Thursday rolls around again and our new ritual of Tracks of the Week begins here at TIR. New and indeed great music never really stops arriving. It seeps out of studios, bedrooms, basements and tour buses like groundwater. The job is simply to listen closely and separate the sparks from the noise. Here are four tracks worth your ears this week chosen by our editorial team.

Sam Fender & Olivia Dean’s ‘Rein Me In”

Songs often shift once a second voice enters the story. “Rein Me In” demonstrates that clearly. The track is connected to Sam Fender’s People Watching era and later returned as a duet with Olivia Dean, adding a new dimension to the original recording.

The collaboration first gained widespread attention when Fender and Dean performed the song together at London Stadium in June 2025 during Fender’s tour. That live performance generated significant momentum for the duet version, which would later be released and begin its gradual rise on the UK charts.

The contrast between the two voices shapes the track. Fender’s delivery carries the rough-edged tone that has defined much of his catalogue, while Dean’s phrasing is smoother and more measured. The result feels less like a single narrator reflecting on a relationship and more like two perspectives occupying the same emotional space.

Musically the arrangement opens quietly before expanding into a fuller band sound. The acoustic guitar provides the foundation while additional instrumentation gradually builds around the vocal interplay.

The song also became notable for its unusual chart journey. “Rein Me In” spent 35 weeks climbing the UK Singles Chart before reaching number one, setting a record for the longest climb to the top position. The achievement marked Sam Fender’s first UK number one single and Olivia Dean’s second. The track went on to win Song of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards.

What began as a song from Fender’s own catalogue ultimately became something broader. With Dean’s contribution, the narrative becomes shared rather than solitary, giving the track a different emotional perspective.

RAYE – “Where Is My Husband!”

RAYE released “Where Is My Husband!” in September 2025 as the lead single from her second studio album This Music May Contain Hope., scheduled for release on 27 March 2026. The track arrived during a period in which the singer-songwriter had firmly established her independence following her departure from a major label earlier in the decade.

The song places RAYE’s voice at the centre of a carefully arranged production built around piano, brass and layered instrumentation. The arrangement expands gradually rather than relying on sudden shifts in dynamics, allowing the vocal performance to remain the focal point throughout.

Lyrically the track balances humour and reflection. The title carries a playful tone, while the lyrics explore ideas around relationships, expectations and the search for emotional stability.

The single quickly found a large audience and eventually reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming RAYE’s second chart-topping single. The success reinforced her position as one of the most visible British pop writers of the current decade as anticipation builds for the full album release.

Robyn – “Dopamine”

Robyn has long occupied a distinctive space within pop music, combining electronic production with introspective songwriting. “Dopamine”, released in November 2025, marked her first solo single in several years and serves as the lead single from her forthcoming album Sexistential.

The track is built around a steady electronic rhythm and layered synthesiser lines that gradually evolve across the song’s runtime. The production draws on the dancefloor-orientated sound associated with Robyn’s earlier work while maintaining a contemporary electronic palette.

Vocally, Robyn adopts a restrained delivery that sits just above the instrumental arrangement. The lyrics reference the chemical processes associated with attraction, using the concept of dopamine to frame the emotional intensity of romantic connection.

As the first single from Sexistential, the track signals Robyn’s return to recording following a lengthy gap between solo releases. It continues her long-running exploration of the emotional side of electronic pop music.

SPRINTS – “Trickle Down”

Dublin band SPRINTS released “Trickle Down” in March 2026. The track follows the release of their debut album Letter to Self, which arrived in January 2024 through City Slang and introduced the band to a broader international audience.

“Trickle Down” opens with a tense guitar line before the rhythm section establishes a fast, driving pace. The band keep the arrangement tight, relying on the interplay between guitar, bass and drums to maintain momentum throughout the track.

Vocalist Karla Chubb delivers the lyrics with a controlled intensity that has become central to the band’s identity. Her delivery shifts between spoken phrasing and melodic lines while maintaining a sense of urgency.

The title references the concept of trickle-down economics. The song draws on that language to reflect frustration with economic inequality and the gap between political promises and everyday experience.

Musically SPRINTS remain rooted in the guitar-driven post-punk tradition that has produced several internationally recognised Irish bands in recent years. “Trickle Down” continues the band’s approach of combining direct lyrics with tightly structured arrangements.

Gnarls Barkley – “Pictures”

Gnarls Barkley, the duo formed by CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse, returned with the single “Pictures” ahead of the release of their new album Atlanta, scheduled for March 2026. The project marks their first new material together in nearly two decades.

The track blends elements of soul, hip hop and psychedelic pop, a combination that characterised the duo’s earlier work. Danger Mouse’s production layers multiple instrumental textures while maintaining a steady rhythmic structure.

CeeLo Green’s vocal delivery brings a reflective tone to the track. The lyrics reference memories and personal experiences connected to the city of Atlanta, which also gives the upcoming album its title.

The return of the duo follows the global success of their earlier releases, including the 2006 hit “Crazy.” “Pictures” suggests that the musical partnership between Green and Danger Mouse continues to evolve while remaining recognisable in style.