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 Barq, Luz, Lydia Ford, Pillow Queens, Ailbhe Reddy, Fontaines D.C, Jafaris, Lowli, Tebi Rex, Powpig, Melina Malone, Flecks, & more.
Barq – Dive
The third in BARQ’s recent run-in sonically hefty new singles, ‘Dive’ play against a shuddered beat where the band build on the highly-stylized production with layered harmonies and cutting guitar parts.
Skinner – Dislocation
Raw, bare-bone new track from Skinner, the sharped-cornered, dynamic twisting and building intensity of ‘Dislocation’ make for the songwriters most striking single to date.
Indian Queens – Wanderlust
A centrepiece in Indian Queens stellar debut record God Is A Woman, the serene waves of a lush textural dream-pop that comprise ‘Wanderlust’ make for a fully immersive listen from start to finish.
Sive feat. Dowry – Storybook Moon
Sive and Dowry collaborate on the simply beautiful ‘Storybook Moon’. With its handcrafted sound, deftly woven strings, and captivating vocal, Sive’s latest offering is a long-lasting one.
Trophy Wife – On The Phone
An ambitious and intricate indie-pop track, Trophy Wife’s ‘On The Phone’ jangles and shimmers with a sound that swings for the fences resulting in a song filled to the brim with hooks. A song that begs to be put on repeat.
Pillow Queens – Handsome Wife
Pillow Queens have returned with the sonically vivid step forward of ‘Handsome Wife’. Taken from the group’s upcoming debut record In Waiting, the track is the band’s most expansive to date as the production matches the intensity.
Seba Safe – Drip
An expansive track, Seba Safe’s ‘Drip’ has a full-bodied sound that fills the spectrum in its three-minute running time as the epic drum beat, softly convey vocals and striking depth of field create a captivating soundscape.
Tolü Makay & Zapho feat. Jenny Browne – Collide
Created as part of the X Collective, ‘Collide’ finds Tolü Makay, Zapho and Jenny Browne collaborating on a track that has a striking textural depth made all the more impactful from the vocal harmonies that take centre stage within the strong sonic backbone.
Roisin El Cherif – Cross Your Mind
‘Cross Your Mind’ is an atmospheric and serene new single from Roisin El Cherif. Set to a slow build, the intertwined musicality and captivating performance of El Cherif make for a stunning return from the artist.
Brigid Mae Power – Wedding Of A Friend
Taken from Brigid Mae Power’s new album Head Above The Water (read TLMT review – here), ‘Wedding Of A Friend’ meld’s the enchanting, winding and soaring vocal performance with a pin-point alt-country sound that pulls you in from the get-go.
Fontaines D.C. – I Don’t Belong
Our second glimpse into the highly-anticipated A Hero’s Death, ‘I Don’t Belong’ moves a brooding pace as the tense beat, gritty guitar and deadpan vocal create a taut mood throughout this mood-driven offering.
Susie Blue – Daughter
Set against a lush alt-pop sound, Susie Blue’s textural new single ‘Daughter’ is a compelling new release that marks a strong stylistic step from the songwriter.
Lydia Ford – Overrated
An expansive new single from Lydia Ford, the raw lyrical twists and turns, vivid beat, and lush production of ‘Overrated’ is Ford’s best work to date.
Everything Shook – Stand Ajar
Everything Shook has made their return with the propellant and darkly atmospheric sound of ‘Sound Ajar’. An intense and haunting listen, its good to have the perennial TLMT favourites back.
1000 Beasts feat. Kayliegh Noble – Le Marais
1000 Beasts continues his streak of compelling singles and collaborations with ‘Le Marais’ featuring Kayliegh Noble, with its shuddering backdrop, abstract beat and tranquil vocal this latest offering is another captivating release.
EFÉ – Seven
A wonderfully serene offering, EFÉ’s ‘Seven’ has an intricate sound that finds the artist’s vocal weave itself around a production that gives space for each delicate harmonies to move and be heard.
Meljoann – O Supervisor
A highly-stylised and ambitious track, ‘O Supervisor’ is a track that cannot be ignored. Inventive, vibrant and frantic, Meljoann’s new single swings for the fences and hits the mark.
Jafaris – Glue
The snap and beat of ‘Glue’ mark the return of Jafaris with all the constant motion, interlocking delivery and singularity that we’ve come to expect from the artist with a track that pushes things forward.
Alex Tierney – Over The Maybes
A beautifully crafted debut from Alex Tierney, ‘Over The Maybes’ is an atmospherically rich and emotively entrancing offering that points to an exciting new songwriter.
Columbia Mills – Isolate
The latest single from Columbia Mills new album CCTV (read TLMT’s review – here), the driving electronic backdrop, heavy beat and growled vocal of ‘Isolate’ perfectly capture the sonic weight of its parent album.
Was Man – Season 3, Episode 11
The debut offering from Was Man, ‘Season 3, Episode 11’ is a delicately set track that plays across a handcrafted indie-folk sound filled with intricate but subtle textures, moving acoustic guitar, and evocatively delivered lyrics.
Coolgirl – Gaussian Blur
The second track from Coolgirl, ‘Gaussian Blur ‘finds us entering a widescreen synth-wave soundscape filled with interwoven pops and clicks, propellant beats and washing electronic backdrops that pass by with each driving rhythm.
Powpig – Intellectual
Powpig return with the twisting serenity of ‘Intellectual’. A song that flows with a persistent and patient atmosphere, this latest single opens the band’s sound further deftly woven harmonies, a deeply layered production and precise lyrics.
Somebody’s Child – Hold Me Like You Wanna
Swing for the fences indie-pop from Somebody’s Child, ‘Hold Me Like You Wanna’ is a highly-stylised track brimming to the top with instant hooks, big choruses and a large-scale production.
Banríon – Yesterday’s Paper
A sound made for the Last Mixed Tape, the bristling dream-pop of Banríon’s ‘Yesterday’s Paper’ hits the spot with a dynamically charged sound with jangling guitars, a full-bodied beat and captivating vocal performance.
Luz – We’ll Be Fine
Luz continues to showcase just why the songwriter has become one of Irish music scene’s rising artists with the delicate ‘We’ll Be Fine’. Centred around Luz’s emotionally driven performance, this slow-building ballad makes for a captivating listen from start to finish.
JyellowL – JeweLs
A song all about the motion, speed and snap of words, JyellowL’s new single ‘JeweLs’, the first take from his upcoming debut album 2020 D|vision, makes use of every second to delivery a lasting sound and performance.
NewDad – Cry
Atmosphere soaked dream-pop NewDad’s ‘Cry’ is a sonically dense offering with a feeling weight and contrast to the big textural guitars, background atmospherics and a serene but haunting vocal that forms the centre of the music.
Melina Malone – Ti Ein Afto
An instantly enchanting listen, Melina Malone’s ‘Ti Ein Afto’ is a rhymically rich track brought to fore with a lush production and beguiling vocal performance from Malone.
IN-IS feat. Ailbhe Reddy – Daydream
With a music as deep and rich as it is widescreen, the multi-layered slow-burn of IN-IS’s ‘Daydream’ creates the perfect soundscape for Ailbhe Reddy whose voice adds to the haunting over-arching mood of the song.
Tebi Rex – I Got My Hole
Tebi Rex make their return with the vivid new single ‘I Got My Hole’, which finds the duo weaving their expressionistic lyrical interplay around a sound that has a sense of depth and vibrance to it.
Irish Women In Harmony – Dreams
A host of Irish female artists have come together to raise funds for Safe Ireland with this beautifully crafted version of the Cranberries classic ‘Dreams’. Donate to Safe Ireland here – https://www.safeireland.ie/get-involved/how-to-fundraise-and-donate/#donatenow. To donate €4 now text SAFE to 50300. 100% of your donation goes to SAFE Ireland across most network operators. Some operators apply VAT which means that a minimum of €3.25 will go to SAFE Ireland. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 0766805278.
Ailbhe Reddy – Time Difference
The first single to be taken from Ailbhe Reddy’s upcoming debut album, ‘Time Difference’ finds Reddy delving deep into a vivid indie-pop that wraps a vibrant spectrum of sounds around the artists emotively raw songwriting, as it plays with the contrasting isolation of a long-distance relationship with the bustling nightlife of Glasgow that inspired it.
Thumper – Topher Grace
Put through a prism of sharp-edged guitars, a precise pounding beat and a growling manic vocal, Thumper return with their best work to date WITH the snarled long-form post-punk malaise of ‘Topher Grace’.
Jessy Rose – Bloom
‘Bloom’ marks the return of Jessy Rose with a solo single that finds weight in the emotional pathos, powerful vocal performance and subtle production that culminate in a striking piano ballad that has real depth to it.
Silverbacks – Up The Nurses
Silverbacks return with the short sharp shock and shuddered indie of ‘Up The Nurses’, a song that that’s a buzz with sudden dynamic jolts, jangled driving rhythm and serene vocals.
Blood Donor – Under The Sun
A deep dive into highly-stylised synth-pop, the vivid upfront sound of Blood Donor’s ‘Under The Sun’ makes for an instantly engrossing listen via the statement making hooks, crooning vocal and swing for the fences production.
Nevvv – Passionate/Stupid
A lush dive into a deeply set high-stylised sound, the self-styled WonkyPop of Nevvv’s ‘Passionate/Stupid’ is a sonically striking debut that contorts and warps the confines of alt-pop with aplomb to deliver something more nuanced and layered.
modernlove – If You Wanna See Me
Modernlove return with the deeply atmospheric ‘If You Wanna See Me’. Awash with far-reaching texture and undulating pops and clicks of sound, the group’s latest offering is a hazy journey into an expansive music.
Carron – She’s Fire
Transforming the folk roots of the original ‘She’s Fire’, this new remix of the track by Richey McCourt, expands the duo’s sound into electro-pop meets alt-pop territory with aplomb. Resulting in a impactful listen.
Lowli – Cavalry
The beautiful tapestry of weaving harmony that makes ‘Cavalry’ wraps itself around a truly enchanting vocal from songwriter Lowli, whose voice carries across a striking emotional twist and turn throughout.
Conor Adams – Head Of A Lion
Taken from his new E.P. I Admired Your Grace at the End of the World (2 for Joy), ‘Head Of A Lion’ is a compelling alt-pop ballad set against a deeply set backdrop that adds a sense of scale to the introspection.
Flecks – Cinematic Heartbreak
Continuning a strking run of mood drenched synthwave offerings, Flecks’ expansive new single ‘Cinematic Heartbreak’ is awash with vivid electronic music driven by a emotional pop core, big melodic hooks and far-recahing beats.
Midnight Wayne – Waiting / Wanting
A rolling and tumbling slice of indie-folk with a hint of psychedelic country, Midnight Wayne’s ‘Waiting / Wanting’ is a sonic kaleidoscope to immerse yourself in.
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