• Live Line-Up Announced for NI Music Prize 2023

    October 4, 2023 - By 

    The live line-up has been announced for this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize. The annual awards ceremony – which recognises the very best in NI music, primarily through its Best Album award – returns to the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Wednesday, 15th November. Performing on the night is another wonderfully eclectic mix from several shortlisted acts, from Chalk, Problem Patterns and Winnie Ama, to Ferna, The Florentinas and Conor Mallon. There will also be a special performance from the recipient of this year’s Oh Yeah Legend Award, Paul Brady. The news comes just over a month before the return…

  • Video Premiere: Nick Carlisle – End of Terrain

    September 21, 2023 - By 

    Nick Carlisle is an auteur who has well and truly made his stamp on the landscape of DIY music culture in these isles. Originally from Dromore in Co. Down, the Brighton-based composer, performer and producer has deftly spanned whole soundworlds in projects such as Peepholes, Bamboo, Katy and Nick and Lean Logic. Last year, he even ventured out solo with his sublime, QFT Belfast-comissioned score for 1922 silent film Häxan. Pay attention and you’ll trace a revelatory journey that leads to his upcoming album Bloody Saturnalia. Taking its title from Sebastian Haffner’s Defying Hitler, it’s a self-produced effort that sees…

  • The Court House in Bangor named as finalist in National Lottery Awards

    September 13, 2023 - By 

    The Court House in Bangor has been shortlisted for the National Lottery Project of the Year Award. The prestigious nod is a very worthy acknowledgement of the non-profit arts venue’s vital home in the County Down seaside city. Announced just a few weeks before its first anniversary, having opened its doors last October following seven years of fundraising, lobbying, planning and refurbishment, the nomination brings into sharp focus the hard work of the venue’s owners and operators, local arts charity Open House, who are also responsible for Open House Festival. Made possible with a major grant of almost £1 million…

  • Video Premiere: Danny Carroll – Cheesemonger

    September 7, 2023 - By 

    We’ve long championed former Shrug Life frontman Danny Carroll as a forerunner in the conversation around Ireland’s greatest current-day lyricists. Continually capturing his milieu in sardonic, vivid detail, age has sharpened his instincts and composition, yet tempered his self-deprecative tendencies – to a point. That point is exactly what Carroll’s latest single, ‘Cheesemonger’, finds itself wrestling with throughout. The track is featured on Volume IV of the Litany of Failures compilation of which Danny Carroll is co-curator. It comes out tomorrow on digital & vinyl, and we’re pleased to give you a first look at the video for ‘Cheesemonger’. It…

  • Inaugural SCANRA: Samhain at the Cellar Announced

    August 30, 2023 - By 

    The line-up for the inaugural SCANRA: Samhain at the Cellar has been announced. Coming to The Workman’s Cellar on Saturday, 4th November, 2023 at 7pm it’s a new immersive night of music, myth and storytelling celebrating the Irish origins of Samhain through the voices and mediums of modern creators. Presented in collaboration with Workmná and The Thin Air, the night will feature live performances from acclaimed Belfast-based songwriter and pianist Clara Tracey, industrial-electronic artist Coolgirl (Lizzie Fitzpatrick, formerly of Bitch Falcon) and haunting acapella soundscapes from the Dulciana Vocal Ensemble—each set specially curated to evoke elements of the supernatural and…

  • A Litany of Failures: Volume IV is Announced

    August 9, 2023 - By 

    Irish compilation series A Litany of Failures, which features independent acts from all corners of the island, has just announced the pre-order and tracklisting for its fourth volume.  Set for release on double vinyl and digitally on September 8th, it’s available via Bandcamp. The compilation features 22 brand new, exclusive tracks from some of our favourite acts on the island, as well as some exciting new prospects. The double vinyl set once again features artwork by Pipe & Pallet, and the first 30 pre-orders feature a bespoke print from Belfast-based artist Phantom Powered Pixels.  The Litany of Failures series aims to document the grassroots music community…

  • Video Premiere: girlfriend. – Trust

    August 4, 2023 - By 

    Back in the mists of time (2016) we introduced the first iteration of North Dublin alternative band girlfriend, tipping them for Big Things in the future. Judging by the cost of living yadda yadda help, it’s now the future and it seems that, for all our high praise back then, we might have actually, inadvertently lowballed the band in question. In their final Super Saiyan form as a five-piece, girlfriend. are taking their rightful place as one of Ireland’s most vital bands. “Vital how?” you ask? We hear you, and we see your concerns, but there’s a fair chance you slept on ‘Trust’. Released in March, off the…

  • Lankum Nominated for Mercury Prize

    July 27, 2023 - By 

    In surely one of the most warranted determinations in the history of annual album prizes, Lankum have been nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize. Alongside the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Jockstrap, Shygirl and Young Fathers, the Dublin quartet will vie for the prestigious annual album award for their fourth studio album, False Lankum. Released via Rough Trade back in March, the album doubly underscored the band’s forward-pushing, genre-trouncing experimental folk. The winner of this year’s Mercury Prize will be announced at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on 7th September. Check out the full shortlist below. Revisit Andrew Lambert’s verdict on False Lankum here and check…

  • Féile Na Gréine Announce 2023 Line-up

    July 24, 2023 - By 

    The line-up for this year’s Féile Na Gréine has been announced. Doubling up as the Limerick DIY festival’s biggest programme to date, this year’s outing takes over various venues across 18th-20th August 2023. As ever from one of the island’s most tuned-in – and infinitely sound – creative collective and promoters, it’s another wonderfully eclectic, thoroughly stacked line-up of gigs, site-specific performances no workshops across three days and nights. Among this year’s many highlights are a whole host of TTA favourite including Robocobra Quartet (pictured), FONDA, Eimear Reidy and Natalia Beylis, Jane Deasy, Katie Kim, Naive Ted, Search Results and…

  • Video Premiere: Drew Makes Noise – Flame

    July 11, 2023 - By 

    As one-quarter of sadly-missed Northern Irish band Ed Zealous, Andrew Wilson played a sizeable role in soundtracking what’s long been held as the country’s indie heyday. But why look back? In Wilson’s case, it seems lightning most certainly strikes twice. Fast-forward to 2023 and the Belfast-based artist is digging deep to further his prismatic alt-pop craft as Drew Makes Noise. Where recent singles like ‘This Matter’ and ‘Hey’ were lysergic and widescreen in equal measure, new single ‘Flame’ is a feat of masterful restraint. One of several peaks from his stellar debut solo album Let The Whole Tape Run, it’s…