For Those I Love Returns with Haunting New Single “Of The Sorrows”

David Balfe’s first release since his award-winning debut is a powerful reckoning with identity, grief, and a changing Dublin.

Dublin artist David Balfe has returned as For Those I Love with “Of The Sorrows”, his first new material since the breakout success of his 2021 self-titled debut. Accompanied by a self-directed video, the single finds Balfe once again navigating complex emotional terrain. This time, he turns inward to explore dislocation, resistance, and the eroding fabric of his home city.

“When I wrote ‘Of The Sorrows’, it felt like I was bargaining with myself,” Balfe explains. “At its heart, it's about a city rapidly boxing you out, and the choices you make in order to stay.” The track pairs his trademark spoken-word delivery with spare, atmospheric production. It also features the voice of an elderly man mourning his forced emigration, drawing a clear parallel with Balfe’s own conflicted relationship with Dublin. “How could you leave without putting up a fight?” he asks, his voice cracking under the weight of the question.

The new single marks a long-awaited return for Balfe. His 2021 debut was widely acclaimed for its raw lyricism and emotional urgency. It topped end-of-year lists on Album of the Year and Metacritic, won the Choice Music Prize, and was named Album of the Week by The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and BBC 6 Music.

Visually and sonically, “Of The Sorrows” builds on the foundation of that record while shifting focus. The video, shot over several months, reflects the song’s tension between beauty and collapse. Balfe began filming on Christmas Day and ended the process with a broken leg and a corrupted hard drive. Still, he describes the experience as worth it.

While more new music is expected in 2025, “Of The Sorrows” stands on its own as a striking reintroduction. It confirms that For Those I Love remains one of the most vital and thoughtful voices in Irish music.