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 Becky McNeice. Words by Aaron Cunningham and Martha Greer.
FEATURED TRACKS
Becky McNeice – Flatline
Belfast artist Becky McNeice is rapidly gaining new fans with recent releases and live shows. ‘Flatline’, her fifth single of 2023, marries a laid back beat with electronic pop sounds and McNeice’s chilled but vulnerable vocals. AC
LARKS – Talking to Myself
Fiona O’Kane aka LARKS returns with her first new music in a few years with the sublime ‘Talking to Myself’. A stylised pop song with its retro beats and bass, underneath Larks’ mellifluous vocals. An artist with a knack for great pop songwriting, it’s good to have her back. AC
Charlie Hanlon – Who Am I? (To Say Anything)
Hailing from Downpatrick, indie rocker Charlie Hanlon has laced his most recent release with a heavy dose of exuberance and quirk as ‘Who Am I? (To Say Anything)’ continues this boy next door’s streak of energetically catchy tunes. MG
Joel Harkin – Letters From Alan To George
Joel Harkin puts into song the story of Star Wars’ ghostwriter Alan Dean Foster, and it is nothing sort of beautiful. Co-written by Ciaran Lavery, you cannot escape the superbly crafted lyrics that take listeners on a musically flourishing journey. MG
Rachel Craig – Out of my Head
‘Out of my Head’ is a wonderfully tender song about fleeting youth, thus it’s intensely relatable. It solidifies Rachel Craig as a standout indie-folk musician with its haunting guitars, swelling harmonies, and powerful ending. MG
Gareth Dunlop – Trick of the Moonlight
Amidst a busy summer of shows, supporting the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Gareth Dunlop has been looking back and putting old tracks back out into the world. The latest, ‘Trick of the Moonlight’, dates back to 2011 and Nashville, TN. A gorgeous, graceful track. AC
Lucy Bell – Quiet
Lucy Bell ties together her influences of folk and pop with the mellow tones of ‘Quiet’. Touching vocals and just as touching lyrics are met with the soul-stirring wails of strings and subtle strums of guitar, set to break your heart. MG
Casual Riots – Life Cover
The distinct sounds of Belfast five-piece Casual Riots are especially prominent in the punchy ‘Life Cover’ which is fuelled by buzzing guitars and demanding vocals, both larger than life during verses yet dreamy in the chorus. MG
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