mischa and the bear

mischa and the bear are a Dublin-based alt-pop duo exploring the fragility of the human experience through unsettling synth-led soundscapes and stark lyrical honesty. The project features producer Danny “Mischa” Rooney and vocalist Fírinne “Bear” McIntyre whose creative partnership blends glitchy textures with haunting melodies and lyrics that linger like bruises.
Since emerging in early 2025, they have quickly built a reputation for emotionally intelligent pop that does not flinch. Their debut single Deny introduced a jarring world of dissociation and distorted identity, described by Nialler9 as “very fucking great” and praised by RTÉ 2FM as “whopper.” Follow-up single Get Away pushed the pair’s sound and emotional reach further. It explores grief, emotional paralysis and the desperate urge to escape. Rooney explains “It’s about being in a room where all the doors are locked. The verses are dreamlike and foggy, the choruses visceral and intense.”
This sound, minimal in structure but rich in tone, has drawn early acclaim across Irish and UK tastemakers. Gemma Bradley of BBC Introducing praised their synthpop sensibilities while Void Magazine called them “an act ready to carve their own path in the alt-pop landscape.” Babystep Magazine noted the “industrial textures, distorted beats and a haunting intensity that lingers.” ChordBlossom described them as “intelligent and emotionally resonant,” comparing their appeal to Sylvan Esso and Grimes.
With each track, mischa and the bear construct a vivid emotional atmosphere whether unpacking the toxic intensity of a fractured friendship (Forever Ago) or the strange comfort of emotional collapse in Get Away. Their music is deeply personal yet feels uncannily universal.
They have already earned Track of the Week twice on RTÉ 2FM and support from BBC Across the Line, Radio X, District Magazine and 98FM’s Totally Irish. The pair are steadily growing a following drawn to their unvarnished emotional storytelling and genre-blurring sound. Their excellent debut EP ‘Even Unto The Next World’ is set for release on August 8th, 2025.