Last night was the first radio show I’ve done in a while that didn’t feature an extended interview. I enjoy talking with people, but it was nice to focus on the music too! I managed to squeeze TWENTY EIGHT whopping tracks into two hours on the radio this week, with new music from Chasing Abbey, Tolu Makay, Inhaler and more as well as classics from the likes of David Holmes and Fred. ‘Be My Friend’ by Holly Macve is a track that’s really wormed it’s way into my brain. Her new album ‘Not The Girl’ is out in April, so I’ll definitely keep an ear out for that.

A slightly different radio show on this evening. To celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge 2021, the second hour of Irish Beats was entirely as gaeilge, featuring loads of great Irish tunes as you mightn’t have heard before. MayKay (ex Fight Like Apes) was my guest in the first hour talking about the IMBOLC music special currently streaming on the RTE Player. Plenty of fresh tracks in the mix from Tolu Makay, James Vincent McMorrow, Emma Langford, Kojaque and more.

To coincide with International Women’s Day and the Shine Festival 2021, we had a female voices special on Irish Beats this evening. Absolutely no shortage of fantastic music to play with tracks from Elaine Mai, MayKay, Tolu Makay, Kynsy, Pillow Queens and Choice Music Prize winner Denise Chaila all featuring (as well as lots more!). Stephanie Rainey was my guest in the virtual studio, spilling the beans on her new EP and how it felt to pick herself back up after being dropped by her record label (full podcast of this interview to be published soon).

There’s a grand auld stretch in the evening! New sounds from Bobbi Arlo, Slaney and Carrie Baxter on tonights playlist, along with a few classics from the likes of Rollerskate Skinny and The Frames (special request from Mick from Kildare). Caoimhe Barry from Wyvern Lingo was my virtual guest in the second hour, chatting about their new album ‘Awake You Lie’, how it’s not a COVID record, but it also kinda is a COVID record.