We love to focus our attention on musicians and bands from Northern Ireland, we receive submissions from all over the world. Our No Fixed Abode feature shines a light on artists and bands from further afield that we think you should hear.
Slung – Thinking About It
Slung return to the No Fixed Abode fold with another gritty belter. The riffs are tinged with a layer of grunge, the drumming intense but there is a nice contrast with the slightly sweet vocals. Think Band of Skulls crossed with Joy Formidable and Wolf Alice and you’re somewhere close.
Clay Brown – All My Friends (Atrophy)
Australian songwriter Clay Brown has played in bands covering grunge, shoegaze and jazz but is now dipping into a more emotional and softer side. ‘All My Friends’ documents the importance of relying on your friends for support. If City and Colour tugs on your heartstrings, Brown is worth a listen.
Elise – I Don’t Mind
Much closer to home, we don’t really know how this one slipped under our radar. Kilkenny’s Elise beautifully crafted ‘I Don’t MInd’ is an engaging and moving listen. Set against the backdrop of trying not to care so much about people’s negative opinions of you, ‘I Don’t Mind’ is beautifully crafted with a moving vocal performance at the heart.
Altameda – Body Spray
Altameda take us into the realms of nostalgia dripped Americana with ‘Body Spray’. The dual vocals are have a warmth to them and that guitar has just enough of a country twang to stand out. Fans of Dawes and The War on Drugs will have this one on repeat during those late night car journeys full of contemplation.
Rowan Murphy – Heal in Hell
We really are spoilt when it comes to indie folk music from Ireland and we can add Rowan Murphy to that ever impressive list. Murphy knockss her debut single out of the park with some blues inspired guitar playing that evokes dare I say it John Mayer. Yet the main selling point of the track are those stunning vocals which we can’t wait to hear more of.
Halle Payne – Psychosomatic
Originally from the US but now based in London, Halle Payne is aiming big with her dramatic and captivating musical direction. This single has tinges of Lana Del Rey in the production and vocal delivery with the lyrical charm and wit of CMAT.
Martina and the Moons – Baby Turtle
The newly formed Dublin four piece are a unique prospect on the Irish scene. The beauty of the track comes from the incredible and ethereal vocals from Martina Moon. Moon through her fragile yet mesmerising vocals takes us on a slow burning journey of searching for self fulfillment.
Hidden Youth – Upright
Leeds based Hidden Youth offer up spirited alt-emo anthem ‘Upright’. From Kids in Glass Houses, You Me At Six and Hundred Reasons, their influences are clear. The vocals are unapologetically demanding and sonically it can be unrelenting but that makes the perfect basis for a track delving into the complexities of mental health.
The Wu – The Weight
Another Irish release that we missed first time round, our standards are slipping. Better late than never, we’ve discovered the driving anthems of the Wu. The Dublin band’s are not messing about with the electric single, ‘The Weight’. Their indie disco vibe is propelled along by a dynamic rhythm section that will have your foot tapping for the duration. They make pondering the realities of being a young adult in modern day Ireland effortlessly cool.
Spotify Playlist
We would recommend that you subscribe to our new rotating playlist which features all these artists below:
