Photo credit: Fionn Fitzpatrick
Irish language collective Imlé have released their new single ‘Sláinte’ in collaboration with James Shannon and Róisín Seoighe.
Imlé’s new song Sláinte is an upbeat soulful banger and is their first collaboration with rapper James Shannon and a new addition to their catalogue featuring singer Róisín Seoighe. The lyrics to the song were originally written for a remix of the groups song ‘Fáilte Isteach’, however Cian Mac Cárthaigh, one of the groups guitarists and founder, saw potential in the track, and alongside James Shannon began building what would become Sláinte. With the addition of the middle 8 and catchy chorus sung by lead singer Róisín Seoighe, and production from the groups long time collaborator and producer Karl Odlum, the track came together and is the perfect soundtrack for the upcoming summer months. Lyrically, the track commentates on going through life in the modern age and seeking something more. This can be heard during the verse when James Shannon says “Agus feicim, gach duine ag dul, ar an mbus seo lofa go dtí obair is scoil, is tá fhios man, go gcaithfimid éalú, cause there’s more to your life than the people that pay you”. This theme of questioning also re-occurs during the songs outro, where James Shannon and Róisín Seoighe vocally compliment each other singing, “Feitheamh, an bhfuil níos mó?”, translating to “Waiting, is there more?”.
The track features upbeat danceable drums throughout, layered with a compelling bass line and funk infused guitar licks played by guitarists Neil Ó’Broin and Cian Mac Cárthaigh, reminiscent of 70’s disco and funk music. The instrumental efficacy of the track paired with seamless vocal performances shared by James Shannon and Róisín Seoighe, provides for a fun and compelling listening experience, for both Irish and Non-Irish speakers and is a fantastic addition to the blazing trail of Irish language creativity surfacing from the country in recent times. The song’s music video, directed by Ciarán McGrath, further pushes this narrative of the contrast between the dull and bright.
Visually, depicting an aesthetic reminiscent of the late 90’s – early noughties. Onscreen, the visual takes inspiration from such films as ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Punch Drunk Love’. It is both colourful and charismatic, providing the perfect blend of performance and visual art to compliment the tracks upbeat and catchy aura. Imlé are an Irish language musical collective, founded by Cian Mac Cárthaigh in 2015.
Since the group’s original formation, they have released a diverse catalog of singles and two albums. Their self-titled album won ‘Album Of The Year’ at the Gradaim Nós Awards in 2017, they also won the ‘Band Of The Year’ award the same year. They also performed at the 2024 Gradaim Nós awards recently. Their second album ‘Fáilte Isteach’ features their first collaborations with Connemara based Singer-Songwriter, Róisín Seoighe. Notably, this album featured their singles ‘Éad’ and ‘Do Chuid Jeans’, both featuring Róisín Seoighe. Their song ‘Cathain a d’fhill tú ó Shasana?’, originally featuring Fergal Edward, is also a notable take from this project. The group appeared on Ireland AM on St. Patrick’s Day this year, performing a reworked version of the track featuring Róisín Seoighe and Dublin based rapper James Shannon. This was one of their first public appearances featuring the group’s current lineup. Their song ‘Peacach’ featured in the hit Netflix series ‘Bodkin’ as the main titles theme music. Featuring a brand new sound, blending Hip-Hop, Funk, Indie music and a brand new lineup all through the Irish language, Imlé are set to be your new favorite Irish band and are a not to be missed act for their upcoming gigs and releases.
