DREAMY, ethereal, lush. It seems onomatopoeia was invented for Nina Hynes, one of the bridesmaids of Irish indie. Hynes has been away learning studio production techniques and follows 2002's 'Staros' with a celebration of minor chords, bleepy loops, soft basslines and her Phoebe Buffet voice. And I mean that in a good way. It's a likeable record, even if it is so self-consciously indie it will have you reaching for Tanya Donnelly or Grandaddy. File under the Ann Scott/ Gemma Hayes section of Irish female aspirants.

Download: 'Somewhere Out There' 'Fitness', 'Moving On' Neil Dunphy Mick Flannery Evening Train EMI Music (29m 30s) . .CORK youngster Mick Flannery raised eyebrows recently when he signed to EMI with little behind him than a songwriting award for 'The Tender', one of the more upbeat, guitar-driven songs on this largely piano-bar, American, folk record.

That Tom Waits was a judge is no surprise as Flannery is clearly a huge fan judging by the vocal style and subject matter. And although there's an impressive diversity to the compositions and playing, you just want to scream: 'DUDE, YOU ARE NOT AMERICAN'. Download: 'In The Gutter', 'The Tender', 'Take Me With You Then' ND

Karen Dalton In My Own Time Paramount Records (30m 46s) . . . .

ONE of the missing links between Billie Holliday, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse, Karen Dalton's gift of interpreting songs is best realised in this re-release of her 1971 opus. Dalton died after a troubled life in 1993 but left a couple of beautiful albums, and here the production of former Dylan bass player Harvey Brooks brings out the best in her Gibson guitar and banjo playing. Not to mention the fiddle on tracks such as 'Katie Cruel'.

Download: 'In A Station', 'Something On Your Mind', 'In My Own Dream' ND

Tracey Thorn Out Of The Woods EMI Music (40m 10s) . . . .

YOU would never think from listening to this that 1980s husband-and-wife duo Everything But The Girl are still on a hiatus.

Thorn's second solo album (the first was 25 years ago) was completed while raising the kids, while Ben Watt was happy to concentrate on DJing. Thorn, responsible for elevating Massive Attack's finest moments to pure genius, puts one of Britain's finest soul voices to largely ambient, chilled-out club music. And no one can do that as well as Thorn.

Download: 'Here It Comes Again', 'A-Z', 'Get Around To It' ND