GET YOUR EARS around this lot.
1. Sive – By the Shore
Sive aka Sadhbh O’Sullivan is from Kildare and creates music in between pop, folk, acoustic and er, jazz. Her debut, The Roaring Girl, was released this year and it’s a journey from top to bottom.
2. Wyvern Lingo – Sadie
Perhaps one of the most catchiest Irish tracks released this year, Karen, Caoimhe, and Saoirse are off to a very promising start to the new year. Stay tuned for their album, due in February.
3. Áine Cahill – Plastic
Cavan gal Áine is a recognisable name on the Irish music scene already, but 2017 brought us the wonderful Plastic. The song was playlisted on 2fm and got played on Jo Whiley’s BBC 2 show. No wonder, it’s excellent.
4. Saint Sister – Causing Trouble
Morgan McIntyre and Gemma Doherty just keep getting stronger at their unique ‘atmosfolk’ genre. Causing Trouble is as haunting as it is jaunty, as hasn’t left our playlist since it was released.
5. Pillow Queens – Rats
Dublin’s all girl group released this playful bop that couldn’t be more Irish if it tried. This’ll take you back to your Sum 41 days, in the best possible way.
6. Soulé – What Do You Know
Dublin-based Soulé makes music with SOUL. She is the badass you’ve wanted to be all your life, but you’re just gonna have to settle with walking around with this playing through your earphones. The video is deadly too.
7. AE MAK – I Walk
Weird and wonderful, Ellie McMahon and Aoife McCann have certainly put their own stamp on art pop. Teamed with unique visuals from Dublin artists, this pair have one of the freshest sounds to come out of Dublin in a while.
8. Róisín O – Warn Me Of Silence
Róisín has long established herself as a major part of the Irish music scene. Isn’t she Mary Black’s daughter! Don’t let that influence you, this track got mainstream attention when it was played at the end of Striking Out on RTÉ 1.
9. Laoise – Half Way
Galway woman Laoise takes electro-pop to a whole new level of calming. She manages to get in a classic Celtic sound to a wholly modern and haunting track. Masterful.
10. Rosie Carney - Awake Me
Finally, we have Rosie Carney. The Donegal singer penned this track after opening up about her battle with depression and anorexia. It’s soothing and almost a relief in its haziness.
