Experimental electronic artist and multi-instrumentalist Killian Walsh has released his deeply personal new album, Ise, alongside focus track “Let’s Dance” featuring his daughter, Elise SW. Following the release of earlier singles “Let’s Float” and “Let’s Play Bongos,” the eleven-track project arrives as an intimate exploration of grief, healing, reflection, and renewal.
Named after the Irish word for “she,” Ise serves as a tribute to the women who have profoundly shaped Walsh’s life. The album was created during a transformative period following the deaths of both his wife and father, evolving naturally into a body of work that documents his emotional journey while showcasing his artistic growth.
“Music has been part of my life from a very young age, and I had what I can only describe as a pull to do something,” Walsh explains. “This album is effectively the story of the journey of my grief, realising that grief is a form of madness and all the emotions attached to that. It’s also the journey of me looking into my past, because you really start looking at yourself and asking, ‘What are you doing? Why am I here? What is the point in all of this?'”
Across its eleven tracks, Ise weaves together influences from ambient, house, trance, and techno while remaining rooted in Walsh’s background in traditional Irish music. Developed alongside collaborators in Dublin, Berlin, and Australia—including producers and engineers Tobias Neumann and Johannes Manuel—the album balances immersive sound design, analogue textures, and melodic depth with an unmistakably human emotional core.
The album has already earned support from electronic music tastemakers, with listeners embracing its genre-fluid production and deeply personal storytelling. At a time when independent electronic artists are increasingly blending introspective narratives with adventurous production, Ise stands out as a compelling example of music rooted in lived experience.
Walsh reflects on the process behind the album, saying, “I didn’t question any of this, and none of it could have been done without the help of the people around me who got me and understood me, and who sometimes recognised the pain I was in, because sometimes you don’t see it yourself. You don’t see how crazy you are.”
At the heart of the record is “Let’s Dance,” a collaboration with his daughter Elise SW that represents a turning point in the album’s emotional arc. While much of Ise is shaped by loss and introspection, the track embraces reconnection, joy, and freedom. Written after a studio session in Berlin following Elise’s return from eighteen months in Australia, the song grew from a simple conversation that ultimately became a symbol of hope and togetherness.
The emotional narrative of the album unfolds through each track. “Let’s Float” captures a fragile moment of optimism shared by Walsh and Elise during a sea swim the day after his wife’s passing, while “Let’s Play Bongos” celebrates the return of colour and movement through memories of bonfire raves and communal celebration. Elsewhere, tracks including “Squirrel,” “Robin,” and “Harvest Moon” reflect on remembrance and learning to navigate life after loss, while “I See It,” “Away With The Fairies,” “Ardchumhacht,” and “The Build” explore gratitude, personal growth, surrender, and renewal.
Together, the album traces a moving progression from grief toward acceptance and hope, offering listeners an honest portrait of resilience without ever losing sight of the complexities of loss.
With Ise, Killian Walsh delivers his most ambitious and emotionally resonant work to date. Combining experimental electronic production with deeply personal songwriting, the album is both a testament to the healing power of music and a powerful reminder that creativity can provide meaning and connection through life’s most difficult moments.
Killian Walsh: Instagram | Spotify | Beatport | Traxsource
Ardchumhacht: Beatport | Traxsource