Music Reviews

Dublin indie-rock artist ALKY – lights the fuse on 2026 with his brand new single ‘Dreams’ you can read our review here

Dublin indie rock artist ALKY leans fully into emotional vulnerability on his latest single, ”Dreams” a brooding, introspective track that wrestles with guilt, shame, and fractured self identity. It’s a song caught between two worlds, one rooted in faith and moral grounding, the other seduced by darkness, excess, and temptation. That tension pulses through every moment of the track, giving it a quiet but persistent intensity.

ALKY’s melancholic vocal style is the emotional anchor. His delivery feels intimate and unguarded, as though each line is being confessed rather than performed. There’s a fragility in his tone that makes the internal conflict believable, you can hear the weight of self reflection, the push and pull between redemption and self destruction. Rather than dramatizing the struggle, he lets it simmer, which makes the emotional impact land harder.

”Dreams” carries the atmospheric edge you’d expect from indie rock and I can’t help but hear some early Manchester scene crepping in. But it never overwhelms the narrative. The instrumentation supports the mood, shadowy, restrained, and reflective, allowing the lyrical themes to breathe. The result is a track that feels deeply personal yet universally relatable. In confronting the uncomfortable spaces between faith and failure, light and shadow, ALKY delivers a single that lingers long after it ends.

”Dreams” floats its way in with an 8 out of 10

Rating: 8 out of 10.

ALKY’s debut album,  Rinse and Repeat  was released on Oct 24th 2025.

ALKY plays Rock Against Homelessness at 3Olympia Theatre on St Patrick’s Day 17th March

A few weeks later, ALKY headlines Whelan’s (upstairs) on Friday 3rd April – tickets here

Ian Mc Donnell

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