Author: Charlie Byrne

find-joy are an alternative indie band from North County Dublin. The group released their latest single ‘Departed’ off their sophomore EP earlier this month.

The track was produced by the group’s guitarist Mark Allidine and was recorded over a number of sessions in various home studios. ‘Departed’ showcases a strong bass groove and synth melodies from Oscar Kelly which combine with the drums to produce a driving rhythmic feel. The chorus features an explosion of width and a rather catchy vocal hook from singers Tadhg Kelly and Colleen Conlon. The track is noticeably different from Peptides, the first single from the EP while still maintaining many familiar find-joy elements.

“Departed is a song about infatuation. The all encompassing feeling of the start of a romantic interest. It’s a certain kind of feeling that I feel is as relatable as it is bitter sweet” says Tadhg about the new single.

‘Departed’ was mastered by Tom Woodhead in his studio Hippocratic, in West Yorkshire. Tom has worked notably with Status Quo, English Teacher and Gerry Cinnamon to name a few.

Known for their energetic live shows, find-joy have performed twice at Whelan’s Ones to Watch, Golden Plec and John Barker’s TiLT #13 at the Button Factory, and in the main room at Whelan’s. Their headline gigs, which sold out at The Workman’s Cellar and twice Upstairs at Whelan’s, have solidified their place in Dublin’s music scene. More recently they have branched out, performing in Cork with five piece, Maicín. find-joy have also supported notable acts including Tebi Rex and Post-Party, gaining a reputation for their well-versed and dynamic live performances.

The group began with Tadhg Kelly (Vocals) and Mark Allidine (Guitar) creating tracks in a home studio during Mark’s studies for a degree in creative music production. A collaboration titled ‘White Lies’ with Colleen Conlon (vocals) saw their modest beginnings. There was an instant connection between the trio and they decided to create more music together as a band. The group has since expanded to a five piece with the addition of Tadhg’s brother Oscar Kelly (bass) and Fergal Mullen (drums).

Connect with find-joy

Instagram | Bandcamp

‘June‘ is an emerging Irish singer-songwriter from Laois crafting a distinctive sound that blends alternative folk, pop, and dance with subtle influences from Irish traditional singing. A classically trained pianist (Grade 7 RIAM), she brings a strong musical foundation to her songwriting, with a growing repertoire shaped further by her exploration of guitar.

Already building momentum both at home and abroad, June has performed original material internationally, including a 10-song set at Panache Music Festival in Hoylake, Liverpool, alongside appearances at Liverpool’s Albert Dock for “Beatles Day.” Her eclectic influences — spanning Clannad, Sia, and David Guetta — are reflected in her ability to move fluidly between intimate, emotive songwriting and more expansive, contemporary production.

Since her debut single ‘Up’ in July 2025, June has steadily carved out a presence across Irish and UK radio and press. The track garnered over 1,800 Spotify streams and widespread airplay, including spins on RTÉ 2XM, Ocean FM, Blast 106, Near FM, Dublin South FM, and Prospect Radio UK, alongside coverage from Hot Press, Ragged Cast, and The Other Side Reviews. Follow-up releases continued to build her profile, ‘MerryGoRound’ earned support from Galway Bay FM, and ‘Will We Dance?’ landed on RTÉ Radio 1’s Recommends list and received plays on Folk On One.

Her fourth single, ‘Explodes’, marked a more personal turn — tackling themes of illness and resilience — and resonated strongly with listeners, surpassing 2,500 Spotify streams and gaining further national radio support including Today FM and 98FM. She closed out 2025 with ‘We All Stand Tall’, another well-received release that reinforced her growing reputation as an emotionally compelling songwriter.

June began 2026 with ‘Nothing’, a haunting and powerful release that drew comparisons to Adele and continued her upward trajectory, surpassing 2,700 streams.

With a run of consistent releases and increasing industry support, June is positioning herself as one of Ireland’s promising new voices. Her most recent single ‘Maybe’, was released on April 17th, signals the next step in her evolution — with plans to expand her audience further and work towards future EP and album projects.

“Maybe” is an empowering anthem about self-respect, independence and confidence. It highlights that one can provide their own strength, joy and power rather than relying on a partner. Its lyrics express a confident, independent narrator who does not feel the need to rely on someone else to be complete. Built around subtle emotional tension, “Maybe” leans into confident restraint as its greatest strength. “Maybe” is a polished, modern edge track that translates seamlessly into a press-ready narrative.

Connect with June

Instagram | Facebook

Irish composer and producer BK Pepper unveils his highly anticipated second album ‘Pagan‘, released today, April 24th via London-based label Bigo & Twigetti. Marking a bold evolution from his acclaimed debut ‘Territories‘, the new record expands both sonically and thematically, cementing Pepper’s reputation for deeply cinematic and emotionally resonant work.

Early critical response has been strong, with The Irish Times awarding the album ★★★★, further highlighting Pepper’s growing stature both at home and internationally.

Serving as the emotional core of ‘Pagan’, ‘Brother Sister‘ captures the album’s exploration of connection, identity and belonging. Built around a striking performance from Icelandic violinist Viktor Orri Árnason, the track balances fragility and tension, pairing exposed vocals with raw, expressive strings.

Pepper says of the track: “Brother Sister is about the bonds we are born into and the ones we choose. It explores the idea that family is not only blood, but shared experience, shared struggle and shared belief. Viktor Orri Árnason’s strings brought a raw and fragile honesty to the track, and I kept the vocal delivery very exposed to reflect that vulnerability. There is tension in it, but also deep loyalty. It feels like a conversation between closeness and distance, which is something many of us recognise in our own relationships.”

On ‘Pagan’, Pepper explores systems of belief — religious, political and personal — and what happens when they begin to fracture. While ‘Territories’ introduced listeners to his atmospheric and introspective style, ‘Pagan’ broadens the scope, becoming more outward-looking and confrontational in its themes.

The album was recorded with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, The Glasshouse Ensemble and Viktor Orri Árnason, moving fluidly between sweeping orchestration and intimate, layered textures. This interplay creates a sound world that feels both collective and deeply personal.

At its core, ‘Pagan’ questions how identity is shaped in a time of increasing division, and whether shared humanity can still be rediscovered amidst competing beliefs and narratives.

Album: ‘Pagan’ – Out April 24th

Focus Track: ‘Brother Sister’

Label: Bigo & Twigetti

Connect with BK Pepper

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Photo credits: Ruth Medjber

Following the release of their acclaimed single Knots, Irish duo Driven Snow return with their third single of 2026, ‘Slowly, Gently‘, offering another window into their forthcoming second album, ‘Mother of Christ‘, due September 2026.

Composed of husband-wife duo Kieran McGuinness and Emily Aylmer, whose musical careers grew from their respective roles in Delorentos and Republic of Loose, their beautiful, dreamy pop tunes and vocal harmonies grew out of songs penned late at night. While their three children were fast asleep, the couple took these moments of stillness and formed the foundation of their intimate, immersive sound.

Yearning and heartwarming, ‘Slowly, Gently’ is a tale of beautiful relationships centering on the quiet, unquestioning support that partners offer each other in the toughest of times. For Emily, this song is “one of the most personal on the album”, with both of them instinctively assuming the song was about the other’s support – “I thought it was about Kieran supporting me, while he thought it was about me supporting him.”

Driven by Emily’s smoothly swooping vocal, the balanced harmonies, fuzzing guitar lines and hypnotic, metronomic drums, the song creates an intimate, comforting story, a deep reassurance in a sea of troubles that can surround us all so often. 

The song came together in an unexpectedly offhand way, as Kieran recalls: “It was written when Emily was sick in bed. I convinced her to work on it, so she sat at the piano in her pjs and quickly wrote the chorus melody and went back to bed.

The next day, when she heard it, she said “That’s great, where did that come from?!” She didn’t believe she wrote the melody until she heard the recording of her doing it!”.

The single is accompanied by a music video shot by Dylan Troy, featuring all things yellow, a colour which, as Kieran explains, “is said to represent hope, optimism, anxiety, and creativity… all things that are very present in our relationship…

The visuals reflect the song and “gathering all of our pieces”; It’s all about navigating the things that are there, and dealing with the things that you didn’t know are there.”

 Recorded and mixed by Tommy McLaughline (Villagers, Soak, Altan, Ailbhe Reddy) at his Attica Studios base in the wilds of Donegal, and mastered by Richard Dowling (WAV Mastering), the single lays the groundwork for forthcoming studio album ‘Mother of Christ’, alongside already released singles ‘Dawn Chorus’ and ‘Knots’.

Their 2024 debut album, ‘A Kind of Dreaming‘, was met with widespread acclaim and described as “Sublime” (Irish Times), “Bewitching” (Irish Independent), and “An album to luxuriate in” (Hot Press). Coverage and features in Sunday Times Magazine, Irish Independent and Hot Press Magazine, alongside national playlists on RTÉ and BBC NI, saw the duo’s audience grow steadily across Ireland, the UK, Europe and as far afield as the USA, Canada, South Africa and Mexico.

Following the widespread acclaim of their debut and a steadily growing international audience, Driven Snow step confidently into this next chapter. Accessible, honest and deeply felt, Mother of Christ is set to unfold like an open diary you’re trusted to hold.

LIVE DATES

Supporting Ham Sandwich:

MAY

1           LIMERICK, The Commercial

8          GALWAY, Monroes

9          GALWAY, The Cornerstone, Woodford

15        KILKENNY, Cleere’s

16        GREYSTONES, The Whale

24        CORK, Seachurch, Ballycotton

FESTIVALS:

JUNE

6           Galway Folk Festival

JULY

3           Bobstock, Cape Clear

24        Forest Fest, Emo Park, Co. Laois

Connect with Driven Snow

Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp | Tickets |

Photo credits: Cinzia Salvadori

Irish-Dutch singer-songwriter Patrick Stefan announces his second album ‘IM‘ (due September 2026) with the release of its first single, ‘Ever really know‘, out now.

Showcasing intricate guitar work with atmospheric production, Stefan has drawn comparisons to José González and Sufjan Stevens, with a vocal delivery reminiscent of James Blake. A compelling live performer, he has shared stages with Martin Hayes, Kean Kavanagh and Niwel Tsumbu, and has supported artists including Vieux Farka Touré and Niamh Regan.

Following standout appearances at Folk Alliance International and Ireland Music Week, as well as UK performances with The Nest Collective and Whelan’s Ones to Watch, Stefan enters 2026 with growing momentum. Now signed to Mahogany Songs, he’s cementing his place as a compelling live act, weaving folk & jazz with a gentle & effortless presence.

‘Ever really know’ is a bouncy midtempo, reflective account of being confused, the lyrics confronting the struggle, search and the success. Inspired by Daniel Lanois’s (U2 / Brian Eno) production soundworld of drum loops and guitar shards, Patrick’s voice glides delicately over the soundscape with a hopeful message.

Patrick says; ‘Born in a moment of lucidity of recognising tendencies that can feel like the world is conspiring against the way I want it to be, this song is a query and an attempt to wrestle back meaning & optimism.’

‘EVER REALLY KNOW’ CREDITS:

Drums by Jason McNamara

Recorded in Arad studios, Dublin

Violin by Jayne Pomplas

Written, arranged & all other instruments by Patrick stefan

Produced by Patrick stefan & Ken McCabe

Mastered by Patrick stefan

Photos by Cinzia Salvadori

Connect with Patrick stefan

YouTube  | Website  |  Facebook   |  Instagram  |  Bandcamp | Apple

Hailing from Limerick, Ireland, Stacey Dineen is a dynamic singer-songwriter whose artistry blends emotional depth with infectious pop energy. Drawing early inspiration from Miley Cyrus, particularly her formative years on Hannah Montana. Stacey developed a passion for storytelling through music that continues to shape her sound today.

Fusing influences from both classic and contemporary pop, Stacey crafts heartbreak anthems that cut deep while still inviting listeners to the dancefloor. Her distinctive voice and instinctive, fast-paced songwriting style set her apart as a compelling new voice in Irish pop.

Stacey first stepped into the spotlight at just 19, exploring careers across music, modelling, and television. In 2017, she rose to prominence as the youngest winner of the global reality series The Fashion Hero. She later returned for its second season as a mentor, working alongside AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys.

Her growing profile has seen her featured across Irish media, including appearances on The Late Late Show, Ireland AM, and Elaine, as well as regular airplay on national radio.

While her career has spanned multiple industries, music has always remained at the heart of Stacey’s journey. Now, she returns with renewed focus and ambition, ready to establish herself as a lasting force in pop music.

Stay is a raw and emotionally charged exploration of a love you know you should leave but can’t. It captures the intoxicating pull of a relationship that feels irresistible in the moment, yet leaves a lasting ache in its wake. Balancing vulnerability with honesty, the track dives into the cycle of walking away, only to return, drawn back by a connection that’s as powerful as it is destructive.

Written nearly a year after a significant breakup, ‘Stay’ reflects a deeper understanding that only time can bring. What once felt like confusion begins to reveal itself as a painful clarity, the push and pull between self-preservation and longing. It’s about the internal battle of knowing someone isn’t right for you, yet struggling to let them go.

“I wrote it around the same time I was healing fully from that relationship and the ending of it, only then could I see clearly what it was. I was in my bedroom journaling, and I saw an old photo of us and realised that I looked so happy, but it wasn’t all smiles. It was that night I wrote ‘stay’. 

The track means a lot to me, because it’s a staple of a very important time in my life. This was the breakup that changed my entire outlook on love, and what I did and didn’t want, and what mistakes to not repeat. It’s a reminder that you don’t always stay in that stomach sick feeling.”  – Stacey Dineen

Both haunting and relatable, ‘Stay’ captures a universal experience: loving deeply, losing yourself, and still, somehow, wanting it all over again.

‘Stay’ began taking shape in Limerick at Studio 68 alongside producer Patrick O’Donnell, before being brought to completion in Cork with Gary Keane. Developed over a three-year period, the track evolved through multiple creative stages, with recording sessions spanning both locations. The final production was mixed and mastered in London by Jay Jacobs, bringing the song’s layered emotion and sonic depth to life.

Stay will be available on all streaming platforms on May 1st. 

Connect with Stacey Dineen

Instagram | TikTok

Dublin Indie band Sack reissue a newly remastered 25th Anniversary remastered edition of their 2001 classic album, Adventura Majestica today, Friday, April,10th. The band’s third album was produced by Sack and Joe Chester (A Lazarus Soul, The Waterboys, Gemma Hayes) and originally came out on the band’s own Jetset Junta label. The record features their current set closer, the powerfully emotional Tag, which showcases one of singer Martin McCann’s most triumphant performances.

Available for the first time ever on a special edition transparent Orange vinyl pressing, it also includes a rare, never released, studio outtake, Spaghettification, while the CD edition includes eight bonus tracks of never before released demo’s, outtakes and rare B-sides relevant to the period. Liner notes come from lifelong Sack fan RTE 2FM’s Dan Hegarty who has championed the band at every possible opportunity throughout his broadcasting career.

‘Adventura Majestica’ will also get a foreign release later in the year through the German based record label GMO-The Label, who have just released Sack’s brand new album, Wake Up People! which is receiving great airplay in the region. Distribution will see the album available in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria (GSA) as well as Japan, Australia and the USA and will also be available on coloured Vinyl, CD and Digital Download on release.

Sack will celebrate this special anniversary release launch show at Dublin’s Button Factory on Friday, April 10th in collaboration with Singular Artists.

About Sack:

Sack’s first single ‘What Did the Christians Ever Do For Us?’ was single of the week in both the NME and Melody Maker. In 1993, they signed to UK Indie label Lemon Records, who released their first album ‘You Are What You Eat’.

This was followed by 1997’s’ ‘Butterfly Effect‘’ which was produced by Stereolab producer Paul Tipler and Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee, U2/REM etc.  The album contained one of their most memorable tracks, “Laughter Lines”, a song Morrissey said, “should be Number One forever” and at Morrissey’s behest Sack opened for him on his 1999 Oye Esteban World Tour taking in mainland Europe, the UK & Ireland, and the USA. The former Smiths singer also included “Colorado Springs” (from ‘You Are What You Eat’) on his hand-picked NME CD “Songs to Save Your Life” before inviting the band to open for him again on a European tour in 2002.

2001 saw ‘Adventura Majestica’ come out on the band’s own Jetset Junta label and was the last official release from the band for twenty years. August 2021 saw the band return with their brand-new single “What A Way To Live” which received massive nationwide airplay in Ireland as well as many great accolades across the board including Newstalk’s Tom Dunne declaring it his ‘single of the year’. May 2022, saw the 25th Anniversary edition of their classic album ‘Butterfly Effect’ on vinyl for the first time ever to renewed acclaim for the album from fans and media alike, with The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess hosting one of his hugely popular Twitter Listening Parties for the newly reissued album.

In May 2024, Sack released the album’s title track – Wake Up People! –  as the first single and it quickly garnered radio play from Dan Hegarty, John Creedon, Cathal Murray, Keiron McGuinness and, most notably, Tom Dunne as he made it his single of the week, playing it twice in one night – the song which instigated his ‘Two From Tommy’ program sting (a la John Peel’s seminal Teenage Kicks broadcasting moment) – and played it every night for three weeks straight. The album ‘Wake Up People!’ received great reviews on release, while making many albums of the year accolades in the end of year charts compiled by journalists and DJ’s across the board.

Connect with Sack

Tickets | Bandcamp | Instagram

Mantle hit the ground running with a stunning debut that is both powerful and intimate with strong songwriting and a sound that feels both raw and refined.

After months in the studio developing their sound, all the while staking their claim as one of Dublin’s must-see live bands, Kildare natives Mantle have finally released their much anticipated debut single ‘Fall Apart‘. A powerful reflection on disappointment in a relationship that has come to ruins, juxtaposed against an instrumental that feels both invigorating and anthemic. Think the Stone Roses meets Wunderhorse. A stunning debut from a band set for big things in 2026.

Mantle are a four piece indie rock band from Co. Kildare, Ireland.

The band consists of four school friends, Shane Dowling on drums, Sean Wosser on Bass, Jake Burke on lead guitar and eclectic frontman, Sean Newman on vocals. Officially forming in 2024 after years of honing their individual crafts, Mantle have taken the Dublin underground scene by storm, playing renowned Dublin venues such as Whelan’s and The Workman’s Club, with their debut headliner leaving little to be desired from their growing fan base.

Taking inspiration from bands such as Radiohead, Wunderhorse, Pearl Jam and Jeff Buckley, their writing has been a melting pot of their influences, showcased with soaring guitar melody’s and Newman’s dynamic vocal performances. Set to make a lasting impact, the band are working on what is to be their debut project in 2026.

Connect with Mantle

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‘Back To The Future III‘ is the third album from Dundalk based indie/alternative/lo-fi 4-piece The Future West. Produced and recorded by frontman and tunesmith, Francis Watters, ‘Back To The Future III’ is out on April 10th 2026 and is a collection of songs that, for some reason or other, never made it onto an official release.

Frontman Francis Watters relates: “The project started off as a completely different idea in the Summer of 2023. It was supposed to be four EPs of four songs each. The original idea was to just get all of this old music off of my hard drive and available publicly with the original title of ‘This Can’t Be For Nothing’. After recording it all the idea simply didn’t feel right so I split it into two albums, a dark and a light version. It was pretty clear to me after doing that, that I was subconsciously filtering out the songs that I genuinely didn’t believe were good enough to be released. The dark version is what has become ‘Back To The Future III’. Most of these songs were written in 2017. Some in 2021. And the oldest two in 2014. I’m really happy with it and even happier that these songs won’t be lost to the digital ether of a hard drive and that they’re getting the release I feel they deserve.”

After a wee rest, The Future West are back in the saddle and gearing up for a busy 2026. Picking up from where they left off from 2022’s album ‘Who Will Forgive All My Sins’, The Future West will return to the stage with the same ferocious energy they held before. Paired with a speaker full of beats, loops and samples and Watters’ witty, thought provoking and emotive lyrics, The Future West are a live act that have found their own unique balance of garage/alt rock mixed with synth-pop sensibilities.

2026 will see the band release their third album ‘Back To The Future III’ and take to the stage for a string of shows throughout the year starting in their hometown of Dundalk on April 12th in the Spirit Store. 

Connect with The Future West

Instagram | Bandcamp

Fya Fox has released a live music video for her impassioned new pop single ‘Oversized Denim Jacket’.

The single has earned Track of the Week with RTÉ 2FM and SPIN, alongside being included in the RTÉ Radio 1 Recommends List for two consecutive weeks.

The Whelan’s Ones To Watch alumna and VIP Magazine ‘Rising Star’ enjoyed a welcome return to the music industry in January with heartfelt single ‘Sweet Goodbye’ earning RTÉ 2FM Track of the Week and support from Hot Press, BBC Radio Ulster, VOID Magazine, Red FM and more. The birth of her daughter and an unfortunate motor accident contributed to a break from releasing music, but the artist continues her fresh chapter in 2026 with second single ‘Oversized Denim Jacket’.
 

Whilst ‘Sweet Goodbye’ was a poignant tribute to lost loved ones, reflecting on grief, remembrance, and the bittersweet space between holding on and moving forward, ‘Oversized Denim Jacket’ shifts focus to the warmth and comfort found in relationships.
 

Fya says, “I was inspired by that feeling of coming home and putting on your partner’s jumper, or in this case, their oversized denim jacket and feeling a sense of calm, like a big hug with a familiar scent.”

After a whirlwind few years since becoming a mother, she explains how capturing this sense of peace became a way of “finding my balance and keeping it together, one step at a time.”

She continues, “I felt like I was trying to be in 100 different places all at the same time, adjusting to a new norm whilst trying to stay true to myself. I think this single captures that growth journey – the overwhelm, the reward and everything in between.”

An artist that has always thrived at the intersection of heart and sound, ‘Oversized Denim Jacket’, sees Fya Fox channel folk intimacy into an indie-pop sound, carved with longtime collaborator Matthew Weir.

Known for her earnest songwriting and powerful, soulful-tinted vocals, the release spotlights Fox’s talent for blending vulnerability with melodic sophistication, positioning her as a truly distinctive voice in Ireland’s pop music scene.

Connect with Fya Fox

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