Every month we take a look back at the best new releases from Northern Ireland, showcasing the sheer amount of talent coming out of the North in our featured playlist. This month’s cover artist is Niall McDowell. Words by Aaron Cunningham and Will Mac Aoidh.
Niall McDowell – I Know A Woman
I was very lucky to catch this song live earlier this year and it’s a delight to hear all of that mood and atmosphere on record, polished up more than ever. Niall McDowell is an excellent lyricist and composer, with ‘I Know A Woman’ being another prime example from a songwriter who really knows what he’s doing. The track is paired with the announcement of McDowell’s debut album ‘Put Your Hands Where I Can See Them’ later this year. WMA
Our Krypton Son – Blue Skies Over Curlew
After an absence of releases in the past few years, Derry songwriter Our Krypton Son has stepped things up again this year as he heads towards his fourth album. ‘Blue Skies Over Curlew’ is a show of strength for the artist, reflecting the kind of quietly impressive songwriting that’s won him praise over the years. There’s shades of The Beach Boys in the track’s hopeful and soft psychedelia. Our Krypton Son plays our next GIFTED show on 11 September. AC
Roisé – Television
Roisé may be more known for beautifully reimagined pop covers, but ‘Television’ proves a hell of a skill for original writing too. It’s the kind of song that would be perfect in a contemplative movie scene, a soft and pure tune with some very witty, intelligently woven lyrics that I really enjoyed. WMA
Ben Flavelle-Cobain – Soul People
A well known face around Belfast’s live scene, Flavelle-Cobain’s own releases have been less numerous than his session work with ‘Soul People’ his first release in a couple of years. The new single is a soulful message of unity with a laid back beat that calls on performances from collaboraters Célia Tiab, Jozef Dani & Matt Benson. With the easy musicality in Flavelle-Cobain’s music, we would love to hear more. AC
Casual Riots – Pleasure for Leisure
This track is almighty craic altogether. Although Casual Riots have been a force in the local scene for years, ‘Pleasure For Leisure’ marks their debut EP release. Proof that good things come to those who wait, wine gets better with age etc etc, there’s a lot of cliches I could use. The ska-style brass, busy percussion and deep, smooth vocals give a kind of raucous lounge feel that’s hard to get enough of. WMA
The Divine Comedy – Last Time I Saw The Old Man
Neil Hanon’s The Divine Comedy has 35 years of success to draw on already, so continuing to produce such high-quality, well-composed & imaginative baroque-pop is a feat in itself. Never short of inspiration, ‘The Last Time I Saw The Old Man’ has some buttery-smooth strings that’re cinematic in their melancholy and lyrics that can break your heart twice over. WMA
Mount Palomar, Makeshift Art Bar – Pass The Parcel
Producer and artist Mount Palomar has frequently sought out a range of collaborators for his music, and the latest fits like a glove. Recruiting fast-rising Makeshift Art Bar for the pulsing ‘Pass the Parcel’, the band’s frontman Joseph Sweeney brings out the track’s atmospherics. The end result is a collaboration with shades of labelmates Chalk, as Mount Palomar gears up for his first EP on Nice Swan Records. AC
Beauty Sleep – Unfamiliar
Paired with a re-release of ‘BIG + BAD’, ‘Unfamiliar’ has perhaps taken a backseat but its quintessential Beauty Sleep. Robotic dual vocals are at the forefront, contrasting with the heart on its sleeve emotions in the song. That emotional back and forth sits among some fine pop melodies. AC
Playlist
