• Classic Album: David Bowie – Diamond Dogs

    May 2, 2014 - By 

    In Diamond Dogs, with a twisted and sophisticated take on his sound, David Bowie predicted a dark, post-apocalyptic future world. 40 years on, how does the prophecy and the music stand up? In 1974 David Bowie needed to deliver. The Ziggy Stardust album (1972) and accompanying stage show was a whirlwind success and saw Bowie become a significant rising star in America and the most important pop artist in the UK. The follow up, Aladdin Sane (1973), was swallowed up as a straight sequel by a public so Ziggy hungry, they barely noticed the (subtle but not insignificant) musical developments. In time for the Christmas market of the same…

  • The Record #004: Funzo

    May 2, 2014 - By 

    The brainchild of Liam McDermott, Dublin hip-hop group Funzo have had a prolific and tireless journey since their inception in 2009. With 250 live shows – including numerous high-profile festival appearances – under their belt, they launch their debut album, The Great Lonesome, at Dublin’s Twisted Pepper on Saturday, May 17. Talking to us for the latest installment of The Record, McDermott fills us in about his songwriting process, the recording of the “concept” album and his very generous plan for its launch. In-studio photos by Shaun Neary. Hi Liam. You recently recorded your new album, The Great Lonesome. First off, can you tell us…

  • Interview: Ginnels

    May 2, 2014 - By 

    Mark Chester’s Ginnels – a well-loved and lively part of Dublin’s ever expanding DIY scene – describe themselves modestly as “like your dickhead neighbour drowning out your Byrds and Feelies records with his poorly recorded noise ‘jams’ and his stoned mates. Except actually good.” They’re definitely right about the last part. Chester’s scene credentials are substantial, with the vocalist heavily linked in with Dublin record label Popical Island as well as playing roles in No Monster Club and Grand Pocket Orchestra. He seems able to orchestrate a collection of garage rock albums on a budget that’s too tight to talk of, and…

  • Ten must-see shows at Cathedral Quarters Arts Festival 2014

    May 1, 2014 - By 

    Now in its fifteenth year, hands down Belfast’s most exciting, diverse and inspiring festival of music, culture and arts, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival returns from May 1-11. Boasting a programme featuring everyone from De La Soul and Tinariwen to Simon Amstell, Shonen Knife and Yuck, it is quite possibly the annual festival’s strongest roster to date. At the risk of scaling a mount of hyperbole, we reckon there is quite literally something for everybody at this year’s festival. Whether you look to the words and ideas of the likes of Bernard McLaverty or Mark Ellen, the comedy of Katherine Ryan or Howard Read et al, genre-defining artists such as The Handsome Family, The Selecter and Fuck Buttons or…

  • Watch: VerseChorusVerse – Three

    May 1, 2014 - By 

    Currently on tour in England, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Tony Wright AKA VerseChorusVerse has unveiled the video to his latest single, the wonderfully dark ‘Three’. Created by Industrious Dark – the team behind Wright’s videos for  ‘No More Years‘ and ‘Nothing is Easy‘ – it was shot in Wright’s Grandmothers old house and in Edinburgh. Speaking of the video, Wright said, “Adrian Rowe  – who was guitarist in my first band, PepperBook – and Emma Dodds are the brains behind it. I said that I had been watching lots of Orson Welles’ movies – well, more than usual – Third Man etc., and would love something noir. Plus…

  • Inbound/exclusive stream: Nyt Bloomer

    May 1, 2014 - By 

    Hailing from Donegal, Conor McNamee AKA Nyt Bloomer is one of the more interesting voices in Ireland’s thriving electronic music scene. I met with him at his April 24 show at the Menagerie with Shammen Delly and Colpey to speak about the inception of Nyt Bloomer, his record label You Can’t Break It Records, and his infatuation with sampling. Ahead of the vinyl release, Old Toys is available for streaming exclusively on The Thin Air, and the cassette can be bought in Belfast’s Sick Records. Hi Conor. Lets start with a little background – where did Nyt Bloomer come from? I…

  • Kelis – Food

    May 1, 2014 - By 

    Kelis Rogers has always been somewhat of an enigmatic figurehead for the fringes of popular music. A sonic siren, her brand of off-centre RnB has historically enjoyed success with club-goers, channel hoppers and with those who just enjoy a bloody good hook and the occasional raucous holler or two. ‘I Hate You So Much Right Now,’ for instance, her 1999 vocal assault on a cheating spouse, provided Rogers with an opportunity to change the way RnB was to be perceived – it could be powerful, visceral even, but retain the soulful and jazz-influenced backdrop that many of Rogers’ contemporaries exploited…

  • Inbound: Exploding Eyes

    May 6, 2014 - By 

    In this installment of Inbound we chat to Robbie, Al and Brian from Dublin based psychedelic rock band Exploding Eyes about their involvement in the Irish music scene over the years, their biggest influences and why getting stranded in Switzerland is not an option again! Hi lads, can you tell us about Exploding Eyes and where you got the name? Robbie: We’re a new band from Dublin playing rock music. name? Well I was hoping to call the band Flaming Lips but that seems to be taken so I just went for the next horrible thing that could happen to a part of…