“Ten songs that shaped the music they make”
Torpey
Born in Tulla, Co. Clare, Torpey grew up surrounded by music due to his mother, Kate Purcell, singer with the Grammy-nominated band Cherish The Ladies. He started learning the piano at age five and, in his early teens, began learning how to play his favourite pop songs by ear. At 15, he picked up the guitar having listened to bands such as The Beatles, Oasis, and The Arctic Monkeys. Over time, his taste in music expanded to include folk acts like Bon Iver and Bob Dylan. These influences combine to give Torpeys music the grounded elements of Folk along with some of the more catchy, upbeat qualities of Rock and Pop.
"I like to think of ‘Only The Good Die Young’ as falling into the camp of ‘optimistic nihilism’. It’s a song that is lyrically about feeling nihilistic about the state of the world but with music that uplifts and offers catharsis to that feeling. It was self-produced in my bedroom studio over the course of two weeks in October/November of last year and is the first single of my upcoming EP." - Torpey.
With his hooky new single 'Only The Good Die Young' out now, Torpey builds momentum for himself and plans an exciting 2025 ahead full of fresh striking music. Don't miss 'Only The Good Die Young' that dropped on March 28th, it's bound to take Torpey to new heights, this is just the beginning!
Baboii
Baboii born Alexandru Baboi, is a Dublin-based Romanian instrumentalist and producer who launched his artistic career in 2024 with the release of his debut single, March 11. Known for his engaging Instagram and TikTok reels featuring soulful guitar solos and grooves, he also documents his journey as a guitarist in Dublin on his YouTube channel.
Sleepy Days
Sleepy Days are an up-and-coming indie-rock band from Dublin, on a mission to leave their mark on the Irish music scene. Made up of Conor Dwyer (lead vocals & rhythm guitar), Michael O'Kane (lead guitar & backing vocals), Alex Ganje (bass) and Aaron Lacumber (drums), the band met while studying at BIMM Dublin, where they founded Sleepy Days after hitting it off during an impromptu recording session in the colleges' recording studio.
Bríd Lyons
Bríd Lyons is a Kilkenny-based folk musician whose songwriting blends Celtic roots with contemporary influences like Hozier, Ye Vagabonds, Lisa Hannigan, and Anna Mieke. Her sound ranges from haunting a cappella melodies to layered acoustic arrangements, all while exploring themes of nature and human experience. Having performed at prestigious venues and supported Irish folk legends like Sharon Shannon, Bríd has steadily built her reputation in the Irish music scene.
Naomi Berrill
Naomi Berrill, the internationally acclaimed cellist, composer, and singer from County Galway, now based in Florence Italy, is thrilled to announce her Spring 2024 tour across Ireland. The tour celebrates the release of her latest album, Inish, a deeply evocative collection inspired by the islands of Inishark and Inishbofin off Ireland’s west coast. Alongside the tour announcement, Naomi has released a captivating video for her song "Best Alone", offering an intimate glimpse into the haunting beauty and stories behind her music.
Strand
STRAND, formed in 2018, is a five-member indie-pop band from Finglas, North Dublin. The lineup consists of Dara Clancy (vocals), Shane Aherne (bass), David Solola and JP Roche (guitars), and Jude Finn (drums). Their sound has evolved since their early days as schoolboys, moving from a style similar to the Buzzcocks and Housemartins to a mix of indie-pop, garage-rock revival, and new wave influences.
Huntings
HUNTINGS, the duo of James and Brian Edwards, have garnered attention with singles 'Turn On', 'Doom', and 'Sparks'. Praised by music publications and featured on various radio shows, they're set to release their debut album 'Songs of Last Resort'. Inspired by submarine captains' nuclear attack orders, the 9-track album explores love, loss, relationships, and world despair. It's a retaliation against modern chaos—a potential end-of-the-world soundtrack.
HUNTINGS' sound is stripped-down yet powerful, blending Nirvana's distortion with Joy Division's tension. Their guitar-vocals-drums setup creates an unsettling atmosphere that mirrors the album's themes, evoking a constant sense of impending doom.
Laytha
Irish folk duo Laytha, cousins Niamh and Philana, are becoming best known for their carefully crafted vocal harmonies, their greatest and most unique asset. Their debut album (Nov 22) recorded with producer Declan Legge (SOAK, Jealous Of The Birds) is a reminiscence on the formative times of their shared youth, encompassing themes of daughterhood, womanhood, life in their hometown and the raw rugged landscape of Ireland. Receiving great praise from Tony Clayton-Lea's 'Irish under-the-radar acts' in The Irish Times and supported on RTE Radio 1, BBC Radio Ulster and Hot Press Magazine, their debut body of work has sparked the beginning of an exciting music career for Laytha.
Bantum
Ruairi Lynch, aka Bantum announces the release of his new self titled album, “Bantum” set to drop on October 3rd, 2024. His third album after Legion (2012) and Move (2016) marks a return to his electronic roots while incorporating a diverse range of influences across multiple genres. In anticipation of the album, Bantum will release a single titled "Bamboo" on September 5th, 2024.
Jonathan Baxter
Jonathan Baxter is a Belfast-based alternative artist who crafts his music to the ever-changing sounds of the unforgiving Belfast rain. Originally hailing from Castlederg in West Tyrone, he has found a new abode to hang his hat—or guitar, as he would say.
For Jonathan, making music is about much more than entertainment. It's about expression, challenge, and the perpetual pursuit of emotional truth. Song-writing graces him with an ability to tap into these realms and reveals a vista to his life. To boot, there is a profound joy in knowing that the songs he writes may touch someone’s heart, stir their memories, or inspire them in their own journey. It is this connection that sustains his love for song-writing, guiding him to delve deeper into his craft and seek new ways to articulate the human experience.
Having spent years playing in bands, Jonathan is now transitioning from that chapter to embark on his own solo project. As he had always been the lead songwriter, this shift felt like a natural progression for him. His latest project emerged as part of this evolution in his musical journey, a point where Jonathan felt increasingly confident that his songs were more than good enough to stand on their own.
This belief led him to reconnect with producer Ryan McGroarty, who was already acquainted with Jonathan's song-writing prowess, having mixed tracks for his previous bands. Sharing his vision, Jonathan discussed what he hoped to achieve and the wheels of creativity were soon in motion.
Jonathan sees himself as an artist of depth and true craftsmanship, seamlessly blending vibrant expression with the soul of a genuine singer-songwriter. What sets him apart, giving him that unmistakable "je ne sais quoi," is the authenticity and heartfelt emotion that resonate powerfully through his songs. He brings a unique zest to his music, making every note and lyric a true reflection of his artistic spirit.
Having aspirations to build a dedicated fanbase and create a body of work that will establish a song-writing and musical legacy he can take utmost pride in; time will tell if Jonathan can deliver and if he truly has that “je ne sais quoi”.
Sun Mahshene
Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Sun Mahshene emerged in 2018, breathing new life into the Indie and Shoegaze scenes. Comprising six diverse members from Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Poland, Sun Mahshene provides a musical journey that transcends genres. ‘Post-Shoegaze’ for the masses.
In 2020, the band unleashed the "Contradictions & Tales of Fiction" EP, a sonic exploration that left audiences craving more. Following the EP's success, including track “Leave This City” (42k Spotify streams), next single “The Righteous One” was accompanied by a mind-bending music video, directed by award-winning visual artist Ste Murray.
Sun Mahshene next released a special LP titled "Space Echoes: The EPs", a compilation of tracks from their previously released EPs. The limited-edition vinyl sold out in one day, a testament to the band's dedicated fanbase and the allure of their music.
Darren Doherty
Darren Doherty has been an active recording and performing artist for the last 20 plus years. Despite being the primary songwriter in a variety of successful projects, it’s only now as he moves to produce, record and release music under his own name that he feels this is the most authentic representation and expression of himself. This can be felt in every choice of lyric, chord or production element that makes up the four tracks on his first EP ‘Darksides’. The EP acts as chrysalis that rebirths Darren in a new light. Four tracks that run the gamut of the human psyche always galloping toward the single sliver of hope at the end of the tunnel. Blending the disparate elements of rock, singer songwriter, experimental music and EDM to provide the vocabulary for his singular voice, Darksides feels and sounds like a battle fought and won.
- ali comerford
- amy ellen
- amy katt
- Baboii
- BALTHVS
- bri
- chris conroy
- ciara lawless
- cormac looby
- daithi
- dee fitz
- dollface
- drew makes noise
- elbe
- emileo
- fenix
- ferna
- galia arad
- guestlist
- holly munro
- huntings
- iann brennan
- jaek
- john blek
- just alice
- kill em charlie
- lavine
- leila jane
- midnight wayne
- Naomi Berrill
- nicha
- not that we know
- orwells 84
- peco
- peter vogelaar
- plastic cowboys
- raggedcast
- revue
- sam wickens
- shaun finn
- shaun hennessy
- Sleepy Days
- sona blue
- spacing
- static vision
- susie blue
- telekura
- tim v smyth
- Torpey
- zach james douglas