Kneecap have shared their electric new single ‘Smugglers & Scholars’, the latest track from their upcoming album ‘FENIAN’ – check it out here.
The single, which premiered tonight (February 24) on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 show, is named for a play on the epithet Land of Saints and Scholars, often given to Ireland.
It takes influence from Detroit hip-hop as the trio look back and reminisce over the island’s history. With the sound of sirens permeating and a thick, low-end bass riff anchoring the track, it’s an intense, exhilarating listen.
“Ya think it’s all poetry and clovers, when it’s raincoats and police Land Rovers / Salt of the earth, looking over their shoulder, someone shot in turn, chopper hovering over,” the lyrics run. Listen to the track here:
Discussing the track, Kneecap described it as “a track that’s reminiscing on revolutionary times in Ireland, driven by a hopefulness, when the working class, academics and good people everywhere united and took action in search of a better future.”
The group announced ‘FENIAN’, their third album, last month. It’s set to arrive via Heavenly Recordings on April 24 and is available to pre-order here on CD, cassette, DL, black vinyl, tri-colour splatter vinyl, and more.
It follows their 2024 album ‘Fine Art’, and will feature 14 tracks including collaborations from Kae Tempest, Radie Peat and Fawzi, and the lead single ‘Liars Tale’, which came out on January 28.
‘FENIAN’ comes following Mo Chara’s ongoing terror case, which is currently going through an appeal.
The case against the rapper (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) was dropped last September due to a technicality relating to the way in which it was brought about. At the time, the Chief Magistrate told the court that the charge was “unlawful” and “null”.
It stems from an alleged incident where he reportedly displayed a Hezbollah flag during a live show in November 2024, and shouted “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. Both are listed as proscribed terrorist organisations by the UK government.
In a statement announcing the record, the band said: “They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap ‘terrorists’, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself. We had all the motivation we needed…this isn’t a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.
“Made with Dan Carey, a producer we are honoured to have worked with. It’s a more sinister sound…because these are sinister times. But also defiant and triumphant.”
They added: “Inspired by, and proudly named ‘Fenian’, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish. Now we’re using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.
“After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didn’t. Thanks to [social campaign group] Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed. And kneecap is much the same…we haven’t gone away. The Paddies are back.”
The tracklisting for ‘FENIAN’ is:
‘Éire go Deo’
‘Smugglers & Scholars’
‘Carnival’
‘Palestine’ (ft. Fawzi)
‘Liars Tale’
‘FENIAN’
‘Big Bad Mo’
‘Headcase’
‘An Ra’
‘Cold At The Top’
‘Occupied 6’
‘Gael Phonics’
‘Cocaine Hill’ (ft. Radie Peat)
‘Irish Goodbye’ (ft. Kae Tempest)
Also coming up for the trio are a run of live dates, beginning with a series of out-stores across the UK towards the end of April. They’re then set to play European festivals including Primavera Sound, Open’er, Roskilde, Reading & Leeds and Boomtown over the summer, while their biggest headline show to date is coming up at London’s Crystal Palace Park on June 27 – find tickets to their summer shows here.
NME gave their huge OVO Arena Wembley show in September, which came a week before terror charges against Chara were thrown out, a glowing five-star review, meanwhile, describing it as “a Keir Starmer-baiting Wembley invasion”.
The review concluded: “You don’t pull off a gig like that on controversy alone. You need bangers and you need a culture to fill this room. Kneecap have all that, and they’re a fucking good laugh. There’s no call for violence, there’s nothing that should land someone in front of a judge, just solidarity and a rave against the dying of the light.
“Just 24 hours earlier in this same room, Together For Palestine put on all-star fundraiser for the cause, the biggest of its kind. It’s significant that gigs like this should happen at a time like now. The state may try to crush them, but Kneecap have a power of their own. As they spit on ‘It’s Been Ages’: ‘Controversy won’t phase us, we hold all the cards and they’re aces, try to protect your kids but they’ll hear us.’”