Here's five Irish tracks to check out ahead of the weekend, four new ones and one throwback to make you feel nostalgic. For all the best in Irish music, check out Irish Beats with Rob O'Connor every Sunday at 8pm on Beat 102-103.
James Vincent McMorrow
Grapefruit Season
James Vincent McMorrow released his brand new album ‘Grapefruit Season’ on Friday 17th September, available on Columbia Records. The project features lead single ‘Paradise’ as well as teaser singles ‘Headlights’, ‘Gone’, and ‘I Should Go’ (with Kenny Beats). Having made a welcome return to the festival circuit this summer - as well as playing Ireland’s first major gig since the pandemic - James is due to begin a tour of the UK and continental Europe in October.
Kynsy
Mr Nice Guy
Kynsy, the solo project of the 23 year-old Irish multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Ciara Lindsey, today shares a brand new single and video, “Mr Nice Guy”. The song is co-produced by Kynsy and James Dring (Gorillaz / Jamie T / Sorry) and sees Kynsy bring a swaggering, synth-drenched atmosphere to the detached nonchalance of her lyrics.
Havvk
Halfway Out
‘Levelling’ is the second album from alt-grunge trio HAVVK, released on Friday 17th September 2021. ‘Halfway Out’ is the final single to be released from ‘Levelling’. It follows the success of ‘Automatic’, ‘Home’ and ‘No Patience’, which have all received excellent radio play worldwide. Halfway Out is a song about disengaging from life and from going through the motions.
Emperor of Ice-Cream
Weather Vane
Cork’s Emperors of Ice-Cream latest single is ‘Weather Vane.’ The band captures the zeitgeist of this isolationist day and age, where social relations can be somewhat strained. Moods, motives and expectations can sometimes make us feel like we are caught up in a tornado of emotions when a relationship hits a rocky patch. This song is about the hope that remains even when things are falling apart.
Throwback Track of the Week:
Whipping Boy
When We Were Young
Heartworm by Whipping Boy is one of the greatest Irish album of the 90s (arguably the greatest?) and recently been remastered and reissued on vinyl. The initial run sold out almost instantly and the band have gone back for a second pressing, demonstrating there’s life in the old dogs yet …
