Editorial TeamAnother week, another bunch of tracks worth digging into. This time, the playlist travels from Ireland and the UK to Germany and Japan. Along the way, we move through lo-fi synths, post-punk, shoegaze, indie rock, folk and dream pop.
There are familiar names, new bands and artists you may not have heard before. Some are loud, some are quiet, and a few sit somewhere in between. As always, these are the tracks that caught our ears this week. Give them a listen and see what sticks.
“Big Nothing”, by Telekura
Telekura’s “Big Nothing” blends lo-fi synth textures, grunge-pop energy and hazy, lightly saturated vocals. The Dublin collective takes aim at the pressure to become a ‘proper adult’. They turn frustration with LinkedIn life coaches and endless success frameworks into something playful and refreshingly unpretentious. The track grew from an opening synth line and an arpeggiated bass part. Much of it was built at home.
Telekura began as a remote songwriting partnership between Rachel Tan and Stephen Purcell. The pair met through Bandmix despite living as neighbours. The project has since grown into a multicultural live band. Their sound moves between psyche-pop, electronica, fuzzy pop and grunge.
“Nowhere Left To Run” by The Spill
The Spill is a brand new rock ‘n’ roll rooted trio composed of members Colm Brennan (vocals & guitar), Finn O’Callaghan (bass) and Ritchie Dittrich (drums).
Based in Galway, The Spill released debut single “Nowhere Left To Run” in July, and are building strong support in the West of Ireland and further afield, recently enjoying a string of gigs and busking appearances in Scotland and Wales.
“Nowhere Left To Run” is a superb introduction. Brennan’s clear though slightly raspy vocals are irresistible as he backs himself on guitar in the song’s introduction. An array of rich textures soon enter – soft brass, muted electronic keys, crisp, minimal percussion and a humming bassline.
Despite the song’s cold subject (seemingly a relationship breakdown), the band contrasts the lyric content with an effortless and stylish sense of warmth, sonically speaking. There’s a strong retro feel to the track that will hopefully be teased out in their next releases.
The band have announced two upcoming Dublin dates: The Grand Social on October 28th supporting Left Iris, and Opium on November 20th, supporting High Fade.
“D’Ya Suppose So” , by Bash Tru
Berlin-based five-piece Bash Tru release their new single “D’Ya Suppose So” ahead of their headline show at Thomas House in Dublin on October 2nd. The show closes this year’s Ireland Music Week. The track alternates between spoken-word verses over stripped-back instrumentation and bursts of fuzzy guitars and soaring vocals. The post-punk track explores the strange tension between self-confidence and being knocked flat in the same breath. It is the third single from their forthcoming debut album, King Pleasure, due in early 2027.
Bash Tru’s story starts in Johannesburg, where childhood friends Seb Truda and Daniel Sabbagh grew up together. They then moved to Berlin. There, the rest of the band came together through the same Berlin bar. Galwegian Kian Mac Lochlainn was the first to join. German drummer Konsti Schülke and Norwegian guitarist Jonathan Arnøy followed. With their debut album on the way, the band are also preparing to move from Berlin to Dublin in 2027.
“Scam Manifesto”, by M(h)aol
Dublin post-punk trio M(h)aol return with “Scam Manifesto”, an odd and stripped-back electro-punk track that feels deliberately uneasy. Spoken-word vocals sit over bare, fuzzy guitars and sparse electronics. The guitars grind and scrape around the edges, with just enough dissonance to keep things slightly off balance. It is a strange combination, but somehow it works. Beneath the sparse arrangement, the song turns inward, exploring the gap between how we talk about body image and how we actually see ourselves. Vocalist and drummer Constance Keane wrote it during a social media break, reflecting on her own contradictions around ageing, appearance and self-acceptance. It is M(h)aol’s first new release since their acclaimed 2025 album Something Soft.
“Isolation (DA002 Version)”, by Die Anstalt
Berlin trio Die Anstalt revisit “Isolation”, the debut single they originally released in 2024. The new “DA002 version” retains the track’s post-punk tension, electronic pulse and punk energy, but with cleaner production. The original was a much rougher affair, reflecting the rawness of a band finding its sound in Berlin’s DIY scene. Minimal synths, EBM rhythms and a hypnotic electronic drive give the track a sound somewhere between post-punk and the dancefloor. The track features on their debut album, released a year ago and now reissued by City Slang.
“understand.” by nightlamping.
nightlamping. is a shoegaze-rooted band emerging from Dundalk, Co. Louth. “understand.” is their quiet but powerful debut single that hasn’t quite caught fire yet, but you heard it here first….
With touches of My Bloody Valentine and Fontaines D.C., the band are leaning into a dark alternative sound that is thick with atmosphere. Their name will be buzzing around Ireland’s underground scene in no time.
“Sink Like A Stone” by Good Swim
Belfast native Good Swim (AKA Dave McConnell) has dropped the final single ahead of his debut album, The Mountains Sure Don’t Give A Damn About The Sea, which arrives on October 30th.
The song is incredibly melancholic, exploring feelings of doubt and a sense of losing control. The lyrics are filled with striking images of ash, broken mirrors, blood and thunder, which captures the weight of trying to keep going when everything around you starts to fall apart.
In his own words, McConnell describes the song as “is a rueful look at a relationship gone bad” and his poignant vocals are a real centrepiece of the song, alongside the stunning cello dialogue.
“Kids Vs Guns”, by Basht.
UK indie rock band Basht. return with “Kids Vs Guns”, the latest single from their debut album Poor Advice. The track starts quietly, building tension through tumbling guitar riffs and restrained vocals. It slowly gathers weight before opening into something much bigger. The result is a dark and effective slow burn, sitting somewhere between indie rock and alternative rock.
The song was written as a response to the genocide in Palestine. Vocalist and guitarist Jack Leavey describes it as his proudest song on the album. Its lyrics place innocent children directly in the firing line of a conflict shaped by overwhelming force. “Kids Vs Guns” is the fourth single from Poor Advice, following “Terror TV”, “Keira Knightley” and “Perfume”.
Basht. have built a strong live reputation through tours with DEADLETTER, Everything Everything and Wunderhorse. They have also appeared at The Great Escape, Truck and Liverpool Sound City. Poor Advice arrives on October 9th via LAB Records.
“Like New” by David O’Dowda (ft. IORA)
Dundalk-born songwriter, composer and producer David O’Dowda has returned with “Like New”, featuring Manchester-based artist IORA.
Having spent more than two decades building an international career across songwriting, composition, production, television, film and advertising, O’Dowda is now turning his attention back to original music-making, marking a fresh chapter.
The delicate folk track sees O’Dowda and IORA’s vocals intertwine beautifully, complimenting each other to the highest nature.
The song has arrived with a music video directed by John Corrin, which focuses on the simple, physical process of making something by hand ( a lost art!).
“Full Moon” by Seán Collins
Dublin singer-songwriter Seán Collins has released new single “Full Moon“ – a heartfelt single with resilience at its core.
Grounded in core themes of mindfulness and mental health, the song uses a full moon as a metaphor for an ever-present person, place or thing, like a source of perseverance and guidance through life’s ever-changing terrain. Collins’ crystal clear vocals soar above his minimalistic guitar, capturing the deep intimacy of the song on the backdrop of a full moon.
Produced and mixed by Cian Synott and mastered by Simon Francis, the single features contributions from Seánie Bermingham (Amble) on mandolin, Diarmuid Goggins on drums and Dan Ahearn on bass, with Collins on guitar, synth and harmonium duties.
“Safe Place”, by Ålborg
Japanese five-piece Ålborg bring together dream pop, indie folk and Scandinavian-inspired melodies on “Safe Place”. The Yokohama band pair gentle, melancholic instrumentation with a hypnotic minimalist beat, creating a sound that feels both intimate and quietly expansive. At the heart of the song is the search for a place where you can simply feel that it is okay to be there. For vocalist Miya Saito, that feeling may not be a physical place at all, but a fleeting moment of comfort and belonging.
Formed in 2022, Ålborg began when the five members met at a music studio in Kannai, Yokohama. Their unusual arrangements bring trombone, flute and steel guitar into their indie sound. The band have since taken that music beyond Japan, with appearances at The Great Escape and Fuji Rock. “Safe Place” is the latest step in a journey that already feels much bigger than its quiet beginnings.
