• Video Premiere: Beach – Bram Toker

    Released earlier this month, we said ‘Bram Toker’ by Dublin neo-psychedelic five-piece Beach was an effort confirming their arrival as a band to be “considered alongside fellow Irish sonic diviners The Altered Hours and Elastic Sleep“. A few short weeks later, the single – one of our favourite by Irish act this year – comes bearing a visual accompaniment, directed and animated by Ross Ryder. Have a first look at that below. Beach will play a Knockanstockan Presents show in Whelan’s on May 12, as well as their first headline in London on May 18 at the Islington.

  • Stream: Beach – Bram Toker

    In the best possible sense, Dublin five-piece Beach – one of our featured 17 for ’17 acts – have always been one to pin down. Marrying left-of centre psychedelia with the imprint of electronic, Krautrock and indie rock influence, their increasingly earworming craft caught our ear and then some at the tail-end of last year on single ‘Ono Noh‘. With its Goat-like incanted psych, propulsive groove and sub-bass sorcery, its follow-up, ‘Bram Toker’, goes one further, confirming the band as an act to be considered alongside fellow Irish sonic diviners The Altered Hours and Elastic Sleep.

  • 17 for ’17: Beach

    The spirit of psychedelia is alive and well and living in the heart of Dublin, or at least that is what Dublin based five-piece Beach would have you believe. The quintet has spent the last few years finely honing their brand of everything but the kitchen sink psych into a well-oiled machine. Even a cursory glance at the band reveals a vast depth and scope at their very core. These are not minor or modest compositions. They’re huge ambitious beasts meandering through an unpredictable, almost endless series of twists and turns. As you listen closely you can pick out these…

  • The Thin Air Tracks of the Week: J Mascis, Solar Bears, Thee Oh Sees, Enemies etc.

    You know, we got thinking: three years in, it’s really about time that we started herding up our very favourite tracks – Irish and international – and putting them in one place, each and every week. That very obvious thought developed into a very simple plan (ten or so positively must-hear tracks every Thursday) and here we are. This is it. You are here. Dig below. Enemies – ‘itsallwaves’ RIP Enemies. Don’t miss their farewell show at Vicar Street in December. J Mascis – ‘Waltz 2’ (Elliott Smith cover) It probably shouldn’t work but it does. Go here, man. Crystal…

  • Premiere: Beach – Ono Noh

    One of our must-see acts at Hard Working Class Heroes this weekend, Dublin five-piece Beach aren’t likely to be neatly defined any time soon. Recently proclaimed one of the “most interesting prospects on the Irish scene” the Dave Barrett-fronted band certainly have a sturdy leg to stand on, blending dusky slacker rock, electronica and contorted psychedelia on tracks including ‘Moon Smoke’, ‘Arabia’ and, most recently, the brilliantly bastardised jazz-punk of ‘Donuts’. Exploring more ruminating territory, the band’s new single ‘Ono Noh’ conjures Black Heart Procession-like lamenting via Depeche Modesque atmospherics and – particularly Barrett and backing vocalist/lead guitarist Alex Conway’s vocals – Queens of the Stone Age at their more sober and restrained. With another single…