• The Record #004: Stillpoint

    January 28, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of The Record, Liam Kielt caught up with Belfast alt-rock band Stillpoint as they recorded their forthcoming single ‘Go Ahead and Go’ at Start Together Studio. A semi-swansong as sorts coinciding with the band’s recent decision to go on hiatus for a while, it will be released at some point over the next couple of months. Check out Liam’s photos from the recording and our interview with Stillpoint frontman (and Two Glass Eyes‘ bassist) Dave McKendry below. Hey guys. You recently recorded your single ‘Go Ahead and Go’ at Start Together. Tell us about the recording process.…

  • Robyn G Shiels Album Artwork Revealed

    January 27, 2014 - By 

    Set for a late Spring release via No Dancing, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels has given us an exclusive first-look at the artwork for his second studio album, The Blood of the Innocents. Created by Edinburgh-based designer Ciara Dunne, the artwork (above) echoes the dark and malevolent visual accompaniment to Shiels’ recent video for the exceptional ‘Underneath The Night of Stars’, the lead track from the EP of the same name, released in May last year. Watch the video to that here or stream the single below. Robyn G Shiels is amongst a whole list of Irish acts play the Derry music…

  • Stream: TVVINS – You Better

    January 27, 2014 - By 

    “This feels like a long term project, who knows where it will end up”. So said Lar Kaye of Adebisi Shank – and one half of Dublin synth-pop act TVVINS – in our interview with the latter last year. Two months later and the pair, also comprised of Conor Adams from The Cast of Cheers, have released their second single, the propulsive electro-pop of ‘You Better’. Comprised of vocoder vocals, forward-moving rhythms, arpeggiated synth lines and slick guitar chords, the track is a notably more earworming and forward-moving counterpart to the equable cool of the pair’s debut single, ‘Two Worlds’. TVVINS play…

  • Several More Acts Confirmed For Longitude 2014

    January 24, 2014 - By 

    Now in its second year, several more acts have been announced to be play this year’s Longitude Festival at Dublin’s Marlay Park from Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20. Irish acts James Vincent McMorrow (pictured), Hozier and Le Galaxie were confirmed alongside Roosevelt, Bondax, Cyril Hahn, Julio Bashmore, John Talabot, Bonobo, Sam Smith, Chvrches, Haim, Bastille, Haim and Bastille. Several more acts will be announced on Thursday, February 6 ahead of tickets on sale the following day at 9am. See below for the official list of confirmed acts.

  • In Photos: Del Amitri @ Vicar Street, Dublin

    January 24, 2014 - By 

    Remember Del Amitri, the Scottish alternative rock band perhaps best remembered for their 1995 with ‘Roll To Me‘? Yes? No? Well, either way, they played Dublin’s Vicar Street on Wednesday, January 22 and Shaun Neary was there to take a few photos of both them and their support in the form of The O’s. Do revisit ‘Roll To Me’ while you’re at it. Catchy, man.

  • Watch: VerseChorusVerse – No More Years

    January 24, 2014 - By 

    Having been busy planning the release of his eagerly anticipated solo album, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Tony Wright AKA VerseChorusVerse has unveiled the video to his new single, ‘No More Years’. The second track on the forthcoming release, Wright said “The video is a blatant metaphor and also a slight poke/twist at all those singer-songwriter videos that appear to be shot in the woods. I, myself, have been guilty of this too. A fine tradition started by Bryan Adams with that Robin Hood tune, with sci-fi references in there to satisfy my inner and outer nerd.” Wright’s debut album will be released…

  • East India Youth – Total Strife Forever

    January 24, 2014 - By 

    Mostly instrumental and electronic, Total Strife Forever is the 11-track debut from East India Youth (William Doyle). Shostakovich and Brian Eno are just two of the influences cited, so it is clear from the outset that this album has some expansive ideas – ideas its creator often explores at dispiriting length. Total Strife Forever starts very promisingly with ‘Glitter Recession’; a swelling digital hiss supporting a series of harpsichord-style arpeggios. It’s emotional, tuneful, warm – the kind of thing that could be on the soundtrack to the movie Drive. ‘Total Strife Forever I’ (the first of four tracks of the same name) follows next. And…

  • Kara Walker @ The Mac

    January 23, 2014 - By 

    Critically and unapologetically interrogating underlying racial and gender tensions in today’s society, the works of artist Kara Walker will see its first major Irish exhibition at Belfast’s The Mac from January 24 to April 27. Esteemed for renouncing the sensitivity that tends to shroud the subject, the American artist delves into the myths underyling certain cultural archetypes and the more malevolent underside of how humans act via characters drawn from American popular culture, history and literature. The exhibition will take place across all three of the Mac’s main galleries. For more information go to the Mac’s official website here. Watch an…

  • Stream: The Wood Burning Savages – Flu Season

    January 23, 2014 - By 

    Having just announced that they’ve been selected to play at the Derry Music Trail as part of Other Voices in February, Derry four-piece The Wood Burning Savages have released a wonderfully understated new track titled ‘Flu Season’. Written only two days ago, the song – propelled by fingerpicked guitar shapes, frontman Paul Connolly’s increasingly earnest delivery and impressively unravelling vocal harmonies – was recorded in the band’s wood shed just yesterday. Stream/download the track (for free) via Soundcloud below.