LIMERICK hip-hop artist Hazey Haze released ‘For All The Island Field’ this month, a trad folk album marking a complete departure from his previous work. Recorded with Danny Lanham and Enda Gallery, the deeply personal collection explores trials and tribulations of life in the Island Field where he was born and raised.
Released exclusively on Bandcamp on December 19 (remaining there until mid-January), the album showcases straight-from-the-soul singing from Hazey.
Moving away from his trademark razor-sharp lyricism and high-energy rap delivery, Hazey Haze embraces Sean-nós singing, weaving traditional Irish vocal styles into haunting, evocative soundscapes crafted by producer Enda Gallery.
“It’s something I always wanted to make when I started writing songs. I’ve always loved storytelling, and you can hear that in my rap. But this—this feels like home for my voice,” Hazey Haze explained about the project.
The EP captures folk stories rooted in the Island Field that, according to the artist, never had a song before but deserve to be sung. From tales of loss and resilience to the small joys that define life in Limerick, the collection offers an intimate portrait of the community that shaped him.
“We were all raised here. We all swam in the bank. We’ve all lost someone, and we all get on with it. Even when things don’t get better, we tell each other they do,” the artist reflected on the inspiration behind the work.
Recorded live in one room over just a few takes, ‘For All The Island Field’ presents Hazey Haze at his most stripped-back and honest. The straight-from-the-soul singing style creates an immediacy and authenticity that breathes with the spirit of Irish storytelling, blending melancholy and melody, tragedy and triumph in equal measure.
The Island Field native celebrated the album’s release with a live performance outside Treaty City Brewery last week, bringing the project to life for local fans and community members.
The album follows a series of striking recent singles from Hazey Haze, including ‘Eileen Og’— one of his finest moments to date—produced by CBAKL with visuals by Welcome to the Wave, shot at Commercial Bar. Other notable releases include ‘Widow’ and ‘If I Die Young’, the latter filmed at the historic 15th-century Kilcrea Friary in Cork.
STREAM/SUPPORT https://hazey-haze.bandcamp.com/