Ireland’s most talked-about new alternative folk group, Madra Salach, have announced their debut EP It’s a Hell of an Age, set for release on January 23, and unveiled its sprawling, heartfelt second single “I Was Just A Boy.” The track follows their acclaimed debut “Blue & Gold,” which earned praise from The Line of Best Fit, So Young, The Independent, and others, while also landing spins on BBC 6 Music with Deb Grant.
After taking Ireland’s indie circuit by storm over the summer, the six-piece packed out their debut London show at The George, where word of mouth spread fast and audiences responded feverishly to their unreleased material. With Erin Barker from T-Time now managing the group and recent praise from Left of the Dial, Madra Salach are quickly becoming one of the most anticipated live acts heading into festival season, with slots at Live at Leeds, The Great Escape: First 50, and Eurosonic. The band has also shared stages with Kim Deal and will support Gurriers, Cliffords, and Brógeal later this year.
Madra Salach’s sound is steeped in the Irish folk tradition but driven by experimentation and emotional honesty. The band met through Dublin’s indie scene and began performing impromptu pub sessions inspired by the country’s rich musical canon. Their evolution from folk purists to genre-shifting storytellers reflects a modern take on Ireland’s cultural legacy, blending harmonium, synths, and mandolin with textured, electronic layers.
Frontman Paul Banks explains, “The song came from Adam, it was originally just the riff and I remember saying that it would work well as a brief instrumental track. We started playing around with it as a full band, and suddenly we had this 7 minute track on our hands. I centred the lyrics around my adolescence, the tumultuous nature of it. We had fun experimenting with pedals for some unique sounds on the outro, it’s a bit of a diversion from the more straightforward folk writing on our first single.”
With It’s a Hell of an Age, Madra Salach promise a bold introduction that captures both the tenderness and turbulence of youth, delivered with poetic heart and fearless innovation. “I Was Just A Boy” is out now on all streaming platforms.
Tour Dates:
27 October — Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland (Supporting Brógeal)
30 October — The Academy, Dublin, Ireland (Supporting Brógeal)
11 November — Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, Ireland (Supporting Cliffords)
13 November — Folklore, London, England (TGE: First 50)
15 November — Live at Leeds (In the City), Leeds, England
28 November — Other Voices, Dingle, Ireland
29 November — Other Voices, Dingle, Ireland
1 December — The Caves, Edinburgh, Scotland (Supporting Brógeal)
2 December — The Caves, Edinburgh, Scotland (Supporting Brógeal)
14 December — London Irish Centre, London, England (Sunday Seisiún Charity)
20 December — Button Factory, Dublin, Ireland (Supporting Gurriers)
31 December — Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland (New Year’s Eve)
15 January — Eurosonic, Groningen, Netherlands