• Stream: Bad Sea – Over My Head

    The B-side to their latest single, ‘Tell Me (What I Mean)‘, ‘Over My Head’ by fast-rising, and TTA-approved Dublin duo Ciara Thompson and Alan Pharrell AKA Bad Sea is a slow-burning ballad that, stripped back to its core subtle piano and Thompson’s exquisite vocal delivery, reveals the band’s prowess in the realm of taking a step or two back. Ahead of the band’s show with Beauty Sleep and Shrug Life in Dublin on Friday, stream the track below now.

  • Air, Mark Ronson and More Set for The Beatyard

    Taking place across the weekend of August 5 & 6 is this year’s Beatyard Festival at The Beatyard of Dun Laoghaire Harbour with huge headliners Mark Ronson, in what will be an excellent DJ set from the tastemaker, as well as atmospheric French trip-hop channelling outfit Air. Continuing on from last year’s funk & soul-oriented lineup, the bill confirmed so far includes: Toots & The Maytals Bananarama Candi Staton Larry Heard aka Mr Fingers [in his first ever Irish performance] Mood II Swing Romare Rusangano Family [Well-deserved Choice Music Prize-winners 2017] Katie Kim Romare [with a full live band] Horse Meat Disco Fish Go Deep Kíla…

  • George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic To Play Dublin in May

    P-Funk innovator George Clinton returns to Dublin on May 16 for a show at Vicar Street alongside his two most heralded projects Parliament & Funkadelic. Revolutionising R&B, soul, funk, and crossing over into the acid-rock audience in the late ’60s & ’70s like no-one ever had before, influenced by the likes of Hendrix, Sly Stone, Zappa & Ash Ra, he released a huge number of essential albums throughout his career, especially both bands’ ’70s purple patches – memorably on the likes of Maggot Brain, Mothership Connection & One Nation Under A Groove. His P-Funk philosophy heavily inspired by the latter, stood for Parliament-Funkadelic, Psychedelic Funk &…

  • Sunn O))) Set For Irish Shows

    It’s been announced that American drone metal masters Sunn O))) will play two Irish shows in July. With their original score to horror film The Devil’s Candy scheduled for U.S. release tomorrow (March 17), the Seattle legends – whose live set-up comprises of core members Stephen O’Malley, Greg Anderson and others – will play Belfast’s Limelight 1 on July 17 and Dublin’s Button Factory on July 18. Tickets for the shows – priced £22.50 + booking fee for the former and €25.oo inc. booking fee for the latter – are on sale now.

  • Stream: Loah – The Bailey

    Two years ago last month we featured Irish-Sierra Leonean artist Sallay Matu Garnett AKA Loah as the cover star of the fourth issue of our physical magazine. And in the 25 months since, Garnett has evolved into something very special indeed. Currently in Austin, Texas as part of this year’s SXSW, the Dublin-based singer has unveiled her latest single, ‘The Bailey’, a stellar five-minute effort taken from her forthcoming This Heart EP. A full-band, politically-charged effort, the song tackles personal freedom and choice in relation to exterior forces. As ever, Garnett’s sublime vocals take centre-stage. This Heart will be released via Ensemble Music on…

  • Premiere: Percolator – Crab Supernova

    Taken from their forthcoming debut album, Sestra, ‘Crab Supernova’ by Dublin-based “Krautophiles” Percolator is a track that – stemming from the band’s love of the likes of Neu! and Stereolab – conjures up a thick miasma of ‘gazey Kosmiche textures and Motorik groove. Accompanied by a video courtesy of Thom McDermot, the single is one of many highlights on Sestra, which was recorded in-house at John ‘Spud’ Murphy and Ian Chestnutt’s Guerilla Studios. The album is out via Penske Recordings on April 14. Have a first look and listen to ‘Crab Supernova’ below.

  • Forbidden Fruit Reveal New Acts, Day-To-Day Breakdown

    Featuring headliners Orbital, Aphex Twin and Bon Iver, as well as Moderat, Flying Lotus, Lisa Hannigan and many more, the day-to-day breakdown for this year’s Forbidden Fruit festival has been revealed. Set to return to Dublin’s Royal Kilmainham over the June Bank Holiday Weekend of June 3-5, Nicolas Jaar, Giggs, Danny L Harle, Peggy Gou, Hybrasil and Trinity Orchestra have also been added to the bill. With more yet to be announced, here’s the day-to-day breakdown: Saturday, June 3 Booka Shade Tycho, Giggs Hot Chip (DJ Set) Jax Jones, Snakehips, Nao, Mall Grab Trinity Orchestra Sunday, June 4 Nicolas Jaar…

  • Watch: Fiction Peaks – Before The End

    Featuring a video by Dublin artist Colm Giles, ‘Before The End’ by Dublin five-piece Fiction Peaks is a slow-burning alt-pop effort drawing parallels between personal strife and the broader backdrop of the Zeitgeist. Taken from their new double a-side ‘Before The End’/’Jinx’ – both of which will feature on their forthcoming debut album, Citizen – Giles said of the video that accompanies the single: “My take on ‘Before The End’ was to make an artistic observation of the times we are living in. I did this by looking at elements of the Spanish Civil War – showing ordinary people fighting against fascism. With…

  • Melt Banana Set For Belfast Show

    With a Dublin date expected to be announced, it’s been revealed that the consistently reliable Strange Victory will host Japanese noise legends Melt Banana at Belfast’s Voodoo on June 21. Formed in Tokyo in 1992, the band – now currently a duo in – have released ten studio albums via the likes of A-Zap, Gold Standard Labs and Skin Graft. Tickets for the Belfast show – which are available to buy here – are priced at the very reasonable £11.00.

  • Watch: Video Blue – Dusk Moves

    Taken from his Love Scenes album, Dundalk native, London based musician Jim O’Donoghue Martin AKA Video Blue has released a video for ‘Dusk Moves’. A snappy slice of indie-guitar pop and post-punk electronics, Video Blue has developed a sound that is infectious and effortlessly charming since his debut in 2015. With all the endearing qualities of bedroom pop, Love Scenes boasts a particular polish to lure us in like magpies to something shiny. ‘Dusk Moves’ sits somewhere in the camp between Radiohead’s poppier moments and Future Islands. The video, directed by Dara Carrol, is a fitting companion: a solitary dance in a pub, an insular trip in insecurity…