• Watch: Kerbdog – Electricity

    September 9, 2014 - By 

    Sixteen long years in the making, Kilkenny alt-rock heroes Kerbdog released a new track, ‘Electricity’. Accompanying by a straight-and-to-the-point video of the band recording the track – a seminal moment in itself, let’s be honest – comes ahead of the release of the quartet’s Pledge campaign-funded live album, Congregation, which is set for release on October 6. Cormac Battle and co. will also hit the road in November, playing the following Irish and UK shows. November 14: Dublin Academy November 15: Manchester Ritz w/ Amplifier, Nine Black Alps, Hawk Eyes, Hey You Guys! November 16: London Forum w/ Amplifier, Hawk Eyes, Jamie Lenman, Hey You Guys! November 17: Bristol Bierkeller w/…

  • Stream: SOAK – B a noBody

    September 9, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to her breakthrough release ‘Blud’ – released via CHVRCHES‘ single imprint – Derry singer-songwriter SOAK has unveiled her new single, ‘B a noBody’. Titled in such a way to such suggest her keyboard still needs repaired, the track is a sparse yet impressively layered anti-call to arms. Reverb-ridden, edging towards a semi-inevitable crescendo, the track was recorded across a summer that saw the songwriter pen a deal with Rough Trade for her forthcoming debut album, which is currently being recorded. SOAK will play the following dates in November: November 5: London – St. Giles In The FieldsNovember 6: Manchester – The CastleNovember 7: Derry – Christ Church       November 8: Dublin – The…

  • Red Bull Music Academy Weekender

    September 9, 2014 - By 

    From September 25 to 28, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter will host its first ever Red Bull Music Academy weekender. Set to see four days of concerts, club nights, talks and film screenings with some first-rate genre-defining, forward-thinking artists and musicians, German electro-classical musician Nils Frahm (supported by Derry’s Ryan Vail) at City Hall on Sunday, September 28 stands out as highlight. Check out the full line-up below and buy tickets here. Thursday, September 25 – 10pm The Juan MacLean, Timmy Stewart and Twitch The Bunatee, Queen’s University Student Union (Tickets £6) Friday, September 26 Workshop featuring BICEP Oh Yeah Music Centre (Free Admission)…

  • Stream: The Wood Burning Savages – Boom

    September 8, 2014 - By 

    Ahead of setting off on their first UK at the end of the week, Derry quartet The Wood Burning Savages are streaming their brilliantly urgent new single ‘Boom’. Something of a stand-out from their live shows, the Motorik-driven release is a heady three-minutes, evoking the likes of Patti Smith, Can and Mission of Burma, whilst retaining the band’s own increasingly-distinctive brand of alt-rock.  See below for the band’s forthcoming UK dates and a stream of ‘Boom’, officially released on September 29.

  • Gigs of the Week: TWINKRANES, Freebase, Duke Special, Jun Tzu Album Launch

    September 9, 2014 - By 

    With the new semester upon us, more and more new shows are sprouting up in the gig calender over the next few months. Focusing on the absolute immediate future, however, here’s our comprehensively genre-spanning pick of must-see gigs taking place throughout the country over the next seven days. Seven Quarters: Twinkranes, Halves – Whelan’s, Dublin; Saturday, September 13 The third installment of Dublin gig night Seven Quarters at Whelan’s on Saturday night will see boundlessly intriguing Dublin trio Halves play their last Irish show of the year alongside critically acclaimed experimentalists TWINKRANES. If you are in any way inclined towards exceptional, forward-driven homegrown music, this is not a show…

  • Watch: His New Atlas – Pillars

    September 7, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to the recently-released ‘His Young’, Armagh singer-songwriter Eoghan O’Hagan AKA His New Atlas has released his sitting new single, ‘Pillars’. Fast becoming his custom, O’Hagan’s latest heart-rending tale is accompanied by simple but stunningly shot video, created by Belfast-based videographer and photographer Colm Laverty. Brooding and evocative, calling upon the depths of distant childhood and lost innocence, the video culminates in a particularly wistful tone. ‘Pillars’ is taken from O’Hagan’s debut full-length EP, Torn Out Lungs, which you can stream/purchase here. Watch the video below.  

  • Stream: Matua Trap – Cleave

    September 3, 2014 - By 

    Comprised of members from Belfast bands Kasper Rosa and Affleck, new-fangled alt-prog trio Matua Trap have been penning and practice their first batch of songs for the last year. Their first effort from what they promise to be very busy project, ‘Cleave’ is a suitably tangential, idiosyncratic affair, hinting at some fine things in the making. Matua Trap make their live debut at Belfast’s Voodoo on Wednesday, September 17. Stream – or buy for at least £1 – ‘Cleave’ via Bandcamp below. Cleave by Matua Trap

  • Watch: Girl Band – De Bom Bom

    September 3, 2014 - By 

    Dublin noise rock quartet Girl Band have been very active as of late. As well as having the slightly daunting honour of supporting both Metz and Slint on recent tours, they also been on the road on the their own right, as well as delivering nothing short of an unforgettable performance on the Friday night of Electric Picnic. The latest milestone on their altogether upward journey is the release of ‘De Bom Bom’, a single that perfectly embodies the manic fury and almost touchable neurotic majesty of their current material. The accompanying video, created by Second Frame Films, mirrors the aforementioned…

  • Stream: Slow Skies – Ice Field

    September 3, 2014 - By 

    Having been featured in our Instatour feature earlier this year, Dublin dream pop duo Slow Skies have dropped ‘Ice Field’, the first track to be taken from their forthcoming EP, Keepsake. The duo – comprised of singer-songwriter Karen Sheridan and producer Conal Herron – are joined by Richie Egan and Glen Keating from Jape on the track, delicately propelled by sparse instrumentation and Sheridan’s meditative vocals. Slow Skies are set to play The Sugar Club, Dublin on Wednesday, October 8. Stream ‘Ice Field’ via Soundcloud below.

  • Exclusive: Meb Jon Sol – Leave All Your Troubles With Me

    September 3, 2014 - By 

    Having reared his head at the start of the year with his debut single, ‘Captain of This Ship’, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Michael McCullagh AKA Meb Jon Sol has released the touching trad-folk of ‘Leave All Your Troubles With Me’ – and we have a first look at the video. Filmed and edited by Colm Laverty, the video, giving the effect of an old 8mm film, features McCullagh performing the track in the Titanic quarter of Belfast, spliced with footage of various people across the world. ‘Leave All Your Troubles With Me’ is available to buy via Bandcamp for £1 or the option to donate…