• Reeling In The Year with Ciaran Lavery

    November 12, 2015 - By 

    2015 has been a real breakthrough year for Aghagallon singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery. Having zig-zagged across the UK and Europe over the last few months, he has been hailed far and wide as one of the most naturally gifted, utterly engrossing songsmiths of his generation. Touching on everything from life on the road, the weight (or lack thereof) of expectation and special Christmas shows “With Strings” at Belfast’s MAC, Lavery chats to Brian Coney. See below for premiere of Lavery’s ‘Little More Time’ With Strings. Hi Ciaran. It’s been a really busy 2015 for you. Looking back to the start of the…

  • Inbound: exmagician

    November 12, 2015 - By 

    Cashier No. 9’s debut album To the Death of Fun was a quiet triumph for the Northern Irish music scene; a record that showed off the quartet’s songwriting imagination whilst still being respectful to their heroes – thanks in no small part to David Holmes’ lightness of touch on production duties. Whilst Cashier officially became defunct earlier this year, creative duo Danny Todd and James Smith have returned with a new EP under the exmagician moniker. Lead single ‘Kiss That Wealth Goodbye’ feels instantly more urgent than the pair’s previous output, who liken their latest material to “…the dirt under…

  • Digging Deep with Chelsea Wolfe

    November 9, 2015 - By 

    Having released Abyss – her heaviest (and finest) album to date – back in August, Chelsea Wolfe is well and truly an artist who has come good on a sense of extraordinary promise. Ahead of her show at Dublin’s Button Factory on Wednesday, November 25, Mike McGrath Bryan chats to the L.A. artist about touring, digging deep creatively and the sonic imprint of sleep paralysis.  Abyss is drawn from the nightmares and situations created by sleep paralysis and other ailments. How was it to confront them creatively? It happened without overthinking it. I’ve had sleep and dream issues my whole life, and over time…

  • Interview: Samantha Crain

    November 5, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of her show at Dublin’s Workman’s Club on Sunday, Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain chats to Brian Coney about her stellar new album, Under Brand & Thorn & Tree, reclaiming music/art from upper class white men and the imprint of the likes of Jason Molina and David Bazan on her new material. Hi Samantha, Under Branch & Thorn & Tree is, for my money, one of strongest records of the year. There’s such a deep conviction to your words and how you wield them. Looking back, how did you go about writing lyrics what triggered inspiration? Thank you! The first song I wrote…

  • Interview: Claudio Simonetti

    October 28, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of Devil’s Night Disco this Halloween Eve in Dublin, Loreana Rushe talks to renowned composer Claudio Simonetti about performing the acclaimed soundtracks for Profondo Rosso and Suspiria live with Goblin and how horror as a genre has shaped his work. Hi Claudio. I’m very happy to be chatting to you and looking forward to Devil’s Night Disco in Dublin, which promises to be a very special show on Halloween weekend. How are you currently preparing for the double bill? We’re very fortunate to perform Profondo Rosso and Suspiria for a long time and I don’t think we’ll have any trouble in doing a…

  • The End of an Era: Radar 2005-2015

    October 20, 2015 - By 

    “Institution” is a word that seems to be all too wantonly applied to every other gig night across the country nowadays. After ten years positively both capturing and shaping local live music in the North of the country, Radar at Belfast’s Queens Student Union is most definitely an exception to that rule. Ahead of its final (inevitably somewhat emotional) outing on Thursday night, Brian Coney chats with Radar founder and main man Damien McAdams about the decade-long highs and highlights of a soon to be much-missed Belfast institution. Hi Damien. It should go without saying but Radar is and was a…

  • Interview: David Kitt

    October 19, 2015 - By 

    David Kitt has been a quiet institution of the Irish music world for what is fast approaching two decades. In that time Kitt has released six studio albums under his own name has toured extensively, one of those tours being support of David Gray earlier in 2015. Recently, Kitt has achieved success in the realm outside of his ambient, electronic folk sphere under the moniker of New Jackson which has seen him bringing his boisterous, driving electronica to festivals throughout the UK and Europe, sharing stages with the likes of John Talabot and Mano Le Tough. Eoin Murray speaks to David…

  • Interview: Neil Flynn

    October 15, 2015 - By 

    Neil Flynn is an artist who could stand as a true representation of what so many young people looking to dedicate their lives to music go through in recent years. Growing up in rural Ireland where dreams of making the music you love for a living and having it played in some of Europe’s most renowned nightclubs rarely become more than dreams, Flynn’s determination, work ethic and sincere belief in the art of electronic music has lead to him being signed to one of Berlin’s most promising labels, LOSSLESS. In the past year Flynn has released one EP, Louise and…

  • Interview: Jacco Gardner

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    Having played Dublin’s Workman’s Club last month, baroque pop prince and Dutch producer/multi-instrumentalist Jacco Gardner chats to Brian Coney about his new album, Hypnophobia, the imprint of cinema on his music and the luxury of recording completely on his own terms. Hi Jacco. You released the wonderful Hypnophobia (the “excessive fear of deep sleep” I’ve just learned) back in May. Before touching on the recording and songwriting, what’s the significance being the title of the release? When I saw the word for the first time I immediately felt some connection. For me it’s a way of describing the unknown territory…

  • Inbound: The Cujo Family

    October 13, 2015 - By 

    The story of The Cujo Family is a familiar one. Since their conception eight years ago they’ve amassed a serious, almost fervent fan base through their poetic song writing and knees-up live shows. Yet despite wide acclaim, full widespread attention remains elusive. Then life does its thing, and nips at your time with work, children, the day to day. And though music may remain the centre of your world, it’s one that has to be shaped around the very real needs of being a normal human. Yet that doesn’t mean you should give up, because here they come again. With…