There have been some excellent Irish records released this year – Roisin Murphy, SOAK, Villagers, Duke Special and Girl Band to name but a few.
Yet with all of these 'end of year' round-ups floating around, it's inevitable that one or two albums will get lost in the flurry of listmaking.
On that note, we've put together a batch of Irish albums that really impressed us this year, but which may have passed you by for whatever reason.
In other words, you should really go and listen to these albums.
1) Skelocrats – 'Bella Bella'
A band comprised of various members of the Popical Island music collective, this was a super charming, wonderfully catchy collection of indie-pop tunes bursting with personality.
**
2) Shardborne – 'Living Bridges'
'Prog-metal' is undoubtedly a hard-sell, but this Limerick band made it easy with a debut album infused with melody and ambition.
**
3) Brian Deady - 'Non-Fiction'
A late runner for serious contention in the 'Irish album of the year' stakes, the second album by Cork's Brian Deady is a rich, powerful and personal clutch of soul tunes, rounded off by a truly remarkable voice. If there is any justice, he should be huge.
**
4) Leo Drezden – 'Multi-Moment'
They're not exactly a household name, but this Wicklow band blended breakneck rock tunes with electronica, pop, jazz and everything in-between for an exhilarating debut.
**
5) Girls Names – 'Arms Around a Vision'
This Belfast band came good on the promise of their potential with a third album that shimmered, shoegazed and swayed its way through a haze of '80s references. If gloomy indiepop with a dash of krautrock is your thing, you'll love this album.
**
6) Colm Mac Con Iomaire – 'Agus Anois an Aimsir (And Now the Weather)'
Frames member Colm Mac Con Iomaire takes centre stage with his second solo album, which showcases his innate ear for melody, timing and evocative imagery. These songs embody a sense of ancient craftsmanship, filling the speakers with an exquisite, gratifying charm.
**
7) Pugwash – 'Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends)'
This album flew a little under the radar upon its release for some strange reason, but the latest collection by Dublin's Pugwash is comprised of the same high-quality, richly melodic indiepop that doffs its gap to pop's golden era.
**
8) Fight Like Apes - 'Fight Like Apes'
They've been absent on the scene for several years, but Fight Like Apes made their long-awaited comeback in 2015 after almost splitting in the wake of label trouble. Perhaps not as insistently high-tempo as their earlier punk-led material, this is nonetheless a fine collection of electro-pop/rock tunes that crackles, buzzes and high-kicks in all the right places.
