MADRA SALACH ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM

Acclaimed Dublin six-piece Madra Salach have formally announced details surrounding their highly anticipated debut full-length record, Gorta, which is scheduled for arrival on January 15, 2027, via Island Records. The major milestone announcement arrives hot on the heels of their latest single ‘Ribbon Factory,’ a track unveiled last Friday that offers listeners a compelling entry point into the project's sonic universe and earned rave praise from The Guardian, who characterized the offering as “taut insistent and wracked with pain… a gothic nightmare.”

Taking its title directly from the Irish word signifying “hunger,” Gorta functions as a deep conceptual exploration centered around the complexities of inheritance: examining what gets passed down through generations, the traces left behind, and the multifaceted ways in which hunger manifests. Musically anchored by deep roots in traditional Irish folk, the six-piece stretches those foundations into noticeably darker, far more experimental, and cutting-edge contemporary soundscapes.

Offering insight into the creative mindset behind the material, the group’s frontman and principal lyricist Paul Banks reflected on his songwriting process:

“I usually write from personal experience,” suggests Paul Banks, the group’s frontman and lyricist. “I try not to go too big-picture. I can tap into the emotions that way.” What he found, writing, was the private ache kept opening out onto something far older. “The ideas of longing and yearning, all the kinds of hunger, they slot into where we are as 21st century Irish people. The more I’ve thought and written about Irishness, the more I’ve seen how strange a history and a position and a culture we have.”

Visual artist Oscar Torrans encapsulated the album's thematic weight directly into the cover artwork, depicting a singular mythical figure: a Blemmyes, belonging to the ancient akephaloi legend of headless beings whose facial features are embedded directly within their chests.

The album was born out of a deeply collaborative process, written collectively by all six band members and captured live in unified group tracking sessions to preserve the raw, visceral energy and physical chemistry that has turned their live performances into a cornerstone of their reputation. Helmed in New York by producer Loren Humphrey, whose recent studio credits include notable work alongside Cameron Winter and Westside Cowboy, Gorta continuously shifts between quiet, starkly delicate moments and explosive, full-band sonic bursts.

This debut release arrives at the conclusion of a monumental year for Madra Salach. Building upon the success of their initial EP, It’s a Hell of an Age, which secured a No. 3 spot on the Irish Albums Chart and broke into the Top 10 of the UK Official Independent Albums Chart, the band has rapidly ascended as one of Ireland’s most captivating live exports. Their trajectory has been fueled by celebrated, standout festival sets across Europe and the UK, including high-profile appearances at Roskilde, The Great Escape, End of the Road, Latitude, Primavera, and Green Man.

The group is currently mid-transit on a sold-out UK headlining run featuring back-to-back performances at London’s Electric Ballroom alongside Manchester’s New Century Hall. From there, they will head into equally sold-out tours spanning Ireland and North America, a run highlighted by a remarkable streak where they sold out three consecutive New York dates within a single week.

Gorta officially drops on January 15, 2027, through Island Records. Fans can also catch the band delivering a televised performance on Later... with Jools Holland later this month on October 25th.

Tour Dates 
9 October,  Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich, UK — Sold-Out
10 October, Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK — Sold-Out
11 October, The Bullingdon, Oxford, UK — Sold-Out
13 October, Electric Ballroom, London, UK — Sold-Out
14 October, Electric Ballroom, London, UK — Sold-Out
3 December, Les Transmusicales, Rennes, France
5 December, Bank Lane, Waterford, Ireland — Sold-Out
6 December, Dolans, Limerick, Ireland — Sold-Out
10 December, Vicar Street Dublin, Dublin, Ireland — Sold-Out
11 December, Mandela Hall, Belfast, UK — Sold-Out
12 December, Leisureland, Galway, Ireland — Sold-Out
17 December, Set Theatre, Kilkenny, Ireland — Sold-Out
18 December, Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland — Sold-Out
19 December, Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland — Sold-Out
8 January, Rockaway Beach, Bognor Regis, UK
2-6 June, Primavera, Spain
26 June, Slane Castle, County Meath, Ireland — (supporting Fontaines D.C.)
27 June, Slane Castle, County Meath, Ireland — (supporting Fontaines D.C.)