• Chalk Release ‘Claw,’ Announce Second EP

    January 18, 2024 - By 

    Having sealed a stellar 2023 by winning three awards at the NI Music Prize—including a well-earned nod for Best Live Act—Chalk have revealed details of their second EP. Comprising Ross Cullen, Benedict Goddard and Luke Niblock, the Belfast trio have been honing their searing craft since forming in 2019. It’s an increasingly insular arc that’s set to enter new territory on 1st March with the release of their Conditions II. The follow-up to the blistering Conditions, which dropped in May last year, the EP will be released via Nice Swan Records—home to Sports Team, Pip Blom and more—on 1st March.…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 19th January

    January 18, 2024 - By 

    Dig into the best Irish tracks of the week, featuring the return of Belfast jazz-punk quartet Blue Whale, Fears, Chalk, Villagers, David Hedderman, Conchúr White and more Blue Whale – Otic Brawl Chalk – Claw Fears – 4th of the 1st affinity by Fears Conchúr White – 501s Villagers – That Golden Time David Hedderman – Pokerface An Auld Lad and Peng Weng – Ballad Of A Bad Wife (Kaua​ʻ​i ʻ​ō​ʻ​ō) an auld lad sung peng weng. low crows nest by Peng Weng The Psychs – The Bullet Song Ro Yourell – Dance With You

  • Monday Mixtape: Stray Planets

    January 15, 2024 - By 

    Off of the back of ‘Glowing Rectangles’—his stellar new single featuring Dara Kiely of Gilla Band—John Butler of Dublin collective Stray Planets delves into a small selection of his favourite songs, from Judee Sill, Gabriel Faure and Supergrass to The Supremes, Haruyo Oguro & Tomoko Sasaki Photo by Justin Young Sagittarius – Glass An evocative track from an album I love called Present Tense. Good one to listen to on headphones walking in town through a tide of faces. Harpers Bizarre – High Coin This track is more up my street than where I live. A perfect marriage of beauty…

  • Irish Tracks of The Week – 12th January

    January 12, 2024 - By 

    Our very first Irish Tracks of the Week of 2024 is a strong one. Delve into our favourite new Irish tracks and albums of the week, featuring Lucy Gaffney, Stray Planets featuring Gilla Band’s Dara Kiely, Sprints, NewDad, HAVVK and more Lucy Gaffney – Locked Up Never Fade Stray Planets – Glowing Rectangles Sprints – Letter To Self Letter To Self by SPRINTS NewDad – White Ribbons HAVVK – You Say You Won’t Ailsha – Go Tobann Honas – Cash Machine Def Nettle – Four Years

  • Q+A: Casual Riots

    January 7, 2024 - By 

    Ahead of what’s set to be a busy few months for the fast-rising five-piece, including the release of new single ‘Honey,’ we catch up with Belfast alternative indie/alternative band Casual Riots Hi guys. Take us right back to the start. How and when did Casual Riots first become a reality, and what bonded you as five musicians? It all started with a few friends who met in school and who shared a commonality, love and interest in writing music and making a racket together. Around April time 2021, we decided it was time to rebrand ourselves. This is because we…

  • Naoise Roo Announces Final Headline Show

    January 5, 2024 - By 

    Naoise Roo has announced her last-ever headline show. Having spent the last few years underscoring her status as one of the island’s most distinctive songwriting voices, the Dublin artist has revealed that the launch of her latest album – and one of 2023’s very best – Emotionally Magnificent will be her last-ever headliner. Taking place at the Workman’s Club in Dublin on Friday, 2nd February, the performance is set to be an emotional, yet uniquely celebratory curtain call from a singular talent who has made clear her wishes to explore other avenues in her broader creative life. In an Instagram…

  • The Absolute State Of Us: How Array Collective Works

    January 5, 2024 - By 

    As they head into 2024, Belfast’s Turner-prize winning art group Array Collective throw some light on how collaboration, humility and converging passions work for them How does Array work? Whenever we are asked to talk to students or audiences, the questions we are asked most often are along the lines of, “How do 11 artists make one artwork? What does it mean to be a collective?”. It seems mind-boggling to many people that there is no one in charge (us too sometimes, to be fair). During a press interview not so long ago, a journalist wondered, “How can anyone make…

  • The Thin Air’s Top 100 Irish Releases of 2023

    December 20, 2023 - By 

    When we signed off our top releases of 2022 this time last year with “Your move, 2023,” we honestly couldn’t fathom what was to come. With Elaine Howley, Gilla Band, Aoife Nessa Frances and One Eye One Leg among countless heavy hitters in a truly banner twelve months, there was a sense that, for all our limitless belief in what sets us apart as an island, we had hit a bit of a peak – one to be equalled, at best, in the coming twelve months. Blessedly, how wrong we were. Lifting our collective jaw off the floor to compile…

  • Acid Mothers Temple For Dublin and Belfast Return

    December 15, 2023 - By 

    Acid Mothers Temple are coming back to Ireland. The Japanese psych-rock legends, who have been fully expanding minds since 1995, will play Workman’s Club in Dublin on Sunday, 12th May and Belfast’s Ulster Sports Club on Tuesday, 14th May. Supports are TBA Tickets are priced €22.00 and £16.50 are on sale now.

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 1st December

    December 1, 2023 - By 

    As we swiftly approach our end-of-year round-up of the best Irish releases of the year, delve into our pick of the best singles and albums of the last week, featuring Yinyang, Stefan Murphy, Villagers & Lisa Hannigan, Connor McCann and more Stefan Murphy – Hospital Verses Hospital Verses by Stefan Murphy Villagers & Lisa Hannigan – The Little Drummer Boy Connor McCann – These Fires Yinyang – Kill Jester Bitch Falcon – Staring at Clocks (Remixes) ​​ Preference w/ Plus One Remix – Pinch Molly O’Mahony – Quietly T.A. Narrative – Loves Hold Retro Futurism by T.A. Narrative Hotgirl –…