Go Easy’ are littered with eerie found sounds and keys that emphasise the empty space in and size of White’s performance – fantastic stuff. Ben Magee
Embarcadero – Tele Flop
The second single from the combined force of Sonja Sleator and Daniel Lynch embraces indie rock. Punchy and poppy guitars and shades of synth underline Sleator’s vocals. A new undertaking for the duo, one that looks to be distinct from Sleator’s own solo work. Aaron Cunningham
James Bruce – Elephant
James Bruce, colloquially known as Tree and previously operating under the name Oaks, released one of his finest to date last month. ‘Elephant’ is a typically chilled out cut from the versatile artist. Bruce’s voice comes in and out like waves around pared back keys, percussion and early hours atmosphere. Backed by remixes from This Ship Argo, frequent collaborator Rachael Boyd and Remstates. Aaron Cunningham
