• Interview: Isobel Anderson

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Three increasingly majestic studio albums in, Belfast-based experimental singer-songwriter Isobel Anderson has steadily established herself as one of the finest forward-thinking artists of a generation. Held in the highest of esteem by critics including BBC Radio’s Lauren Laverne and Jamie Cullum, to name but two, the East Sussex-derived musician talks to Brian Coney about inspiration, experimentation and how artists can break free from pre-conceived musical confines. Hi Isobel. You released your superb third album, In My Garden, in December last year. How did you approach things, from both a songwriting and recording perspective, on the record? In terms of songwriting, the album…

  • Stream: Sleep Thieves – City Of Hearts

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Having reached no. 40 in out Top 100 Irish Tracks of 2013 with the stunning slice of indie/electro-pop that was ‘Sparks’, Dublin trio Sleep Thieves have released a stream of their latest single, ‘City of Hearts’. Propelled by a strutting, synth-lined beat, the track blossoms into a subtly kaleidoscopic chorus, its Solar Bears-esque twists and turns governed by Sorcha Brennan’s wonderfully lulling vocals. Taken from the band’s forthcoming new album, You Want The Night, the single – recorded by Keith Byrne and mixed by Rian Trench – is the trio’s first release since recently signing to Chicago-based record label Minty Fresh Records. Stream ‘City of…

  • 20 Years of Being Brave – How Marillion Crawled Back From Obscurity

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Twenty years ago, a record called Brave hit number ten on the UK album chart. It was by a band who had best been known for ‘Kayleigh’, a hit single they’d had nine years earlier, fronted by a different singer. It’s all ancient history now, but the band are still going, and whilst they’re still largely known for that hit single, the hardcore fans have been celebrating the Brave anniversary with much fanfare, a veritable army of fans rhapsodising over the raw, emotive music contained within the album. But how can a band who are arguably remembered for one 29…

  • VA – Kompakt Pop Ambient 2014

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Kompakt, surely Germany’s most pragmatic electronic label, have it pretty damn good. Not only do they operate from one of the most historically rich techno hubs in Europe, but as an independent and well-respected label they have become part of that same cultural relevance. The label has been lovingly grown from its record shop roots in the early 90’s and their propensity for sparse, subtly textured electronica has dominated their output up to the present day. Their latest compilation is the fourteenth installment of their Pop Ambient series and from the beginning seems to efficiently comply with the label’s sonic modus…

  • Watch: Wonder Villains – Marshall

    February 19, 2014 - By 

    Taken from their forthcoming debut album, Belfast-based pop four-piece the Wonder Villains have released the typically starry-eyed video for their new single, ‘Marshall’. Shot at legendary Portrush amusement complex, Barry’s, the video was directed by Little Giant Films‘ Robin Morgan and a small team of producers and assistant directors. Wonder Villain’s debut full-length offering, Rocky – named after one of the band’s managers, producer Rocky O’Reilly – will be released via No Dancing/Third Bar on March 24. Watch the video for ‘Marshall’ below.

  • Gardens & Villa – Dunes

    February 19, 2014 - By 

    When surrounded by the cold on all sides, it’s important to find appropriate mood music; something to either blast away the cold with promises of Summer just on the horizon or to revel in the abject misery and desolation of the whole season. With Dunes, recorded in the near arctic US Midwest, California-based Gardens and Villa are trying to explore the season. Whether or not they’re successful is a very different story. Dunes operates on two primary settings: new wave/post punk- inflected electro boogies and slower tempo melancholic nuggets of ethereal emotion. Throughout the whole record the influences are apparent.…

  • Interview: The Return of the Dangerfields

    February 18, 2014 - By 

    Having disbanded back in 2010 after a decade and innumerable (and unforgettable) performances, Belfast punk rock/heavy metal heroes Dangerfields are returning to the stage for “one night only” at Belfast’s Warzone on Friday, February 21. Touching on the whys, whos and whats of their highly-anticipated comeback, we talk to the band’s drummer/vocalist Andrew Griswold. Hi Andrew You’re set for a “one night only” return at the Warzone on Friday night. I suppose the logical first question is… why now? Basically because Christopher Owens kept pestering me. I really didn’t want to get the band back together, even for one night, but…

  • The Specials Announce Dublin and Belfast Shows

    February 18, 2014 - By 

    Marking the anniversary of their current reunion, English ska legends The Specials have announced that will return for a couple of Irish shows in 2014, at the Olympia in Dublin and the Ulster Hall, Belfast on November 3 and 4 respectively. The tour – kicking off in Dublin – will culminate in a show at Nottingham’s Rock City on November 22. Tickets for the Dublin show are priced at €49.65 – the Belfast listing is yet to be announced. Both go on sale this Friday, 21 at 9 am from Ticketmaster. Check out our review of the Specials’ Ulster Hall last year here.

  • Her

    February 18, 2014 - By 

    Her opens with a close-up of its star, Joaquin Phoenix, speaking directly into the camera, but he is not addressing the audience. Nor is he speaking to another character on the other side of the camera. Instead he is talking to a machine. Her imagines a world only one step removed from the one we live in today, where the only conversations people have are with their phones or their computers, of a lonely, cellular existence where every human interaction is managed through a digital medium. The film takes place in a near-future Los Angeles and follows Theodore Twombly (Phoenix),…