This month, a range of new Irish music has been released across folk, traditional, electronic, improvised, contemporary, classical and hip hop. For more on the artists, click on the links below.

Last week (19 August), Galway singer-songwriter and composer Anna Mullarkey released her debut album Falling on Strange Brew Records. The ten-track record incorporates electronic, ambient, folk, and pop sounds, is a reflection on love in all its forms, and follows Mullarkey’s previous release, the 2020 EP Spéir. Also on Strange Brew Records, Kerry singer-songwriter Junior Brother has released the new track ‘This is My Body’ as well as an edgy accompanying music video (17 August). The song will feature on his upcoming album The Great Irish Famine out 2 September.

Dundalk folk band The Mary Wallopers have released (23 August) a new single ‘Frost is All Over’, a traditional song made famous by Planxty that the band have added a new verse to. With an accompanying video by Dundalk film-maker Sean McMahon, the song will feature in the band’s upcoming album, due for release this autumn. The Mary Wallopers will tour across Ireland, the UK and Europe from October until December. 

Singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist and producer Gavin Murray, performing as Trick Mist, has just released a new single ‘Boring Bread’ which will feature on the upcoming album The Hedge Maze and the Spade out on 21 September via Pizza Pizza Records. The droning track with rustling percussion is accompanied by a music video shot and directed by film-maker Graham Patterson. 

Also released this month is the debut album from indie band Future West Who Will Forgive All My Sins (19 August); multi-instrumentalist Sean Carpio’s latest single ‘Floating Mountain’ – taken from his recent album Waves of a Present and featuring singer-songwriter Aoife Nessa Frances (9 August); and the piano ballad from Ailbhe Reddy, ‘Shoulder Blades’ (19 August). 

Diatribe record label last month (29 July) released Lost Bees, the debut album by Roamer – the quartet featuring Lauren Kinsella (vocals), Matthew Halpin (saxophones, flute), Simon Jermyn (electric bass, electric guitar) and Matthew Jacobson (drums). This summer  (1 July), the label also released The Return of the Prodigal Son, the debut album by electronic improvising quartet BigSpoon. Led by saxophonist Chris Engel, the band also features Jacobson (drums), Shane O’Donovan (electronics) and Darragh O’Kelly (synths and keys).

Niamh Dunne, fiddle player and singer with Beoga, has this month (19 August) released a new song ‘The Raven’. The song is built on traditional melodies with layers of instrumentation and synths featuring guest musicians Michael Keeney (piano, moog, harmonium), Liam Bradley (drums, percussion), Kate Ellis (cello), Pauline Scanlon (backing vocals) and Conor Mc Creanor (double bass). Sisters Breda and Claire Keville have also recently released their first album together, Music From Galway, following Breda’s solo The Hop Down in 2006 and Claire’s solo The Daisy Field in 2009. Music From Galway is a collection of music from around the county played on fiddle and concertina, including some of Claire’s own compositions, and accompanied by Terence O’Reilly on guitar.

Other recent releases include indie band Columbia Mills‘ new single ‘Momentum’ (19 August); Otherworld, the new EP by Dublin composer and songwriter Lōwli (24 August); fiddle player and singer-songwriter Clare Sands’ new work ‘Keep the Flame Burning’ (17 August); ‘Setting’, the new track by electro-pop duo Kyoto Love Hotel (10 August); Waterford R&B singer Carrie Baxter’s smooth hip hop track ‘Satellite’ featuring Jafaris (5 August); and ‘Get Up (Out the Bed)’ by Dublin musician, producer and co-founder of Burner Records Jake Hurley, performing as Local Boy (12 August).  

The Irish Baroque Orchestra this summer (24 June) also shared its new record The Hibernian Muse – Music for Ireland by Purcell and Cousser with artistic director Peter Whelan and vocal ensemble Sestina.

Listen to a playlist of all recent releases below. To submit your release, email newreleases [at] journalofmusic.com.