Ray Recommends: August's Irish music picks from The Shift
Hello, Ray C here with another instalment of Ray Recommends, a selection of newly released Irish music that has been featured on my show The Shift over the month of August. I have six great acts for you to listen to this month the reason being is because I didn't have time to do a July recommendation and I wanted to shine a little light on a very talented girl from Tramore, Co.Waterford. There were some amazing tunes out this month, some of the artists you may know and some you may only be discovering for the first time. Either way, Enjoy!
Raya Mae – After Midnight
Raya Mae whose real name is Rachel Mooney is a 16-year-old native of Tramore Co. Waterford. Rachel sent me her first track a few months back called Unexpected Love and I was blown away by her. For someone who is so young, her voice is extremely powerful. Her second release After Midnight dropped in July and it should get you right in the feels
Stream After Midnight HERE
M.Sea- The Strangest Magic
M.Sea is Mary Claire Woolley. She first popped on my radar very randomly back in November 21 with a track called Voice. Which I played a lot on my show. Since then, I haven’t heard a peep from her musically until I received an email from her in August with a new single and a deadly accompanying video. What a delight to have heard some new music from Mary Claire she has an amazing voice, and she doesn’t over complicate her music, It’s raw and full of passion. The Strangest Magic is the first single from her brand new 9 track album MIDHEAVEN which is also released now you can check it out here.
Stream The Strangest Magic HERE
Echo Northstar – Someone Else
Echo Northstar is the monikor of Waterford native Paddy Hennessy an audio/visual artist and producer who is now based in London. When I first heard this track it brought me right back to the 90s American indie scene ala Smashing Pumpkins 1979 vibe. I’m sure you’ll feel the same when you hear it. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Echo Northstar as he has promised to release a quick succession of trakcs over the coming months to pave the way for my Debut EP - ‘things I wish I could say’.
Stream Someone Else HERE
Dea Matrona – So Damn Dangerous
Belfast ladies Mollie Mc Ginn and Orlaith Forsythe are Dea Matrona which in Celtic Mythology means Divine Mother Goddess. These ladies have all sides of rock piled into one, with influences the likes of The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Queens of The Stone Age to HAIM. They are just back from a successful tour of Europe playing some of the big festivals including Rock Werchter and they’ve already appeared with Tubs on The Late Late Show
This is track will have you headboppin’ if nothing else. I hope you enjoy
Stream So Damn Dangerous HERE
Ward – Meet Your Maker
The Waterford-born, Groningen-based multi-instrumentalist has released a groovy hip-hop, pop summer banger in Meet Your Maker. The story behind the track is great. Ward said – “It reprimands a third parties’ insensitivity and disloyalty following her using him to cheat on their significant other, Ward with no knowledge of the pre-existing relationship berates her regarding her heartless infidelity.”
Stream Meet Your Maker HERE
Big Yellow Jacket – Longing, Living, Loving
Zack is back with his second track of the year and it’s another delightful piece of synth and bass heavy Alt-Pop.
BYJ says “'Longing, Living, Loving is a journey through infatuation. The song evolves around this idea of love being almost like a Daydream. I feel its lyrics are bubbly like in the way they’re written and eases you through the song. The last verse is almost this waking to reality after the initial infatuation is over. The last lyrics in the verse “I'm never going to be with you” feel a little harsh but it’s a truth.”
All you need to know about BYJ and Longing, Living, Loving is below
Stream Longing, Living, Loving HERE
Big Yellow Jacket on Instagram
