The Last Mixed Tape looks back at the last four weeks to pick out some of the stand-out tracks coming out of Ireland featuring Rosie Carney, Blushing Boy, Luz, Vernon Jane, Pine The Pilcrow, Senu, Fia Moon, Patricia Lalor, Siights, Megan Nic Ruairí & more.
Pine The Pilcrow – If It’s True
Pine The Pilcrow mark their return with the texturally weighty ‘If It’s True’. Set to a deep reverberant background, the song weaves, falls and builds to an intense and captivating finale.
Fields – Lincoln
‘Lincoln’ is immersively atmospheric offering from Fields that resonates with a full-bodied indie-folk production and a shuddering harmonic undercurrent.
Luz – I’m Lonely
A track wrapped up in emotion, ‘I’m Lonely’ finds rising songwriting Luz delivering a driven vocal performance that pushes the intensity of the song with each passing verse.
Siights – Blue Skies
Taken from Siights self-titled debut E.P, ‘Blue Skies’ finds the duo playing with deft melodies, an intricately building beat and a vivid ambitious alt-pop production that matches the intent.
Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra – Love
A soaring new release from Ryan Vail & Elma Orkestra, the wide-open sound of ‘Love’ is refreshing in the sheer space, dynamic flow and glistening musicality that binds it together.
Moylan – It’s Alright
A subtle ballad from Moylan, ‘It’s Alright’ has a handcrafted beauty to it that gently moves to the enchanting sound of Moylan’s voice.
Ciaran Lavery – Count To Ten
An instantly striking new single from Ciaran Lavery, the unrelenting forward motion, clicking beat and interlocking melody of ‘Count To Ten’ has an immediacy and intent to it that’s hard to ignore.
Megan Nic Ruairí – Can’t Trust The Moon
A dreamlike indie-folk sound washes over ‘Can’t Trust The Moon’, working as a deftly crafted, deeply atmospheric and enchanting introduction to the music and intricate songwriting of Megan Nic Ruairí.
Junk Drawer – What I’ve Learned / What I’m Learning
A brooding, scratching, fuzzing offering from Junk Drawer, the heavy-handed sound of ‘What I’ve Learned / What I’m Learning’ is a lasting one.
Toby Kaar – Fierce Fancy
A pulsing buzz of a track, Toby Kaar’s ‘Fierce Fancy’ is an intricate yet vivid piece that locks a myriad of sounds together into one vibrant music.
Fia Moon – better days
Awash with lush alt-pop production, a forward-moving beat and beautifully crafted and emotionally driven vocals, Fia Moon’s new single ‘better days’ excdes the ambition behind with a sound that has layers.
Rosie Carney – i spoke to god
Taken from Rosie Carney’s i dreamed i was the night E.P, ‘i spoke to god’ is a simple beautiful offering from the songwriter drenched in reverberant dreamlike sound, deep intricate beat and Carney’s soaring vocal that enchants with each weave melody and word.
Senu – Jetlag 7 (Matthew)
A wonderfully constructed offering from Senu, ‘Jetlag 7 (Matthew)’ moves with a plethora of pops and clicks that meld into one big tapestry of widescreen sound.
1000 Beasts (feat. Alex Tierney) – 5 Points
Atmospheric-pop at its most textural, 1000 Beasts and Alex Tierney team up on the sonically rich and far-reaching new single ‘5 Points’.
Andi – Hermit
A deep dark journey into sharp-edged guitars, a pounding drum beat and an enthralling central vocal, the brooding art-rock of Andi’s ‘Hermit’ makes a statement.
Patricia Lalor – Sleep Talk
Immersive, hazy dream-pop ‘Sleep Talk’ is a captivating offer from Patricia Lalor that creates a lush mood-driven atmosphere that lasts long after listening.
The Valmonts – Yesterday Kids
The Valmonts make a statement with their debut offering, the shimmering indie-pop banger ‘Yesterday Kids’. Bustling with a big, ambitious music that melds a myriad of hooks, hamronies and beats into one widescreen pop sound, the group’s first outing is one that swings for the fences.
Vernon Jane – Fuck Her
Taken from their forthcoming debut record The Ritual Of Love Of Making, ‘Fuck Her’ is a visceral primal scream that holds nothing back both musically and lyrically.
Bullet Girl – Hatred
A buzzsaw offering from Bullet Girl, ‘Hatred’ rumbles and broods as the band deliver a gloriously ragged post-punk sound with a snarl.
The Elephant Room – Fillipoff
‘Fillipoff’ is a jangled, deeply hazy indie-pop offering from the Elephant Room that bounces from hook to hook with ease and flow.
Slaney – Shy Away
A sublime intricate vivid-pop offering from Slaney, ‘Shy Away’ has a vibrancy to that comes to life via a shimmering beat, lush harmonies and a gently placed vocal performance.
Benny Smiles – When We Touch
A sublime dive into the world of synth-pop, Benny Smiles driving new single ‘When We Touch’ is alive with pulsing flourishes of electronic brilliance.
Munky – Closed Door Policy
Munky return with the disco-punk banger ‘Closed Door Policy’, a track that melds a myriad of sounds and styles into one tightly woven blend of funk, indie and psych-pop.
Moncrieff – In My Room
Moncrieff’s ‘In My Room’ finds the songwriter coming to terms with the current pandemic via a raw, stark and melancholic alt-pop ballad that weaves a rich tapestry of texture and meaning. (All proceeds from this song are going to ISPPC Childline – who have seen a dramatic increase in calls since the pandemic began)
Columbia Mills – Car Crash TV
The opening track from Columbia Mills sophomore album CCTV (read TLMT’s full review – here), ‘Car Crash TV’ captures the patient dynamic push and pull of the record via a song that’s filled with space and emotive weight.
Naoise Roo – Ocean
Taken from Naoise Roo’s new E.P. Sick Girlfriend (out today), ‘Ocean’ closes the record with the a slow rumble and brooding vocal that commands your attention while hightlight the impactful presence of Roo’s music.
Blushing Boy – Lolita
The sophomore single from post-punk act Blushing Boy, ‘Lolita’ makes for a biting new release brought to the fore via a spiky yet captivating central vocal performance, brooding guitar work and a sharp-edged beat.
Fields – Berlin
Wrapped in depthful atmospheric folk sounds, ‘Berlin’ (taken from Field’s debut The Silence Of Staying In) is beautifully set centrepeice in the group’s new album.
Fiona Harte – Sugar Coating
A shimmer filled offering from Fiona Harte, ‘Sugar Coating’ has a serene alt-pop sound that cetnres around Harte’s intimate vocal, making for a captivating track.
CMAT – Another Day (kfc)
A simply brilliant debut offering from CMAT, ‘Another Day (kfc)’ merges indie-pop and alt-country in a wonderfully vivid single with some of the best and relatable storytelling songwriting released this year.
Barq – Thanks For The Night
A pulsating new track from Barq, ‘Thanks For The Night’ finds the band commiting to a vivid, highy-stylised production that never lets up resulting in their most striking work to date.
Neosupervital – We Are Not Alone
Neosupervital returns with the expansive synth-pop of ‘We Are Not Alone’, a track that creates a spwarling sense of space via a crashing electronic beat, distant textures and persistant vocal delivery.
Brenna Carroll – Something
A deeply atmospheric alt-pop offering from Brenna Carroll, ‘Something’ has a power to it that plays out through the crashing beat, washing soundscape and enthralling vocal performance.
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